What’s wrong with my chicken?

[M Brennen]

I have a young chicken, about 6 months, that I thought was egg bound. She wouldn’t stand and was panting and acting like she was straining to lay an egg. She finally laid an egg, but she still won’t stand. She is eating, but now closing her eyes like to fall asleep. What could be wrong with her?

 

[micstrachan]

Won’t stand or can’t stand? Can you gently try to get her to stand for a moment to see if she can? Sometimes an egg presses on a nerve causing temporary paralysis. If it was a tough egg to pass, she might just be exhausted. Do you know if she is eating and drinking well?

 

[micstrachan]

I also forgot to ask... can you have a look at her vent to make sure it hasn’t prolapsed?

 

[M Brennen]

Won’t stand or can’t stand? Can you gently try to get her to stand for a moment to see if she can? Sometimes an egg presses on a nerve causing temporary paralysis. If it was a tough egg to pass, she might just be exhausted. Do you know if she is eating and drinking well?

She stood for a minute on her right leg, but kept the left one up and then flopped back down. She is eating, but I don’t see her drink much and she is panting.

 

[M Brennen]

I also forgot to ask... can you have a look at her vent to make sure it hasn’t prolapsed?

Besides being really pink around her vent, it looks okay.

 

[micstrachan]

Besides being really pink around her vent, it looks okay.

That’s good. Panting can be a sign of stress or pain. Is there any chance she could have injured her leg after laying?

 

[M Brennen]

That’s good. Panting can be a sign of stress or pain. Is there any chance she could have injured her leg after laying?

Not after. Possibly sometime this morning before I went out to feed them. They all seemed fine last night. I did see her drink some.

 

[M Brennen]

Not after. Possibly sometime this morning before I went out to feed them. They all seemed fine last night. I did see her drink some a few minutes ago.