Older hen, one leg not working - struggling to walk

[KGandE]

My approximately eight year old hen took ill or got injured about four days ago.

When she tries to walk, it seems that one leg won't work - I can't tell if it's paralyzed or hurt. Her toes/talons are curled up tight on that leg. She is also puffed up, but it's cold here so I'm not sure if it's pain or cold or both.

She is able to get around a little and I find her in different places throughout the day, but she's definitely struggling to move easily. I have been making her scrambled eggs mixed with pellets and some vitamins, which she eats happily - but I don't know that she is eating independently and suspect she is having trouble getting to the food or water. She seems, other than this, to be happy. She will eat grass and search for bugs if I put her on the lawn.

We got her from the Agway, so she should have been vaccinated as a chick. I'm not sure what is wrong, but any help or suggestions for helping her are appreciated.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

My approximately eight year old hen took ill or got injured about four days ago.

When she tries to walk, it seems that one leg won't work - I can't tell if it's paralyzed or hurt. Her toes/talons are curled up tight on that leg. She is also puffed up, but it's cold here so I'm not sure if it's pain or cold or both.

She is able to get around a little and I find her in different places throughout the day, but she's definitely struggling to move easily. I have been making her scrambled eggs mixed with pellets and some vitamins, which she eats happily - but I don't know that she is eating independently and suspect she is having trouble getting to the food or water. She seems, other than this, to be happy. She will eat grass and search for bugs if I put her on the lawn.

We got her from the Agway, so she should have been vaccinated as a chick. I'm not sure what is wrong, but any help or suggestions for helping her are appreciated.

IMHO, she's probably nearing her end of life, to be honest. Typical life span for most chickens can be anywhere from 3-7 years, though the record is held by a hen who lived to be 16 21 years old.

Might be an injury from which she could heal, though. I'd put her in a warm place, like a crate in your house, and give her a few days to recover quietly and comfortably, without struggling to keep warm. Make sure the vitamins include the B's as in a B-complex tablet, or especially B12 (cobalamin). Hope for improvement in a few days.

Best way to administer the vitamin is to pull down on her wattles to open her beak, then pop it in. She will swallow.

(edited to correct age of "Peanut": https://darwinmarsi.substack.com/p/peanut )

 

[Eggcessive]

The B complex suggested may help with the curled under toes and the leg injury. She sounds like she has injured it, and the best treatment is resting the leg, no jumping up or down. A dog crate (with food and water) inside the coop with her flock would force her to rest it, and be near food. Arthritis is common in older chickens just like other animals.

 

[KGandE]

Thank you. I will go to the store tomorrow and buy a b-complex vitamin. The chicken booster I have has some B vitamins in it, but I'll try to get something else to try tomorrow - I can alternate them. Good idea about the dog crate - my coop isn't that big, but I can set one up in the yard tomorrow. They have a big fenced and covered yard to roam in and she can rest but still be with her friends. Wish I had a vet I trusted to help with my hens, but I don't. Will try to email one who is not local but sometimes can help over email. Thanks again.

 

[Eggcessive]

Let us know how she gets along.

 

[KGandE]

Just wanted to update - so far, so good. She is looking stronger after a week of warm-water and epsom salt soaks, as well as a tea tree oil spray on her legs and feet. Unsure what helped, but she's moving much better and even hopped on the roost a couple of nights, rather than sleeping on the floor as she had been. Fingers crossed, she'll continue to get stronger.

Thanks for responding to my original post, I appreciated the support!

Also, we don't have a poultry vet, but I consulted one online and he said it sounded most like sciatica - figured that might be useful if anyone else has a similar problem in the future.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks you for the update and glad to hear that she is improving.