Wobbly hen

[Jammons]

We recently lost a huge hen, I found nothing but a huge pile of feathers in our yard, no trail really, unsure if it was a hawk, Fox, coyote, neighbor dog. A few days later I noticed this particular hen didn’t look quite right, her feather around her neck and along her back, maybe even her wing looked disheveled I guess. It was very unusual to see her just laying out in the open like she was. Not a friendly hen by any means, when she’s feeling good there’s no way I can lay a hand on her, but i was able to catch her. I couldn’t find any puncture wounds but she continues to kind of stagger around, her gait is off, she’s stepping on her own feet, ive noticed her toes being curled under and she will step on the top of her foot. I don’t know if she was attacked and then possibly dropped? It seems neurological but I don’t know. I’ve had to put her in the garage at night because she doesn’t seem to follow the others back to the coop. She’s eating ok from what I can tell. She isn’t making her normal clucking sounds, occasionally she will kind of honk? Her breathing looks maybe a little labored? She opens her beak with almost every inspiration, I don’t notice any of the others doing that. I attempted to take a video but I’m not sure it portrays everything I’m seeing and not it won’t uoload. This hen is will be 3 in February.

 

[azygous]

So, let me get this straight. One hen was attacked and eaten by a predator, and this hen that is staggering around may have also been attacked and injured? Your syntax indicates one victim, but further scrutiny indicates possibly two.

Yes, it sounds like a brain injury or spinal injury or plain shock. I would treat her with elctrolytes and a bit of sugar water (Gatoraid or Pedialyte) and vitamin E 400iu for the possible neurological issues.

 

[Jammons]

Sorry to have been so scattered. We had a hen that was attacked and removed from the property with no trace other than a pile of feathers. My thought process was that maybe the predator returned a few days later and was unsuccessful in taking this hen but injuring her in the process...the disheveled feathers noted but no open wounds found. My guess was that it was possibly neurological in nature, head/neck/spine. I just don’t know what to do really at this point, she staggers around in almost a drunken state sometimes, she is eating, making a weird honking noise. I have given electrolytes but will def give the vitamin therapy a shot, thanks for the input.

 

[Eggcessive]

It does sound suspicious for being an injury from a predator, but sometimes we will see similar symptoms from a head injury or Mareks disease. The important thing is to give supportive care by keeping her hydrated with water and you can try giving some wet chicken feed, cooked egg, tuna, or wet cat food. The curled toes could be from a riboflavin deficiency, injury, or neurological, so giving some b complex vitamins or chicken vitamin with riboflavin would be helpful.