Older hen with staggers - kinda long

[sussexgal]

http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/disviral.htm

Hmm.... wouldn't this infect the other birds in the flock? Does your girl have nasal discharge? Molly's breathing was better this morning... I really think she was too hot inside the house. I'll be checking when I get home tonight too... this is such a weird thing.

 

[Jenski]

Well, Edna was already in the coop last night when I got home (an hour before sunset), and her comb and wattles seemed a bit shriveled ~ so into the homemade hen ICU she went. This is really the only way I can monitor exactly what she's eating/drinking, and I figured the warmth in the house would do her bald little body some good (it was around 28 F here last night).

There were droppings in the crate this morning, so she must have eaten yesterday afternoon. When she woke up this morning she ate a bit of the grower crumble/layer pellet mix, and then she went to town on the small cup of scratch I left in there ~ it must have seemed like heaven to have so much scratch all to herself! In any case, she's eating and drinking, and I have not heard any of the occasional coughing. No discharge of any kind, eyes are clear and bright, but tired looking circles underneath. I am leaving her inside for a couple of days to make sure she's properly hydrated, etc. and we'll see how it goes.

I still don't have any more ideas on the issue ~ and you're right, none of the other hens has the "circling" issue so it may not be a contagious illness. It's just the hen with the hardest molt.

 

[lovemygirls]

I am sorry to hear about your baby....but in a way I am glad to hear someone else has that problem... My Abbey (she is a domin-something- black and white speckles)....started walking like she was drunk, slepted alot during the day and night, she was eating like she was starving. I brought Abbey inside. and she still acted slow even for her ( she is abit "special" I think). I know absolutely nothing about hens. My husband says I am like Lisa from green acres. Anyways, Thanks to you I started feeding her baby chicken food, and got some Oxy-mycin for her water. and I started feeding her more protein she loves peanut butter sandwhiches, and almost overnight she is back to normal self sitting with me on porch having our morning coffee( she loves coffee). Thank you for writing about your girl, it helped me with mine..

 

[Jenski]

lovemygirls, it is also possible your hen was experiencing the effects of botulism or other food poisoning. That is one of several things that can make them stagger around. Changing her food and water, as you did, can help with that. You might also wish to check over the food and water in your pen/yard just in case. Glad she's better, though!

The problem sussexgal and I are experiencing with our girls is not quite stumbling around, but more of an odd, squatting half-circle. It almost seems like a neuroligical issue, but it only happens occasionally. My hen also flaps around, runs and walks fine at other times.

 

[Jenski]

sussexgal, any update on your girl? Hope she's feeling better.

My Edna is still in the house, and although she seems a bit thin and weak, she's eating very well. She's not drinking as much as I would like, but none of them really are right now. I am also trying some Immuno Charge in the water. I have not seen the "circle" today, as she is not walking around enough to tell.

I checked over her body really good again tonight, including her eyes, face, skin (for possible parasites), legs, feet and vent. Everything looks A-OK. My plan is to leave her there at least another day to monitor her eating and drinking, and then it's back outside in the coop. Her coop buddy is very gentle and the weather is milder now, so we'll see what happens.

 

[sussexgal]

Good Evening Jenski...

I've had Molly in the mud room since Tuesday morning. She comes into the house twice a day so I can clean up her container and get her fresh food and water. In the house she seems to be doing fine. She strolls around on the linoleum, gets up on things that look like a nice spot to roost. lol Her gate is alittle off - walks a John Wayne walk. She's pretty cute. Anyway.... I've upped her protein considerably. She gets a whole scrambled egg in the morning and cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt at night. Plus 21% egg producer crumbles.

The wormer came in the mail today and I'll worm her the minute I get some 1cc syringes. Tomorrow.

The chickens have been cooped since the monster snow storm we got Tuesday. Soooo... until the snow melts, Molly won't be going back in the coop. I'm building a roo coop in the barn, but it's not finished yet. She's just too easy a target for my juevenile delinquents. I'm hoping that by hitting her on all levels - nutrition, parasites.. something will help her out. If she is still wobbly after all this? Then I'm going to guess head injury.

One thing I did notice was that she was more wobbly when she was feeding and lifted her head to look around. That screams vertigo to me. I spent quite a bit of time with her in her coop on Monday... she's not uncomfortabe or in pain. She is eating like a trooper. Drinking and pooping. She is talking, aware of her surrounds, is inquisitive. So... outwardly - not sick. Just wobbly.

 

[Jenski]

Thanks for the update, sussexgal. Glad Molly seems comfortable, and that she's eating well.

Edna was up and perky this morning, walking and looking around, and letting me know she's getting a bit tired of being in the house with me. That's a good sign, so perhaps I'll let her back out this weekend when the weather's warm (back up to 70 during the day!). I still have a ceramic warming lamp in the big coop I can turn on at night if need be.

She has been eating great, and if she keeps walking around (albeit wobbly and shaky) I guess things are pretty good. I am still stumped, and I would welcome comments from anyone with older hens in heavy molt.

 

[sussexgal]

Hi Jenski,

Molly has her mojo back

She was strutting her stuff like Jim Carey in Pet Detective yesterday morning. This morning the snow had melted enough to boost the rest of the flock outside, so Molly went back into the coop. She walked the uneven surface like nothing was ever wrong. Yeah! So.... knock to the noggin or nutrient deficiency. I'm thinking nutrition... she ate an entire scrambled egg again this morning. I'll bring her back into the mud room at night until she regrows her flight feathers. She can't get up to the roost by herself without those... Oooh yeah... dancin in the street here.

How's Edna fairing? Have you tried giving her egg or other sources of high protein? Like alot of it? Molly is getting about 40% protein intake right now. I let her free choice what she wants. Crumbles, egg, cheese, a tiny bit of fruit. The protein disappears first, then the crumbles, then the fruit.

Got the Eprinex Ivermec on all the birds today too.... including Molly. Next week they will get treated again. I don't know that they have parasites? But this way I'll know they definitely don't!

Keep me posted about Edna?

Celia

 

[Jenski]

Thanks for the update, sussexgal! I tend to agree with you on the protein/nutrition thing. Edna was up and perky yesterday morning, so when I got home I took her back outside since it was about the same temp outside as it was inside. You never saw a happier hen! She strutted, she flapped, she ran this way, she ran that way, and she soundly pecked her coop mate on the head just to remind her who was boss.

Then she chowed down on her meat/cheese/sunflower seed snack.

She's doing the same as Molly ~ protein first, then the other stuff. She didn't eat any of her favorite grapes until this morning ~ after a bit of meat. I am continuing the grower crumble for her as well. She's still weak-legged when she feeds off the ground, but when she walks she's pretty steady. Then there's the running ! !

Ah, well. Tonight she has a medium-watt heat lamp near the coop ceiling in case she gets cold before those feathers finish growing in, but I too am feeling much better about her condition.

Thanks again for the posts ~ and best of luck with Molly!

 

[sussexgal]

Oh Jenski!

That is awesome!!!! It does the heart good to hear that Edna is getting back to her old self

Once again our little feathered friends have taught us valuable life lessons, huh? All I have to say is.. Fantastic!

Celia