Injured hen's health is declining

theawesomechick

Songster
6 Years
Aug 7, 2013
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I posted about two weeks ago about one of my hens, Penny, who I believe injured one of her legs or feet (I'm guessing the right one) and was unable to walk. She's a little bit better now, and can wobble around a bit, but she hasn't been eating much, is notably skinnier, and hasn't been laying eggs. She doesn't spend her days with the flock, but she stays right outside the screen door into the run. It's fairly safe there, since the only daytime predators we have are hawks, and the area she stays in is covered by a pine tree. She does try to get into the run whenever she can, but all the other hens keep her away from the food and water. She has her own separate food and water pans outside, and we give her some treats, such as crushed bones and eggshells for calcium and watermelon rinds just because she loves them. I want to encourage her to eat and I want her to get some exercise. She's gotten much thinner and it's only been two weeks. Does anyone have some tips on how I can get her to eat and exercise?
 
When I have one that needs to put weight on and is kept from the food, I will make her a chopped scrambled egg daily, and give her some feed wet with water, just for her. Does her leg seem paralyzed or does she drag it? Mareks disease can start in one leg, and cause the chicken to balance with it's wings. They also may lose weight over time. Different birds will show differing symptoms. Hopefully it is not that, but you may want to do some reading about it:
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
 
Thank you for the advice!
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No, her leg isn't paralyzed. When she wants to move, she places her feet, halfway curled up, underneath her. She keeps her knees bent halfway, flaps her wings hard, and topples around on her toes.
I will try the scrambled egg. Should I make her some oatmeal? All of my hens love that.
 
She could have a crop impactation. If she does then give her apple cider vinegar, antibiotics, and/or warm water. If you can't get her to drink by herself, give it to her in a syringe. Giving her mushy food should help too.
 
Thank you for the advice!
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No, her leg isn't paralyzed. When she wants to move, she places her feet, halfway curled up, underneath her. She keeps her knees bent halfway, flaps her wings hard, and topples around on her toes.
I will try the scrambled egg. Should I make her some oatmeal? All of my hens love that.
Wet chicken feed is just like oatmeal (and more balanced,) and most love it--the wetter, the better, and a good way to get fluids in them. Start her on some B Complex vitamins (dissolve a tablet in hot water first then add to cold) or poultry vitamins (see below) in the water. She sounds a little like she may have a riboflavin deficiency if it isn't Mareks or an injury. Injuries do better with resting the leg for a week or two. Here is a link on riboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiency: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency

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So human B-Complex works? How do you suggest I dose it? I have a packet of electrolytes, should I add that to her water? Thanks!

ETA: I added some water into her feed and mushed it up a bit. She seems to like it much more! Thanks!
 
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If the electrolytes contain chicken vitamins, that would be fine--what you want is riboflavin. For human B-Complex, just dissolve a tablet in a gallon of water (I usually add a small amount of warm water in a cup to dissolve the tablet, then add it to the waterer for 1 gallon. You can make smaller quantities too. B vitamins are water soluble so very hard to overdose. Don't use both kinds of vitamins--one or the other.
 

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