Sick chicken? 5 months old

[accoladryn]

Hey everyone! i have an easter egger that's about 5 months old, that i've had since she was a baby chick. Since last night, she has not been walking, and just today she has one of her legs laying straight out behind her. Last night she was walking a few steps and would lie down, and now she's not walking at all, and definitely getting dirtier.

She is right about the age that she would start laying but hasn't laid an egg yet, so i wonder if it's her first egg she's having trouble with? she has always been penned, we don't free range, but she's in a tractor that we move around, with 7 chickens total. (one rooster, i'm pretty sure) all around the same age.

I looked at the leg/foot and don't see any major problems. She still flaps her wings just fine without issue, and when i pick her up she doesn't seem "sensitive" to any particular handling, just not wanting to walk. Her head is still up and semi-alert although she's a little more rough looking today than yesterday evening.

Any advice would be appreciated, these are my first chickens and i haven't had any issue like this to deal with yet, so i'm not quite sure what to do! A friend of mine with chickens recommended a warm "bath" in a little cubby, just to help if it is an egg she can't pass, so i was going to try to do that tonight. Any other tips, or things to check for that would help me confirm what the problem is would be appreciated. I'm going to be so disappointed if i lose this hen before we get ANY eggs, after all this time an energy that's gone into her... especially since she's one of my more friendly ladies

adryan

 

[accoladryn]

Okay, as an update...

i've given her a couple baths w/ epsom salt, and i rubbed some oil on her vent although i can't feel any kind of bulge or anything? She's just 5 months, so i know it COULD be an egg, if so it would be her FIRST egg, but even being small i would think i could feel it more.

she is in a dark dog kennel w/ towels and water and i gave her some calcium in her food w/ some yogurt. She ate that, and i gave her some water with electrolytes and probiotics... haven't seen her drinking that so far but i'll check back in just a bit.

she is still not walking or trying to get up at all. she still seems alert, but she is NOT making any effort to PUSH like she's straining to get anything out.

I rubbed a little oil inside the vent a bit and tried to reach and see if i could feel an egg, and i couldn't feel anything BUT some yellowy ooze did come out a bit, which makes me worry it's a broken egg... but again, she still hasn't shown any signs of "pushing" or trying to lay, so i'm not sure.

at this point i'm just planning to continue giving her warm baths w/ epsom salt, but i'm a little at a loss!! i wish i could know for sure what the problem was, because i really don't know if what i'm doing is the right thing!

adryan

 

[MollyRae]

Hi,

I have a chicken with a very similar problem! She is a speckled sussex and over the last 2-3 days she has seemed sick. Her tail is down, her comb seems more washed out in color, and she has been walking kind of funny. She prefers to lay down to standing up, but she is still eating and drinking. I gave her some probiotic greek yogurt yesterday and she ate a bunch and I also put apple cider vinegar in their water, which she also drank. She hatched on May 5 so while it's a little early, it could be her first egg?

I'm really not sure what is wrong with her, and my other 5 hens seem to be in great health. Up until a few days ago she was very feisty, now she lets me pick her up without a fight and no squaks even! If you could offer any advice on what can help my little Bella I would be most appreciative. I'm going to try to give her an epsom salt bath tonight. Do you think I should separate her from the other hens? They seem to sense she's not alright and are being extra snuggly with her; not at all aggressive.

How is your hen doing? Did you ever find out what was wrong?

Thanks,
Molly