Lame legs

[Wendi Hardesty]

Help! My Rhode Island hen is about 6 or 7 years old. She stopped laying months ago now her legs are getting lame and she’s not eating much. Anyone know about this?

 

[CapricornFarm]

You might want to post in the emergency / illness section.

 

[FortCluck]

You might want to post in the emergency / illness section.

I just asked for it to be moved

 

[Wendi Hardesty]

Thank you!

 

[Sonya9]

Is she not eating or is she losing weight? Big difference. If you offer her a dish of soft food will she eat?

 

[Wendi Hardesty]

She did eat some rice. No weight loss yet. Doesn’t seem to be in pain. Just weak and not wanting to stand on her legs.

 

[Eggcessive]

Many hens will suffer from salpingitis which cause lash egg material to form inside the abdomen. Cancer is also common. Those can put pressure on the leg nerves causing lameness. When they still are walking, some develop a walk like a penguin, or prefer to sit a lot. I had a hen last year who stopped being able to stand without falling for about 5 weeks. She recovered, but a year later she died of salpingitis and cancer, and I found large masses in her lower abdomen.

You might want to check out chicken slings or chairs to get her upright. Here are some examples:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[Eggcessive]

You might try getting her to take some wet chicken feed from a small bowl, and some high protein foods like scrambled egg and tuna.