Temporary leg paralysis and a rock hard belly???

[Salty Cookie]

I found my 2.5 year old hen laying on the ground not being able to move yesterday morning. Her left leg was floppy and she didn't curl her toes, so I thought she had a nerve injury. I brought her in the house and made a sling. Her belly also felt hard and I thought she was egg bound, so I gave her an epsom salt bath but no luck. She hasn't pooped properly. She pooped twice in a day and it is watery and dark green with a lot of clear fluid another time she just peed. This morning, her left leg started moving and she wobbles a bit but she can take steps. Her comb is a bit dark and her belly is still rock hard. She eats some and drinks a lot of water. She was lethargic yesterday, but clearly she has gained her energy back and she is very vocal, too today.
I don't know what this is. Peritonitis? Egg bound? Tumour??? Does anyone have similar experience and what happened to the bird?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is a vet possible for xrays? Does it feel like her belly is tight with ascites fluid, or does it feel hard with tissue or egg matter? Can you feel an egg inside her vent with a clean finger? Has she been laying recently? You could try giving her calcium citrate with vitamin D (or other calcium tablet or Tums if you have them.) That might help her push out an egg or obstruction. Something pressing on her sciatic nerve could cause the temporary paralysis. I would try to get her eating and drinking by offering some treats of wet feed, egg, or tuna.

 

[Salty Cookie]

Is a vet possible for xrays? Does it feel like her belly is tight with ascites fluid, or does it feel hard with tissue or egg matter? Can you feel an egg inside her vent with a clean finger? Has she been laying recently? You could try giving her calcium citrate with vitamin D (or other calcium tablet or Tums if you have them.) That might help her push out an egg or obstruction. Something pressing on her sciatic nerve could cause the temporary paralysis. I would try to get her eating and drinking by offering some treats of wet feed, egg, or tuna.

A vet is not an option... She even went outside and hang out with her flock in the afternoon, but I brought her back inside to sleep. She is sleeping in my daughter's room. (The hen is my daughter's favourite girl.) Her belly is not enlarged but hard. I cannot feel an egg... If it were an egg, that would be like an ostrich egg!!! She is moulting and new feathers are growing in now. I don't really know if she is laying, or maybe she has stated laying again lately. A lot of my hens are/were moulting and stopped laying but some of them have started laying again recently. Thank you for the advice, I gave her vitamin D and calcium (with multi-vitamin) and I also gave her garlic, oregano and cayenne pepper. I will give her another epsom salt bath tomorrow...

 

[Eggcessive]

I would hold off on bathing if she is able to go outside and hang out with her flock. Try to watch to see if she is laying. It sounds more like she is having salpingitis or is laying egg masses that are becoming hardened inside her abdomen. An enlarged oviduct with lash material might be felt. I doubt if giving herbs is going to make any difference in this condition. In this graphic link below, you may see the solidified egg masses of salpingitis and egg yolk peritonitis which could make the abdomen hard:
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/diseases-of-poultry/178/escherichia-coli-infections

 

[Salty Cookie]

I would hold off on bathing if she is able to go outside and hang out with her flock. Try to watch to see if she is laying. It sounds more like she is having salpingitis or is laying egg masses that are becoming hardened inside her abdomen. An enlarged oviduct with lash material might be felt. I doubt if giving herbs is going to make any difference in this condition. In this graphic link below, you may see the solidified egg masses of salpingitis and egg yolk peritonitis which could make the abdomen hard:
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/diseases-of-poultry/178/escherichia-coli-infections

Thanks... I saw the link. Yeah, perhaps she has salpingitis... If it is peritonitis, perhaps she will pass within a week or so? She is eating and she is pooping more than two days ago and the poops are back to kinda normal. I will put her back to the flock and let her enjoy foraging during the day and will bring her back in the house at bed time.

 

[Eggcessive]

When a hen has a disorder like that, it can be hard to know how long they will last. I have had a couple of hens with huge lower bellies, who did not lay, and they lasted for a couple of years. She might surprise you, or she might get worse in a few days. It is always a learning experience to do a necropsy on hens that we lose to look at the organs. I don’t always do one when I lose them, but I try to learn what has going on.