Limp chicken

[Chodgson]

Hi! We noticed one of our 1 year old chickens acting weird so we brought her inside to isolate her…. She can’t stand and when I pick her up she can’t hold her head up and she keeps jerking her head.. eyes always closed not eating, hasn’t laid an egg in days. Crop is empty, not really pooping, vent looks good and no injury whatsoever. She’s just barely moving. What should I do or what would of caused this. All our other birds look and act fine and continue to lay. My fiancé noticed one other one is starting to do a weird head movement tho

 

[Eggcessive]

Could they have eaten something bad for them in the yard? Moldy feed, remains of a dead animal, automotive spills, lead from old paint or lead shot in the ground can all cause similar issues. She could be dehydrated as well. Is she paralyzed or able to move her extremities? Is her neck twisting to one side or limp? Where are you located? Botulism, poisoning, mold, and some avian viruses could be possibilities. Knowing your general location can be helpful if there has been avian influenza nearby. Can you try to get her drinking some fluids, and electrolytes or Poultry NutriDrench would be good.

 

[Eggcessive]

The other one might be having a similar issue, but they can sometimes adjust their crop with a circular neck movement. Wry neck or torticolis is a common symptom in some chickens, and can be twisted up, down, or to one side due to a head injury, vitamin E deficiency, and is also seen in some diseases.

 

[Chodgson]

She is twitching her neck to the right and when I pick her up her head drops… and if I set her on the ground she won’t move

 

[Chodgson]

We are also in New Brunswick Canada!