very sick chicken or is it moulting?

[svalentine]

One of my hens started losing feathers. I assumed she was moulting. It is getting pretty extreme. But having never had one moult before, I wasn't alarmed. But now she appears to be having some other symptoms. Such as not walking straight. She also seems a bit slow when it comes to going after scratch. She goes about scratching and eating. But something is definitely off. I've tried to find info about her symptoms. But nothing matches up.

Can moulting make a chicken act so bad?

 

[rcentner]

there must be something else besides molting going on. Molting is hard on the birds and can lead to decrease in immune system function. If she was battling an illness and now is molting she may not be able to fight it off now. couldn't hurt to try some electrolytes and give extra protein like scrambled eggs. Feel her abdomen and make sure she is not suffering from peritonitis..it would feel liquid filled and squishy. Also evaluate her poo, this can give clues as to what is going on inside too.

 

[svalentine]

It does seem like more than just moulting. Maybe neurological. But I can't find any information about that kind of disease. She is walking sideways! And sometimes backwards. I don't have a way to isolate her from the other 10. What if she's contagious? There is lots of outdoor space during the day. But at night they are all in the henhouse together very snuggly