Injured Chicken? Stuck Egg?

[Blochlinger]

I have a chicken right now that is physically not well. She is very aware and full of energy but physically cannot stand up and walk. She lays on her side on the ground and kicks her legs out as if to pantomime walking. When I help her stand up and let go she then takes 2 or 3 steps before losing balance and falling on her side.

I have checked her out to make sure there aren't any cuts or holes on her body but i haven't seen anything (I had to have my wife help out with this one, the chickens hind end is full of poop). I have to set her next to her food and water to make sure that she is still feeding well.

She is 1 of 2 remaining survivors of my first flock and the other chicken has just started laying eggs. Is it possible that she has a stuck egg? I have talked this over with my dad and he mentioned that it may be worms. I have since bought a dewormer and gave it to the chickens this morning. I am checking on her often to see if she improves.

Any suggestions? All are welcome.

 

[azygous]

Lameness can have many causes. A heavy worm load in the intestines can certainly cause it, so worming will cure her or rule out worms as a cause.

If this came on suddenly, I would suspect neural toxin poisoning. Look at the areas where she has been hanging out for machinery leaking fluids onto the soil or recent pesticide use. Even WD-40 sprayed where the hen was picking up gravel for her gizzard can poison her.

Coccidiosis is another disease that can knock a hen off her feet, but she'd likely be showing signs of illness, too. It could be a sudden vitamin deficiency causing her to go lame. B-complex and vitamin E 400iu with a sliver of selenium would treat it if this is the cause.

Then there's Marek's. This is what it looks like.

 

[Riche Bronson]

Have you read about Marek’s Disease? I would isolate her from the rest of the flock until you get it figured out. There is also a similar post here on BYC that might be of some help. Here’s a link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hen-falling-over-to-one-side-same-side.423974/

I had a chick with the same issues/ balance issues (along with “pasty butt”). Not knowing whether it was something communicable I isolated her from the flock, and treated her with poly-vi-sol vitamins in her water, and by feeding her egg yolk for about 2 weeks. Sometimes vitamin deficiency can be the issue, apparently. Worked for me- that chick is a happy healthy 3 year old hen now. Worth a try especially if you don’t know for sure what the cause is, and if none of your other birds seem to be effected. Either way it doesn’t hurt to at least try.

Edit- if you’re interested, that’s Poly-Vi-Sol human baby vitamin drops (available pretty much anywhere from my experience.. I bought it at Walmart in the baby section” for $8) withOUT iron.