Wobbly chicken

[Love roosters]

I hope someone can give me some insight into what's going on. I have a hen, Ginger, (1 of 8 hens) that seems fine in the morning but as the day progresses she loses her balance and walks like she is drunk. Her legs seem to give out. She is drinking normally but her crop was pretty empty when I checked it last night but she is of good weight. This behavior started yesterday. The son just bought a new bag of layer pellets and scratch grains (both organic) three days ago and the hens get peanuts periodically as a treat. There is also a foraging supplement block in the run. No other food has been given and only one hen seems to be affected. The hens do get to free range on a half acre lot. Any suggestions as to what is going on?

Thanks for any help offered.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How old is she? If she's losing weight due to some underlying problem she would be getting weaker, thus harder to stand all day.

A wobbly gait can be from weakness, or even things like Mareks, botulism and vitamin deficiencies, to name a few.

If you are feeding a layer ration it's formulated to be fed as a sole ration. Extra stuff can leave them protein deficit. It's probably not what is going on with your hen though, but if you want to give your birds extra things you should feed a higher protein ration like a non medicated grower or an All Flock ration with a separate bowl of oyster shells for the calcium needs to keep birds from becoming deficit.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Is she having any diarrhea? I would make sure that she is close to water and food, perhaps by placing her in a dog crate inside the coop where she is with her flock. I have a hen today who suddenly is having the same symptoms, and I believe that my hen has egg yolk peritonitis. It would not hurt to give her 2 ml of Poultry NutriDrench or Poultry Cell daily for a vitamin boost. Give her 1/2 a chopped up cooked egg daily.

 

[Love roosters]

How old is she? If she's losing weight due to some underlying problem she would be getting weaker, thus harder to stand all day.

A wobbly gait can be from weakness, or even things like Mareks, botulism and vitamin deficiencies, to name a few.

If you are feeding a layer ration it's formulated to be fed as a sole ration. Extra stuff can leave them protein deficit. It's probably not what is going on with your hen though, but if you want to give your birds extra things you should feed a higher protein ration like a non medicated grower or an All Flock ration with a separate bowl of oyster shells for the calcium needs to keep birds from becoming deficit.

Ginger is only 1 1/2 years old and going through her first full molt. She seemed to have a good amount of weight on her and I'm not sure of the stool quality. I will be checking on that. The vitamin deficiency we can remedy right away but how would I handle botulism it that is the case?

I'm reading that Mareks Disease is a Herpes virus. Can this be transmitted between species? To us? If she has Mareks will the rest of the flock be infected?

 

[Love roosters]

Welcome to BYC. Is she having any diarrhea? I would make sure that she is close to water and food, perhaps by placing her in a dog crate inside the coop where she is with her flock. I have a hen today who suddenly is having the same symptoms, and I believe that my hen has egg yolk peritonitis. It would not hurt to give her 2 ml of Poultry NutriDrench or Poultry Cell daily for a vitamin boost. Give her 1/2 a chopped up cooked egg daily.

I have to check on the stool quality and will so tomorrow. We do have vitamins for the water and will also do that tomorrow. Thanks so much. I'll have son start the cooked egg as well.

 

[aart]

I'm reading that Mareks Disease is a Herpes virus. Can this be transmitted between species? To us? If she has Mareks will the rest of the flock be infected?

To humans, no....to the rest of the flock, yes.
I doubt that what this is.
Get her isolated for better observation and application of nutrients.

I'd isolate bird in a wire cage within the coop for a day or two....so you can closely monitor her intake of food and water, crop function(checking at night and in morning before providing more feed), and her poops. Feel her abdomen for squishy or hard
swelling.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.

I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.

Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[Eggcessive]

Mareks is a herpes virus, but so many other viruses are as well, including herpes zoster, the chicken pox virus in humans. Mareks does not affect humans, just chickens and some think, turkeys, especially in Europe.

My hen that had the similar symptoms to the OP’s hen today, was put down this afternnon. She had only shown sickness today, and had been slow coming off the roost the last 2 days. I did a quick necropsy, where I found ascites, and found about a pint of amber fluid in her belly. She had laid thin shelled or shell-less eggs for almost 2 years, since she was attacked by a dog. She had been very healthy and active prior to her recent illness. Chickens can really hide their sickness, and be stoic when in pain.

 

[aart]

I did a quick necropsy, where I found ascites, and found about a pint of amber fluid in her belly.

Did you look at the organs for any abnormalities?

 

[colette balzer]

I hope someone can give me some insight into what's going on. I have a hen, Ginger, (1 of 8 hens) that seems fine in the morning but as the day progresses she loses her balance and walks like she is drunk. Her legs seem to give out. She is drinking normally but her crop was pretty empty when I checked it last night but she is of good weight. This behavior started yesterday. The son just bought a new bag of layer pellets and scratch grains (both organic) three days ago and the hens get peanuts periodically as a treat. There is also a foraging supplement block in the run. No other food has been given and only one hen seems to be affected. The hens do get to free range on a half acre lot. Any suggestions as to what is going on?

Thanks for any help offered.