My hen suddenly can’t seem to use her legs

[Birdsong 82]

That was The first day I found her like that and when I realized she couldn’t get up at all I immediately brought her in the house. I did however want to bring her back out to the run to be with her flock mates but with the protection of a crate of course. She has been vitamins and electrolytes the whole time she’s been indoors and has until this afternoon been eating and drinking maybe more than I think she usually does. She ate a lot earlier today and is still slowly drinking her water. If she doesn’t eat anything by morning I will give her some Nutra- drench Again. Right before I left she released a solid poop.

 

[Birdsong 82]

She did however start moving just a little but doesn’t have any strength in her left leg. I was just cautious about bringing her out there if it could be a possibility it could make the others sick. But I just feel terrible that she’s just stuck in that one spot alone. I don’t think humans count as much to them

 

[CindyinSD]

Does she have a special friend? Maybe one you could put her in with but away from the rest of the birdies? I might feel a bit uncomfortable in a little cage surrounded by people eager to peck at me. I’m not a chicken, but still...

 

[Birdsong 82]

Well the dog kennel I have is made for 150 pound dog so it’s HUGE . Since we don’t really use it for the dogs anymore so use it for our brooder They really I didn’t mess with her until it came to food. She hangs with the other Sienna star a bit but I believe she was in the game of the ones pecking. I think being in the house so long away from the other chickens might be making her stressed. I guess I’ll take her out in the kennel tomorrow and see how everybody is reacting. If their surrounding her I’ll bring her back in but hopefully everybody can kind of relax. That way if and when she does recover maybe it will be a smoother transition back in

 

[Birdsong 82]

She seems to be content being in the kennel in the run for now. She has shade and her food and water. No bullies. Everyone seemed pretty happy to see each other. I bring the kennel in at night. But today I saw her stand up and take 2 steps on her own while I was out there!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

That sounds promising. Hopefully, she will take more steps.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Ok. We’re walking again, very wobbly but walking. She seems happy with that. I can’t tell it’s strenuous because it’s little by little. But seems better every day She has been completely covered crate inside when it’s over 100 and other times in the run in the covered crate. She was in yesterday ( heat index 112) and noticed she had a lot of feathers laying around. This morning when I fed her it was A ton. She Shook and feathers going everywhere. I don’t see bugs on her or anything. Could it be lack of sun from being covered? It’s a lot though

 

[Eggcessive]

She is probably starting her yearly molt. I had one this wekk go broody, and she looks like she has been in a pillow fight. She sounds like my hen who could not walk because she lost her balance for 5 weeks. I had to hand feed her, and she was never lame, but would fall over. She sat in a basket for weeks ocassionally standing up and wobbling. She has fully recovered, walks all over the yard free ranging, and wobbling some. Unfortunately her flock attacks her, so she has to stay one the other side of the chicken fence in her own coop.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I still have her in the crate to keep her protected since she’s not 100%. But it’s quite good for her to be able to walk the length of the crate. It’s pretty huge. All the feathers do remind me of a molt and since she’s a little over a year old it would be her first one but I’m just so used to it happening in November or December. But I guess their all different. She hasn’t laid an egg in about four days. I checked her and I don’t feel an egg stuck inside of her. But again that could be due to her being inside quite often this week. This week has been a horrible heat wave and most days the heat index is over 100

 

[Eggcessive]

We are in the Ohio Valley, so probably the same weather now. Once she starts molting in earnest, she will stop laying until she is out of it. Although they normally molt the first time around 16-18 months, I have had a few do it earlier or much later.