Older chook can't stand or walk

[judyandrews]

Hi all, I have an older (about 2-3 years) mixed breed chook who was always top chook in the flock. She stopped laying a few months ago. Suddenly she can't stand or walk. I have laid her in a shady spot with a dish of water and another for food. Noo problem eating and drinking. But she hasn't moved since yesterday. Seeing that she hasnt moved she is laying in her own poop. Should I give her a bath? If so should I put any soap in the water? She doesn't look like she is dying, but I'm no expert.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Have you checked for injury? Do your chickens free range? What breed?
Instead of a bath cause you don't want her to chill, what about a wash cloth with warm water & mild soap or just washing her back side?

You could make a Chicken Sling (several threads with pictures here) for her. Treat her with Nutri Drench for now & see what others have to say.

@Ravynscroft @Eggcessive @casportpony @Wyorp Rock @azygous

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She stopped laying a few months ago. Suddenly she can't stand or walk.

Putting your location in your profile is helpful - you mention that you left her in a shady spot and she hasn't moved since yesterday - can we assume you are not the US?
Photos are always welcome

Is she molting?
With the symptoms you describe (stopped laying, can't walk/stand) - check her over well for any swelling/bloat or feeling of fluid in the abdomen. It could be that she is suffering from an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, Ascites, cancer, tumors or Salpingitis.

Having a fecal float to rule out worms is always a good idea, check her crop to ensure it's emptying overnight, look through her feathers for lice/mites and feel the legs/joints just to make sure that injury is not the cause of her sudden difficulty.

It's possible that she may also be presenting with a disease like Marek's, there is not cure for this, so you would want to exhaust all other avenues. Encourage her to drink and eat - add some poultry vitamins to her water and entice her with some chopped egg.

If she is dirty, then giving her a clean-up is a good idea - I do suspect you are in a warmer climate, but it's always best to make sure she doesn't chill as suggested by @ChickNanny13 She needs to be completely dry before going back outside. You can give her a soaking in a warm bath with a little dishsoap or baby shampoo - work the soapy water through the soiled feathers to loosen the poop. For hard clumps, a pair of pliers works well to break that up, if the clump is too difficult to break loose, then you can trim it out with scissors - try not to pull the skin, it will tear easily. Wear rubber gloves and if you happen to want to trim any dry fluff (feathers) around the bum, then I advise that you wear a mask - the fluff is very fine and you don't want to inhale that.

 

[judyandrews]

Thank you, @Wyorp Rock , I apologise for my profile. I had to uninstall and reinstall B.C. and didnt even think about my profile. I will fix this ASAP! Sadly my hen passed away this afternoon. I noticed when I went out to check her that she had vomited something up. So I made sure this and her droppings were well buried, so that the other girls don't try to eat it. Thanks for all your advice and also to @ChickNanny13. By the way I am in the Northern Tablelands of NSW, Australia. Summer has just started.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. Hopefully, it was just something that affected her, such as internal laying or cancer, and not something contagious, such as Mareks or others.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you, @Wyorp Rock , I apologise for my profile. I had to uninstall and reinstall B.C. and didnt even think about my profile. I will fix this ASAP! Sadly my hen passed away this afternoon. I noticed when I went out to check her that she had vomited something up. So I made sure this and her droppings were well buried, so that the other girls don't try to eat it. Thanks for all your advice and also to @ChickNanny13. By the way I am in the Northern Tablelands of NSW, Australia. Summer has just started.

I'm sorry to hear you lost her

I thought you might be in Australia

 

[ChickNanny13]

So sorry for your loss ...

 

[judyandrews]

I have lost 2 more since. I thought it might be Mareks as the second one lost the use of its legs suddenly. But then the third one just dropped dead last night. No sign of illness yesterday. I have three chooks left. I will keep a close eye on them now. Also should i throw their eggs out or will they be okay to eat, considering they wil be cooked!

 

[ChickNanny13]

I render on being safe, toss the eggs. Is there a way you can have a necropsy done on your deceased chicken? Know for sure with the New Year starting all agencies will probably be closed, you'd have to store a body immediately in the frig ... double & tripled bagged. Sorry to hear of your losses