Sick Chicken

[hoehnagal]

Hi everyone, I am new here. I have a hen that hatched out 12 chicks and when I checked on her yesterday she had a very hard time walking. She is about a year old, I am not sure her breed. She hasn't laid any eggs since she hatched out the chicks. I have a feeling I am at fault. I have been feeding her/chicks medicated chick feed. could that be causing her leg weakness? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. No the feed is not the problem, and actually, the extra protein may help. How long was she broody, and were all of the eggs placed under her for brooding at the same time? If she was broody a long time before, she might be malnourished or have a vitamin/mineral deficiency. How old is she? Can you get some human vitamin B complex, and give her 1/2 tablet daily, crushed into a spoonful of water or food. Offer fluids now, 1 tsp of sugar in a cup of water, and offer some scrambled egg and wet chicken feed mixed with water, or anything you can get her to eat, once she has taken some water. Fluids are most important now.

 

[hoehnagal]

Welcome to BYC. No the feed is not the problem, and actually, the extra protein may help. How long was she broody, and were all of the eggs placed under her for brooding at the same time? If she was broody a long time before, she might be malnourished or have a vitamin/mineral deficiency. How old is she? Can you get some human vitamin B complex, and give her 1/2 tablet daily, crushed into a spoonful of water or food. Offer fluids now, 1 tsp of sugar in a cup of water, and offer some scrambled egg and wet chicken feed mixed with water, or anything you can get her to eat, once she has taken some water. Fluids are most important now.

Thank you so much for your reply. She is about a year old. We actually thought she was eaten because she went missing and then a month ago found her wondering around the pasture with 12 babies. She hid in the blackberries. So I'm not sure how long she was broody or about the eggs. She has been eating and drinking just fine so she still has an appetite. I will do all those things today. thank you again for your reply!

 

[Eggcessive]

She probably was starving herself, only getting a little nutrition (eating grass and bugs, etc.) while she was laying all of the eggs, and then sitting on them. I would try feeding her a couple of times a day, holding a small bowl of various foods with water, to get her back on her feet. Vitamins for chickens or B complex would be good to use. Hopefully, she will recover. I had a similar situation with a hen disappearing for about 6 weeks, and then showing up with her 7 chicks one day. But she was in good shape fortunately.