Puffy, lethargic hen

[hannahrose899]

She also has no motor control over her feet. They are just curled up under her, and she can't effectively use them.

 

[hannahrose899]

Latest update on Cleo: She's inside staying warm. We gave her a warm bath in case she's eggbound, and tried to feel if there is an egg, but we just cannot tell. She's eating and drinking, still mostly just standing there puffed up with her eyes closed.

 

[deidreg]

Here's a link for treating impacted crop. Again, not an expert, but if you're feeling in her crop area (front breast), I'm thinking you're feeling her crop.

@aart Any ideas? Or who else to tag?

 

[aart]

She also has no motor control over her feet. They are just curled up under her, and she can't effectively use them.

That's definitely alarming.
Mareks is my first thought, but other things can cause leg paralysis.

How long have you had these birds?
Comb doesn't look 'red' enough to be laying, so egg bound or slow softies are probably off the board.

Lumps in crop. Crop is on birds right side, if you're feeling in the center of body you may have been feeling vertebrae. Maybe feel other birds at roost time for full crops to learn where it is.

When I have a bird that is acting 'off' I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

@Wyorp Rock and/or @Eggcessive are better at this stuff than I am

 

[hannahrose899]

That's definitely alarming.
Mareks is my first thought, but other things can cause leg paralysis.

How long have you had these birds?
Comb doesn't look 'red' enough to be laying, so egg bound or slow softies are probably off the board.

Lumps in crop. Crop is on birds right side, if you're feeling in the center of body you may have been feeling vertebrae. Maybe feel other birds at roost time for full crops to learn where it is.

When I have a bird that is acting 'off' I isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so I can closely monitor their intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and their poops. Feel their abdomen, from below vent to between legs, for squishy or hard swelling. Check for external parasites or any other abnormalities.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

@Wyorp Rock and/or @Eggcessive are better at this stuff than I am

Thanks very much for your reply. We've only had these birds for two weeks. The other three seem very healthy.

She is still eating and drinking small amounts, but barely staying awake. She is standing up, just wobbly when taking steps.

That makes sense, her comb has not gotten very red at all yet, so probably not an egg issue.

 

[hannahrose899]

Here are some more photos of her from just now:

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you feel inside her vent about 1-2" for an egg?

What does her crop feel like?

 

[hannahrose899]

Can you feel inside her vent about 1-2" for an egg?

What does her crop feel like?

Thanks so much for your reply.

Just felt inside her vent. I didn't feel anything like an egg, though it's my first time checking a hen and it was hard to tell.

Her crop doesn't feel notably bloated or mushy. It just feels spiney/boney, moreso than when I feel the crops of my other hens.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is hard to know if she could have a crop disorder or a reproductive problem such as egg binding or infection. I also would worry that she might be suffering from possible cocidiosis from her puffed up posture and now becoming weak and unable to stand. I would get her drinking water right away, and consider buying Corid at your feed store to treat her for possible coccidiosis. Dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid Corid per gallon of water given for 5-7 days. Change water daily. She might be showing early signs of Mareks disease. The Corid would not hurt her. Practice feeling the other chickens’ crops. They should be empty and hard to feel in early morning, and fill up with food and water all day long.

 

[hannahrose899]

It is hard to know if she could have a crop disorder or a reproductive problem such as egg binding or infection. I also would worry that she might be suffering from possible cocidiosis from her puffed up posture and now becoming weak and unable to stand. I would get her drinking water right away, and consider buying Corid at your feed store to treat her for possible coccidiosis. Dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid Corid per gallon of water given for 5-7 days. Change water daily. She might be showing early signs of Mareks disease. The Corid would not hurt her. Practice feeling the other chickens’ crops. They should be empty and hard to feel in early morning, and fill up with food and water all day long.

Thank you for the reply. I will try the Corid and see if she improves at all.