Please help, hen walking lopsided... something not right

[redwa]

Went to check on my girls this morning, one of my hens (1 year old) was walking kind of lopsided, staying in the coop and looked like she might fall over. I brought her in the house and set her up in the kitchen so I could monitor her. I didn't find any injuries, she does not seem lethargic, and is clucking to go back in the coop as I write. Any ideas you may have would be greatly appreciated. I want to help her.

 

[dlhunicorn]

I would keep her separated the next 24 hours and keep monitoring her (might be she is having problems laying?)

 

[redwa]

I am not sure if she is having any problems laying, doesn't see to be although hasn't laid today. She is inside, eating, preening, drinking (avia charge). I don't see any continued off balance behavior. I will continue to monitor her closely for the next 24 hours.

 

[sammi]

check the crop to make sure it's emptying properly.

describe the droppings..color and consistency
has she been wormed?
how many chickens do you have?
could she just be weak from not eating? is she low in the pecking order?
any signs she's been pecked on the head?
could she have fallen?

give her some cooked egg and plain yogurt along with feed..
some vitamins wouldn't hurt.

make sure she has a nest box where you're keeping her.
any drainage from vent?

 

[redwa]

Today she seems to be fine - eating, normal poop, acting like usual. Go figure... I wondered about the possibility of a mild stroke. Possible with chickens? If tis was the case, I am assuming she would continue to have problems, yes?

 

[dlhunicorn]

You may never know what exactly has occurred or caused this because it could be so many things.
In general if you see neurological signs (imbalance in this case) go through the following checklist:
>Has there been any respiratory illness recently (if so it might be an inner ear infection >>>this may also occur when mites get in the ears)

>>Any treats with salt? (salt is very toxic in excess>>>your commercial feed provides enough so do not give table scraps with any amount of salt in it>this can include bread if they pig out on it!)

>>>any stagnant source of water or decaying vegetation (such as a compost heap)?

>>>check the coop and surrounding area for any damp and mold anywhere (incl the bedding)

>>>check the feed for a moldy or "old" smell ...mold will not always show so look for excessive "fines" (powder) in the feed or for spidery webs or such. (if you suspect the feed then open a new bag and see if the problem dissapears when you have given a different "fresh" feed)

Monitor carefully the next day or two for other signs of illness (pale come...listless or fluffed up feathers... odd poos etc.) as these symptoms occur with MANY illness.

 

[redwa]

She continues to be fine but now another one is acting funny, puffed up feathers, quiet, very loose stool. She is in the house now and I am monitoring her. Have the feeling it's intestinal. Restricted all food, only giving avia charge and yogurt with extra probiotics for the next 24 hours. Maybe the girls got into something that I am not aware of. I will do another check around the coop tomorrow.

 

[speckledhen]

Tell us, do they have access to the compost pile where you throw the used shavings, if you do that? The reason I'm asking is this: I've had two hens with sour crop in the past couple of weeks. The first one died, the second is recovering. They live in different coops and eat different feeds, at least when this happened. I was puzzled and figured it was something they were getting into on-range. Today, I think I found the culprit. My compost pile is surrounded by welded wire fencing with the 2"x4" openings. I found that they had eaten a "moat" most of the way around the pile about a foot wide by sticking their heads way into the fencing. I know for a fact that there is old feed in there among the shavings and surely at the bottom of the pile around the sides, some wet feed has molded. I think my two hens got into a "pocket" of moldy feed in the compost. We remedied that by surrounding the fence with 1" opening plastic garden fencing so they cant eat that stuff. They've always pecked at the stuff that grows in there from the old scratch, but this is the first time I've had a serious problem like this.

 

[dlhunicorn]

(((hugs))) >>> cyn glad you figured it out

 

[speckledhen]

Me, too, Di. I just never saw them chow down on the compost that much. That had to be it, just had to be. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it? All that old, moldy feed at the bottom of the pile. Well, no more. They cant reach it now.