several chickens getting sick?!!

[Egg_cited]

Last few months have been extremely rough. About four months ago I lost one of my hens. She was around six and always was getting sick so this wasn't a surprise. However, around a month ago another one of my hens a seven year old amercuana has been experiencing severe walking issue's. she isn't able to hold her self up at all. i have a thread already posted specifically about her. initially, she was getting worse but despite her not being able to walk, she has learned how to eat sitting up literally how a human would. i feed her everyday and monitor her drinking. now about a month later my six year old cochin has been acting lethargic. she sits in a corner all day and keeps her eyes closed. I did give her an egg and she ate the entire thing so she has apparently some appetite. I don't understand why my hens keeping getting sick especially since they've always been healthy. I'm worried if it's some type of sickness however I'm assuming they would all have similar symptoms in that case. Notably, it's only my oldest birds so far that are getting affected.

 

[Egg_cited]

@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock
@azygous
hey there! do you possibly have any advise or thoughts?

 

[Egg_cited]

here an image of chicken that can't walk. she's been like this for over a month she isn't getting worse or better

 

[Eggcessive]

Have any of the 3 hens been laying eggs anymore before they died or got symptoms? They are all around 6 or 7, and some hens will go downhill or die from various problems. Is the poor hen who is in the picture having any trouble with her crop emptying by early morning? Is her lower belly under her vent enlarged and firm, and had she been walking more upright before she became lame? I would suspect that she has salpingitis and internal laying that has made her lame. Other possibilities would be an injury to her spine, or possible Mareks. But Mareks normally happens early in life under a year old, unless they are recently exposed by a new carrier. I’m not a vet, but there are a number of hens who exhibit walking upright. She almost seems to be lame from something pushing on her sciatic nerves in her legs. The best way to find out what is going on with her is to one day have your state vet do a necropsy and examine her organs and do tissue studies. I do home necropsies on hens I lose, and some things will be obvious, but sometimes it doesn’t give answers. She might benefit from a chicken sling chair to help get her more upright and help her eat. Here is a list of state vets to contact if you wish to get a necropsy:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry...7IOlHOhP-eD8qMtZ70RNq6BMO9kVUn3x6so7q0Z_JgEr8

Here is a good thread with examples of chicken slings:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/