My hen suddenly can’t seem to use her legs

[Birdsong 82]

When I went to feed the chickens this morning I noticed my Siana star just sitting there right near the door to the run. She didn’t get up when I fed everybody I removed her from the other and put her in a tote with food water and in the ac cause the heat outside isn’t gonna help She’s alert scarfed down food and drank she just won’t move her legs. Here’s a picture before she pecked my husband cause he holding her upside down ( told him not to).

 

[micstrachan]

How old is this sweet girl? Can she grasp your finger if you press on the bottom of her foot? A couple things come to mind, including Mareks and botulism poisoning. Coukd she have cone across a carcass of any kind? Do your birds free range?

 

[Birdsong 82]

We got her as a chick last March. So not quite a year and a half. We usually free range are birds but there was a dog lingering around the area for a couple weeks so they’ve been in there run witches a very good size for about a month and free ranged for their first time again yesterday. She’s not grasping my finger or even caring when I touch her feet legs. Even when I picked her up she didn’t move them. But she’s very alert. She Very skittish so when I first went to pick her up she tried to get up and run off but all she could do was spread her wings and Scooch a little bit and then gave up and just sat there and let me pick her up She was absolutely fine when she came back in last night

 

[micstrachan]

Gosh, I’m so sorry. I still suspect botulism or another toxin, especially if they free ranged yesterday. Or Mareks. Is an avian vet an option for you? I would try to get some poultry vitamins onto her (single drops directly to the beak) and look into activated charcoal and milk thistle, in case there us a toxin. I’m sorry you are facing this.

 

[Henriettamom919]

Gosh, I’m so sorry. I still suspect botulism or another toxin, especially if they free ranged yesterday. Or Mareks. Is an avian vet an option for you? I would try to get some poultry vitamins onto her (single drops directly to the beak) and look into activated charcoal and milk thistle, in case there us a toxin. I’m sorry you are facing this.

Ditto this! Nutridrench or Rooster booster are good. Also, is there any chance she has mites/lice or worms? I know heavy infestations of those can put a chicken into a lame state. I'm very sorry your girl isn't well

 

[Birdsong 82]

I do have activated charcoal and Neutra drench and possibly milk Thistle on hand. Also Rooster booster. It’s the weirdest thing she will try to use her wings and She’s alert and eating and drinking normally. I’m not sure the doses of what to get her. When I get home I will look her over for mites but didn’t notice anything on her when I was looking over her earlier

 

[Birdsong 82]

It’s almost like she really wants to use her legs for a minute but just can’t

 

[micstrachan]

It’s almost like she really wants to use her legs for a minute but just can’t

Poor thing!

 

[Eggcessive]

Can she move her toes or the legs when you touch them? Botulism usually causes flaccid paralysis that starts in the feet and legs, progressing up the spinal nerves to the wings and neck, then the eyelids very quickly within 12 hours. If that is not the case, I would say it is not botulism. Do you have a rooster or other hens that might have hurt her back or legs? An injury from jumping off a roost might also have been a possibility. Usually Mareks disease symptoms occur during the first year of life, but can also be brought in with a new flock member that is a carrier with no symptoms. Have you added any new birds in the last month or more? A chicken sling to get her upright and in fron of food and water might be something you may want to try. Some chickens will not tolerate them and try to escape, but here is a good link that shows how people make them:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[Birdsong 82]

Right now I have her in a tote at my house because of the heat outside. Our air conditioning is broken but at least when I sent her in front of the portable air conditioner they kept it in the mid 70s. Should I keep her separated and out of the heat?