Rhode Island Red - Healthy but can't walk...

[Tandoori]

I have an approx. 1 year old RIR who can't stand or support her own weight. She is eating and drinking very well, layer ration and fecal is normal in color and consistency, good color everywhere, warm skin. Came on about three days ago, noticed that she was favoring one leg, and off balanced. By the second day she was sitting down a lot and now both are not functioning properly, today is day three. No sores, not paralyzed...she can move them to scratch at herself and move herself around in the crate we've placed her on wood chips. She is also laying normal eggs. Also, we did notice that her comb has flopped over a bit.

No vets in Seattle will treat chickens, are any of you familiar with problem?

 

[silkiechicken]

Hello fellow seattlite! Sorry I don't know what is wrong. So she just can't walk? Not even stand? Yet she can scratch herself? Wonder if it is neurological in that case. Could there be a slipped tendon anywhere? Maybe someone can come by and help out more.

 

[Tandoori]

Hi! Thanks for the reply. It's the strangest thing. She is totally alert, eating well (organic layer ration and some healthy table scraps such as lettuce, etc.), fecal is normal.

I just took her outside in the backyard since we finally have a sunny day and wanted her buddies to see her too. She was trying to keep up with them but keep falling. When I support her weight with my hands and help her along she can walk. When I take away my hands she just sits there.

I moved her legs around, nothing broken, nothing abnormal feeling and they move normal again when I support her weight. She just isn't strong enough to do it on her own. I'm not sure what else to do, today is day five. Maybe it's just a cold and this will pass. In the meantime we are keeping her inside the house in a crate lined with pine chips and we are medicating her water with Sulmet. She laid a normal egg yesterday but not today.

 

[ruth]

Try giving her some liquid baby vitamins while you order or buy liquid bird vitamins. She may have a malabsorption issue/vitamin deficiency. Won't hurt her if not and better than trying random meds until you know what's wrong with her. Good luck

 

[dlhunicorn]

so very difficult to try and sort out these types of things...there is a supplement called AviaCharge 2000 (you can purchase online from McMurray or Strombergs)which , because it is a complete nutritional/vitamin supplement formulated in the correct ratio to each other, should ensure that dietary deficiency/incorrect ratio is not a point (give it a couple weeks)... if the condition persists then
here are some articles describing some of the conditions which can cause lameness ... have a read through and see if anything rings a bell:
http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=linksgeneralinfo&action=display&num=1158767299

 

[amywaterman]

I'm wondering how your RIR is doing? I am new to chickens and just lost a RIR three days ago. About 3 weeks ago she started limping. I, too, inspected her leg only to find nothing. She also was healthy, eating and responsive. Nothing seemed wrong other than the limp. Three days ago I went to collect eggs, as I do every day, and she was dead. I couldn't believe it. Now, three days later, my Plymouth Rock is limping and not wanting to walk. I am so afraid the same will come of her. I do not know what is wrong. I hope your RIR is okay. If you have done anything that seems to have helped her, please share. Thank you.

 

[sammi]

has she been wormed?
worms can sometimes cause them to "lose their legs"
and cause a malabsorption problem.

do you offer oyster shell, or calcium supplement?

I would try the vitamins and get plain yogurt mixed with a small amount of water cooked oatmeal and layer feed, with a chopped cooked egg.
might try crushing a Tums into it.
she may be having symptoms of calcium deficiency..
keep her in a confined area with good bedding and the yogurt feed and water so she doesn't have to struggle to feed.

have you checked the bottom of her foot?
check for any sores or scabs..

if you have checked the link posted by dlhunicorn..does anything seem to match?

 

[biretta]

This is much belated--I just came across this posting--but it sounds like Guillian Barre syndrome (sp?) that occurs in humans. It starts with lower extremity paralysis, then ascends, eventually paralyizing the muscles used in respiration with resultant death of the victim. Just a guess...