Poorly hen

[lizzie444]

Hi. Sometime between 4pm and 7pm something happened to one of my bluebelle hens. She cant walk but is hobbling on her hocks. I have put her in to isolation on straw and she sort of flops about. She is doing healthy poos and has eaten some picked grass and corn today. Her eyes are bright and she seems alert but almost paralysed...Any ideas??? i have a young bantam cock who is a bit overkeen - i wonder if he jumped her and dislocated something. Shes a good layer and I dont want to lose her if i can help it. Thanks, Lizzie
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Norfolk 'n good!!

 

[meriruka]

If there is no obvious sign of something broken or injured, no swelling or anything, it's very hard to know what to do.
Probably the only thing you can do is keep her warm & under observation, try some electrolytes - she could be in shock.
If you don't have a vet that will treat poultry (that's the case around here) all you can do is wait to see if she recovers.
I hope she is ok.

 

[LynneP]

How old is the hen? If laying she needs layer feed especially now.

Pullets sometimes develop a gait like this when deficient in Vitamin E, and it is often enough to give them Poly-Vi-Sol or a poultry vitamin, being sure there is no added iron.

I would segregate, as you have, this hen for protection from the roo and to see if something more serious is going on.

Another possibility is that her medullary complex ( some leg and pelvic bones) is deficient in calcium, just at a borderline level from too many treats , throwing off the calcium she needs.

There are diseases that affect motion so you should segregate until you have a chance to assess her better.