Lame hen, about 22weeks, lip smacking and diarrhea. No visible wounds. Normal eggs.

[Marpajia]

One of our hens is lame. Yesterday was one leg and today she won’t use either. She is also smacking her lips now and then, and shaking her head. She did have diarrhea just now when I had her inside for observation. (I have separated her from the flock.) Other than that she has no visible wounds (no bumblefoot, mites, scaly feet, open wounds, discharge, etc). She did lay an egg this morning, it looks normal.

To add: one of our other hens died mysteriously a few weeks ago, found dead near the feeding tube. It had been a few days between coop checks but she also had no visible wounds and was perfectly fine last we saw her a few days before. I’m wondering if these are related? Is this more than a one-off?

 

[Eggcessive]

At this age Mareks comes to mind, especially since you recently lost another bird mysteriously. I would make sure that she is drinking fluids and eating often. Food needs to be near her. A chicken sling chair might be helpful to get her up and help with feeding. Could she have gotten into any moldy or spoiled food, a compost bed, any automotive spills, or a poisonous plant? Vitamin E 400 IU daily along with some scrambled egg bits for selenium, is sometimes used to treat neurological symptoms. If you lose this hen, it would be good to have your state vet do a necropsy and testing. Here is a list of state vets:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some reading about Mareks disease:
https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/vdl/colorado-avian-health-program/mareks-disease/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Here are some examples and a video of chicken sling chairs in posts 5, 11-15:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

Photo by krissyweso of BYC