Sick hot Hen-help please!lying down with legs straight behind her.

[DemeChick]

I thought maybe my 18 month old Cochin was just taking a dust bath in the shaded area of the barn. Her legs were very stiff and she couldn’t stand. I picked her up and she was very hot under the breast area.

I tried putting her in a little shallow tub of water. She didn’t want to drink much and after 24 hours tried to flop around.

None of the other hens are acting like this. There is plenty of layer pellets, oyster shell and fresh water with nutrient electrolytes added. The temps have been over 90° with heat index of 103°. I let them out for about 45 minutes at sunset to forage near the barn.

Today a saw her lay an egg. She still isn’t drinking much and quickly hopped out of the water bath I placed her inside. She is not walking just lies upright with her legs straight behind her.

 

[Eggcessive]

The heat may have affected her neurologically, or she may have had trouble walking due to an egg pressing on her sciatic nerves in her legs. Hard to know exactly. I would offer some human B complex or some ground liver, beef, Poultry Cell 2 ml, or nutritional yeast for riboflavin and electrolytes in water. Let us know if she improves or not.

 

[DemeChick]

The heat may have affected her neurologically, or she may have had trouble walking due to an egg pressing on her sciatic nerves in her legs. Hard to know exactly. I would offer some human B complex or some ground liver, beef, Poultry Cell 2 ml, or nutritional yeast for riboflavin and electrolytes in water. Let us know if she improves or not.

Thank you for the tips. She is eating and drinking well. I’ve actually given her some chick starter and vitamin nutrition boost in her water. She’s scooting around using her wings.

She is one of the favorite hens and may have been knocked down by the bantam roo who flies to mate with the taller hens.