Sick Chicken! Help! Frostbite? Sour Crop?

[SBFChickenGirl]

I went out to the coop today and one of our Belgian Bearded D'anver hens was limping and barely moving. I brought her up to the house and gave her some water with apple cider vinegar in it. She drank what was in the small bowl in around 5 minutes.
Next thing is that she has been sitting around a lot. I don't know if that is due to her molting and it being cold, or if she has sour crop. She was spitting up her water about 10 minutes after she drank it. But that was all. There wasn't any food coming up.
Her breathing seems to be labored and she sits in the corner with her feathers all fluffed up.
She hobbles around on her hocks. I soaked her feet in epsom salts. She is now sleeping with her head in her feathers. These are her feet.

Sorry, the picture isn't that good.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Is spitting up of the water is but definitely would concern me the most. What are the temperatures there? How does her crop feel? Sometimes if you get close and you can smell sour crop

 

[SilkieCharlie]

Hi, this sounds similar to what my chicken had a few months back. Laboured breathing, struggling to walk/ not walking, curled toes... We discovered, after a month or so, that it was a vitamin deficiency. B and maybe E vitamins. I gave him, and all my flock, multivitamin and mineral powder on their food (bread, vegetables, eggs...). He is progressing more and more everyday, learning to walk again, probably because we left it too late! But you could try giving your hen vitamins in her food asap to see if this helps before it becomes too advanced. It won't do any harm if this isn't what's wrong with her, but it's worth a try.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Goode call with the vitamins. It definitely can’t hurt. Give her a good look over and feel around from top to bottom. And note if there is anything else out of the ordinary

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Thanks so much. Definitely will try the vitamins. Do you know of anything that has B vitamins in it that isn't straight up vitamins?

 

[SilkieCharlie]

Thanks so much. Definitely will try the vitamins. Do you know of anything that has B vitamins in it that isn't straight up vitamins?

I believe it's mainly animal products: eggs for sure, fish is good, dairy products, meats if you feed them it or nutritional yeast, fortified cereals, also contains b vitamins. You could also spread some marmite or vegemite on soaked bread.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I believe Nuri drench Has all vitamins in it. But I’m not sure but you could look into that. I always have a bottle of it at my house. It’s definitely my go to for any of my sick animals. Is there anything else you can feel or see about her that’s just not quite right

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Not really. She is still sitting in the corner. I gave her some yogurt. Cross your fingers.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

She's been eating her yogurt, and has perked up a little. But she's still hobbling around on her hocks.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I went out to the coop today and one of our Belgian Bearded D'anver hens was limping and barely moving. I brought her up to the house and gave her some water with apple cider vinegar in it. She drank what was in the small bowl in around 5 minutes.
Next thing is that she has been sitting around a lot. I don't know if that is due to her molting and it being cold, or if she has sour crop. She was spitting up her water about 10 minutes after she drank it. But that was all. There wasn't any food coming up.
Her breathing seems to be labored and she sits in the corner with her feathers all fluffed up.
She hobbles around on her hocks. I soaked her feet in epsom salts. She is now sleeping with her head in her feathers. These are her feet. View attachment 1588071 Sorry, the picture isn't that good.

Welcome To BYC

How old is she?
How long have you had her?
What do you feed her, including treats?
Can you post some clearer photos of her and her poop?

The spitting up of water - feel her crop, what is that like? Check it now, then first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks. Read the following article and report back to us with your findings https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Hobbling on the hocks could be due to nutritional deficiency. You can try giving B2(Riboflavin). The best way to do that would be crush up 1/2 tablet human B-Complex vitamin and add it to her feed daily for a week. See if that makes a difference.

You ask about frostbite - adding your location to your profile is always helpful. Where in the world are you? Is it cold enough where you are that frostbite is a possibility, what is the housing like for your chickens?