sick chicken?

[RN4kidstoo]

Hello everybody. I have a little bantam frizzle who has suddenly started walking sideways. She reminds me of how a person walks after twirling in a circle until they're dizzy. She apx. 6 months old. I don't know if its related, but she started losing some of her feathers about a month ago too. My other chicken, also a bantam but not a frizzle has thick beautiful feathers. I don't know if mother nature is just of schedule and my frizzle is going to get a late batch of winter feathers (she does look like she's getting some back now) or if the feather loss is related to the side way walking. I don't know what to do for her. So far I'm keeping her in the coop so she doesn't stray too far from food and water or get injured walking into something. Has anyone seen this or know what's going on? Thank you!

 

[Renee]

I think you should separate her from the other chickens immediately. Keep her warm and dry, and take a look at her poop in the morning to make sure it looks normal. Make sure she is eating and drinking. Check her vent area in the morning for lice or mites, and make sure her crop is empty in the morning.

Chickens stagger like that when they are sick. They pretend to be fine right up until they can't lift their heads or walk.

It could be anything; I had a chicken that acted like that and had botulism poisonsing from the compost pile. She recovered, but she was flat on her side for three days, I had to syringe liquids down her throat.

It can't hurt her to put three drops of baby vitamins (liquid Poly-vi-sol, no iron) on her beak each day for four days in case of a vitamin deficiency. If she is not eating you can feed her cooled scrambled egg, that usually gets the appetite going again.

Good luck with your chicken.

 

[RN4kidstoo]

Renee, thank you so much, I will do all those things! My little chicken and I thank you!