young hen cannot stand up

[SunnyD]

I have a 6 mo old hen who cannot stand on her right leg. Last week she looked quite sick and I have been nursing her back to health by first separating her, then giving her baby vitamins and hand feeding her as well as giving water with an eye dropper. When she seemed “over the hump” I made her sling to hang in and since she has become quite alert, started eating and drinking on her own.Her droppings look to be normal. In fact she laid an egg the first day I found her on the ground and again the next day. Also, past 2 days, she has been getting out of her sling but still can’t stand on her own. She is breathing normally while I her sling. I do not believe she has ever been wormed. Any suggestions? Should I keep her in her sling until she can stand on her own? Please help…she was my first chicken and of course my favorite. PLEASE HELP!

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

dislocated joint??

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I don't know but let me share my experience with a 3 month old silkie pullet that I recently had.

First some diarrhea so we put sulmet in the water thinking it was likely coccidiosis. Diarrhea stopped and she perked up but became paralyzed in both legs...still wanting to eat and drink though.

Brought her in the house where she continued to be unable to stand or walk for about another week to 10 days but we kept giving her more time because she was still eating and drinking well. Gave her vitamins and lots of yogurt which she loves.

About day 10 she starting being able to keep herself upright when she wasn't in the sling and by 2 weeks she was walking around with no problems. Put her back out with her siblings.

I think she had botulism which can cause paralysis but from which they usually recover. Probably some feed in her pens became moldy because of the daily rains we were having. The feed in the feeder was fine, but I imagine some of it that had been dropped on the shavings around the feeder got wet and molded. Just a guess....

Good luck and keep us posted....

 

[SunnyD]

Judy, Thank you so much for replying. I was beginning to wonder why no one would reply. I thought even though I'm in Georgia (1/2mi No of Florida line) that they were picking up my "yankee accent"

You've really helped encourage me to hang in there. I'll keep her in her sling for another week and share my Yogurt with her! I think I'll enter her in Jamie Lee Curtis's Activa Challenge

 

[SunnyD]

Quote:
How could I tell?

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

See if you can elicit a painful response when manipulating her legs. Squeeze gently on her joints. Our pulley did not seem to have pain but she definitely had feeling in her legs. That gave us hope that she didn't have a spinal cord injury or a joint injury.

 

[SunnyD]

Well right now "Uno"is following the same healing pattern as you experienced. She's at the point where she is out of the sling and being able to hold her self upright. However, she still can't stand on her own, but is eating and drinking well. She laid an egg today just to let me know she's getting better I have her on the front screened in porch in a small dog kennel. Last couple days she starts "talking" to me when she knows I'm with earshot or when she needs cleaned up:-(