one of my smallest wont stand

[cafrhe]

My cornish x are 7 weeks old on Monday. We plan to process at 8 weeks. I have some very large chickens and some much smaller. One of my smallest females wont stand today. I separated her and she ate just fine--not a vacuum cleaner but interested in eating. I gave her some nutri-drench. She sits with her wings slightly out for balance and if I support her standing, she still seems off balance. She moved away from where I had her by the house (not contained, just on the porch and seemed to be making her way slowly back to the others, so I took her there. She is very quiet, eats every time I offer her food,but has not gotten up.

I do believe that my feeding arrangements were not great and changed them today to make more room for the less dominant chickens (long trench now plus another shorter one). Maybe she got starved? But the fact that she has had ample food for 3-4 hours now, plus liquid suppliments and still wont stand makes me worry.

Could a small chicken have leg problems? She is 4'b, 9oz (a larger roo for comparison is 7,9) Her poop this morning was watery and green and is now normal consistency but still greenish. Sick or leg issues?

They are in a tractor on grass and semi free ranged during the day (penned in larger grass area)

Thanks

 

[GitaBooks]

It could be a vitamin deficiency, marek's, or just that she grew too fast.


I hope this helps: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

Best of luck!

 

[Chappellchicks]

I'm new to this whole raising chicken things and having a similar problem with one of my Cornish Cross chickens that is about 6 1/2 weeks old. I noticed she wouldn't stand about four days ago. When I pick her up she won't put her legs down. She will eat and drink (I'm keeping feed and water in front of her) and is pooing. I just weighed her and she is 3 lbs 12oz. It's been crazy hot here in Iowa for two weeks. I'm wondering if I should just butcher her? Advice or comments welcomed. Thanks!

 

[GitaBooks]

I'm new to this whole raising chicken things and having a similar problem with one of my Cornish Cross chickens that is about 6 1/2 weeks old. I noticed she wouldn't stand about four days ago. When I pick her up she won't put her legs down. She will eat and drink (I'm keeping feed and water in front of her) and is pooing. I just weighed her and she is 3 lbs 12oz. It's been crazy hot here in Iowa for two weeks. I'm wondering if I should just butcher her? Advice or comments welcomed. Thanks!

I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds like paralysis as well, which is fairly common in broiler birds. It could be viral, physical, genetic, or nutritional. If vitamins don't help her, then I would suggest butchering her. If you aren't sure what caused it, it is best not to eat her.

 

[cafrhe]

My chicken does move both legs. One is slightly larger than the other and doesnt move as much (she grips my finger with one foot and less with the other). I wonder if it is an injury. She ate all day and her poop turned normal color. We'll see how she is in the morning. She definitely moved herself around, just not far. I got some nutridrench in her, but I dont think she likes the taste.

 

[slingshotandLAR]

I had a lager male that couldn't stand the other day, 3 days before processing.....

Same as you stated, healthy but can't walk. I didn't want to risk losing him so we decided to process him that day.

Turned out he had a dislocated hip, he would not have recovered, so I'm glad we decided to do it then before he got weak or worse.

It took my wife and I 20 minutes start to finish to have him cooling in an ice bath. I cone them, she scalds and plucks and I do the finish work. We roasted him whole and he was delicious.

I think it's better to go ahead and process her than risk loosing her, I've tried and it usually never works out. The other birds will most likely kill her overnight. Than your left with nothing.

 

[cafrhe]

The other have been pretty ok with her. She stays in one place and I put food in front of her (and then feed the others to draw them away). Some times she is alone and sometimes 1 or 2 are sitting next to her.

Today is her last day though. She had time to recover, she hasnt and she is probably injured. Unfortunately I have my 7 year old niece this week. Bad timing for blood and guts. But we will have a nice chicken meal in a few days (unless I screw up...this will be my 1st unsupervised attempt to kill and eviscerate a bird.)