Hello I have a 5 mo old cuckoo orpington hen that I noticed yesterday seemed listless and a little wobbly. It was really hot so I thought maybe it was the heat. She free ranges all day with 4 other chickens and they are all fine. Last night she slept in her little house instead of perching w other chickens. Today she is super droopy and very wobbly on her feet. I cant find anything wrong with her physically. I haven't seen her poop but she was not eating when I fed this am. Please help, I really don't want to lose her she is a fabulous hen.
Look at her crop to see if it is emptying in the mornings--if full it could indicate sour crop. Look her over closely especially around the vent for lice and mites, plus just look at the vent itself for color and any abnormality. They can start to lay at this age and she may be having a problem with her egglaying apparatus (egg bound.) Have you had any outbreaks of coccidiosis in the past?
She might have Coccidiosis. Coccidiosis causes sleepiness, droopiness, paleness, and lack of appetite. You might also notice bloody droppings. The treatment consists of Corid (either liquid or powder), given for five days in the water. The dosage for Corid powder is 3/4 teaspoon per gallon, and for liquid, it is two teaspoons per gallon. Worms are another possiblity, but they don't usually cause problems so suddenly. It would not be a good idea to worm her if she is sick, as it is hard on a chicken's system. Still, it would be a good idea to get a wormer for future use. Safeguard is probably the best, but Valbazen is good too, though a little harder on the bird. She might have external parasites, like lice and mites. Check around her vent, under her neck and back feathers, and under her wings. Treat with Sevin if you find them, or another mite product like Poultry Protector. In the meantime, try to get her to eat something. Give her scrambled eggs, applesauce, yogurt, moistened chicken feed, etc. Make sure that she drinks enough too. Give her electrolytes and probiotics if you have them. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the responses. No bugs of any sort, I cannot find any injuries or egg, and her poop looks normal. I am treating with corid actually treating the whole flock, today is day 3. She has now gotten to where she cannot stand up or walk. if I pick her up she falls forward and to the side when she is put down. She is alert, eating and drinking if I position the food and water near her. I have also been syringe feeding her baby food. I have her separated from the flock because the roos go at her . She just seems like her legs don't work. Any ideas at all? I know she cant stay like this but want to give her everychance to recover.
