It's been over a week since I noticed this chicken's strange behavior. It started the first day the heat index was 108. This chickens tail was down and she walked with a limp favoring the right leg. I immediately separated her from the others. At the time she was not eating and she only drank if I put her beak in the water. That night and the day after, it looked as though she had passed a broken egg. Based on advice from the forum members which suggested she could be egg bound, I examined the vent, provided a hot bath and a round of antibiotics and put an electrolyte/vitamin supplement in her water. Despite all this the chicken seems to be maintaining her current condition.
We have arranged for a few supervised no contact visits outside. She walks and runs with a limp and still keeps her tail down. She eats and drinks normally now, and her BMs are normal. Eyes and nose are clear and breathing is normal.
Dh thinks that she may have suffered a heat stroke that day, or that the fence that fell around the same time could have fallen on her. She does not seem to be in pain, and is alert and active upon going outside despite the limp and her tail being down. She has not laid an egg since I separated her.
Do you think she could go back outside with the others? If not, what would you do with a chicken like this?
We have arranged for a few supervised no contact visits outside. She walks and runs with a limp and still keeps her tail down. She eats and drinks normally now, and her BMs are normal. Eyes and nose are clear and breathing is normal.
Dh thinks that she may have suffered a heat stroke that day, or that the fence that fell around the same time could have fallen on her. She does not seem to be in pain, and is alert and active upon going outside despite the limp and her tail being down. She has not laid an egg since I separated her.
Do you think she could go back outside with the others? If not, what would you do with a chicken like this?
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