Please help my chicken is acting lame but only at night!

[chookgal]

(Not sure if I posted this in the right place) My chicken is sticking her leg out straight behind her when she walks, drooping her wing towards that leg, acting lethargic and resting on the curled toes of that foot... but only at night! This has been going on for the past 2 nights and she's perfectly fine during the day, scratching, eating drinking, ect. She also has trouble balancing at night I had to put her in the nest box to sleep. It seems she's worse tonight than she was last. Any help would be greatly apprieciated!

 

[Teila]

G’Day from down under chookgal

Welcome! I wish the circumstances in which you join us were nicer and I am sorry to hear that your hen is unwell.

I am definitely not an expert when it comes to what ails chickens but some of the symptoms sound like they could be neurological and possibly Marek’s but because it is only at night, it could be temperature related

I recommend posting your question on the Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures Forum:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

I hope that you are able to discover what is wrong with her and also treat her.

I also hope you enjoy BYC. There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun. Unlike non chicken loving friends, family and colleagues, BYC’ers never tire of stories or pictures that feature our feathered and non feathered friends

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, chookgal, and

! Great to have you aboard! I've never heard of what you are describing but the folks in the link below may have. Post there and see what they say: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures Not sure if it qualifies as an injury but they have may an opinion for you. Best of luck!!

 

[chookgal]

Thank you both! I'll try there

 

[Pork Pie]

Welcome to BYC and good luck over on the ER forum.

Best wishes
CT

 

[drumstick diva]

Those are unusual symptoms, could there be something on the roost that injures your chicken? Do others on the roost peck at her? What she does with her leg does sound like Marek's but she would be the same way during the day.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Check for mites, they're usually only active at night... and her ears for an ear infection... her equilibrium may be off, but during the day when she can see she *may* be able to compensate... darkness may hinder her ability to keep herself straight... just some ideas... good luck...

 

[N F C]

Good luck to you, hope your girl will be ok.

 

[chookgal]

Thank you everyone she's fine tonight! Earlier this morning a different hen was doing the exact same thing. I gave the chickens water with apple cider vinegar, a probiotic, and she stopped a short while later. My hen that was doing it before also stopped. I think it was a parasite/neurological thing. Thanks again to you all!

 

[Teila]

I have a thread I started some time back about one of my gals who has similar symptoms, nighttime only but not for days like yours did:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1140916/epileptic-chicken

She has only had the two episodes and the last one was September. I did, however, start them all on a liquid feed supplement [Anitone] once a week.