My chicken can't stand or walk

[lillypurrs23]

Hi, our 6 month old speckled sussex, Rosy, seems to not be able to really walk or stand. She's been having problems for about a week or two. At first we thought she might of strained something. She was just kind of limping at first, seeming to favor one leg, but now she can't walk or stand. She'll use her wings to steady herself, or help herself move. If we try to help her stand, she just sits back down. She just sits wherever we stand her, but today when she wanted to get to the nesting box to lay, she was kind of hopping/dragging herself forward and using her wings, but I just set her in there so she wouldn't hurt herself. Then later, I came in at the time where she was trying to get down, and she was there on the edge, her wings spread out. She just laid today, and she's eating normally, and I think she's drinking normally too. Her poop is normal, and she's alert. It's just that she seems to not be able to walk. She's just sitting in the same place that we'll set her. Her comb and wattles look fine. She doesn't seem to be losing feathers. They get sunflower sprouts and wheatgrass daily, and they sometimes will get corn, peas, quimoa, oatmeal, rice, tomatoes, apples, grapes, pomegranates and mealworms. They're also provided with sand and oyster shells. We might be bringing her to the vet tomorrow.

 

[Sorin]

I'm not sure

Have you looked and felt at her leg, felt her leg for any physical injuries? I wish I could help more, I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in to help.

 

[lillypurrs23]

Yes, we've checked her legs and feet, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong.

 

[Miss Lydia]

since she seems healthy in every other way, it might be a good idea to try the vet. could one of the other chickens pecked her in the head or neck? Please let us know what the vet thinks this could be. and good luck.

 

[lillypurrs23]

I'm in the coop a lot with them. There's 4 chickens all together, and i've seen only the other three peck/be pecked. I never saw Rosy get pecked or peck, except for once, and it seemed like she was curious about something on her comb more than anything.

 

[lillypurrs23]

We brought her to the vet today. She did a calcium test and that was fine, so it's not calcium deficiency. She's not egg-bound, the vet thought that while she was laying, she hurt her nerves, and that might be what is making her unable to walk. Today she's been walking a few steps if encouraged with mealworms, but she's still all unbalanced.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Have you read up on Mareks? I hop not for your girl

AC

 

[lillypurrs23]

We're not sure if it's Mareks or not. We're going to call the vet tomorrow to ask, because she wasn't vaccinated. We're going to look for Hypericum, because apparently it cures Mareks.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Heres another thread that the person is going through with the same problem: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=459819

AC

 

[lillypurrs23]

Well, her wings aren't paralyzed, and she can walk a little bit. We're getting some Hypericum today, though.