Need Help- hen not standing up, can't walk

[vrock]

Last night I noticed one of my older ladies was laying on the floor of the coop. They free range during the day but it has been heat advisory hot so some of them have beening hanging out in the shade of the coop in the doorway. I didn't think anything of her laying on the floor because she had her wings spead like she was trying to cool off. This morning when I went to open the door she was still laying by the door, she tried to get up and move and seemed like she couldn't walk. I tried to coax her to walk out of the coop and it was like she couldn't get her feet under her to walk.

She is an older hen like 4 1/2 years old. Do you just think she is dying because of old age or something worse going on?

Thanks in Advance for your help!

 

[Knolldweller]

I have a 4 month old rooster who is having the same problem! We brought him up to the house and put him on our screened in porch. For the last two days we have been feeding him gatorade from a dropper, along with water alternately, but he still isn't standing up. It's as if he has no strength in his legs. It has been super hot here, but the other chickens seem to be doing fine. Otherwise, the rooster seems alert. His poops are normal...

 

[nickRW]

From looking around, it seems that this summer's heat has been doing a lot of damage to chickens-

I'm absolutely no expert, but just had a chick suffer similar problems-- laying with a wing out, didn't move much, had trouble walking. We brought her inside (cooler) and gave her extra electrolytes (watered down gatorade (about 1:4 gatorade:water), vitamins (polyvitasol/no iron), and scrambled egg, i.e. what we read is basic stuff when chicks are down but not diseased.

She's recovering (after a day, plus, still wobbly but walking now), so hopefully that will help (though I'd hope someone else can confirm this is a good idea-- I don't want amateur advice to hurt your chicken).