Young hen "walking on her legs"??

[bluedragon]

We have six birds. All about five weeks old. We purchased them as day old chicks. All were raised indoors until about a week ago, when I moved them outdoors to their coop. All were healthy, walking, running, eating, drinking....basically being chickens, until today.

One of our RIR hens has begun to, for lack of a better description, walk on her legs. She can walk on her feet, but she steps on her toes and is unsteady. She leans back and puts her weight on her legs and she moves pretty good. I have seen her eating, drinking and walking around the coop after this new development.

I have some pictures that might help. Not the best though, she was not a very cooperative subject and her "sisters" were trying to protect her from the paparazzi.

In looking at the pictures, I noticed the feathers on her back, near her tail, stick up which is not happening on any other bird. Don't know if the two conditions are related.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
D

 

[PinUpChicks]

I would keep her separate in a resting cage, keeping her confined to a smaller space for rest and healing, kinda like if you threw out your back you would be on strict rest for a week or more. unless some one knows something more specific in chix medicine, the pix look like she is off balance and uncomfortable. give her specialized treatment.

 

[dawg53]

Check your hen for lice/mites, especially around the vent area. If you see any, treat her with sevin dust, repeat again in 10 days. Give her a probiotic- plain yogurt, a scrambled egg for protein all mixed in her feed to make a mash. You could put poultry Nutra Drench in their water...it's full of vitamins and minerals. Give it to them for only a few days, as it might cause diarrhea.

 

[bluedragon]

Thanks for the advice all. We will begin rehab tomorrow. Good news....today when I let them out, she was walking on her feet...not as good as her siblings, but not like yesterday, so maybe we are on the mend, but I am still going to put her in the hospital for a few days.

Thanks again.