AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Hello,
My hen Lacey has been off her feet for about a week now. I've looked up posts on many forums to find similar, but not quite the same, cases, but I haven't been able to come up with anything conclusive, so I'm posting here.

Last week I found my chicken lying on the floor of the aviary that she and my other two chickens sleep in. Since then she hasn't been able to walk. On the first day she was very quiet and seemed to be very sick, not interested in food very much. I thought she might die overnight but she hung in, and continued the same the next day.

She's about 2.5 years old, and very healthy apart from this lameness. Her appetite is fine, and she poos too. Her waste looks healthy, but I have noticed one or two green poos. There's no obvious sign of injury, she doesn't flinch or make noises when I pick her up or move her around. She will talk, but quietly, she won't cluck or call out to her companions. She hasn't laid any eggs during this period of time (but one of my other hens has also stopped laying). She does not wheeze and her breathing is fine. Her legs look healthy (as in, I don't think it's 'scaly leg'). She has been losing feathers, and her tummy is quite bare, but I think this is normal moulting.

Over the past few days we've been able to get her to stand, by pulling her to a standing position, or sometimes she can stand by herself, but will only stay upright for a few minutes before sitting again. She was curling her claws at first, and wouldn't stand at all, but now she'll straighten them out. Her left leg is fine, from what I can tell. The right leg, however, she doesn't seem to have much control over. If I hold her above the ground, she'll lower her left leg to stand, but won't do the same for the right. If I pull her legs away from her, she'll pull the left back to her quickly, but not the right. I could do whatever I wanted with her right leg, and she wouldn't complain. When standing, she'll use her wings for balance. When sitting she sometimes flops over to one side, but will use her wings to balance herself again.

My mum and I have been caring for her (as I go to uni during the day). She perks up when the other two chickens come near her, and will eat and talk when they're around, but when they leave she's much quieter. We've looked up the rickets diet and have been feeding her versions of this, as well as pellets and other food throughout the day. We move her around into sunny or shady spots, onto hay and onto grass.

My mum took her to the vet last Thursday and the vet thought it was an infection, so she gave Lacey a course of antibiotics to take. She's had five injections of antibiotics but still cannot walk. She has improved since her initial condition, but mum wants her to show a rapid improvement, otherwise we may have to have her put down, as there's no way she can continue to live as she is, and we cannot provide constant intensive care for her as we have been doing.

Has anyone got an idea of what this could be, or if there's a chance for her to regain her feet? I'd very much like to hear any suggestions.
Thanks!

Oh, I thought of some extra information (shouldn't have hit 'post' so soon!)

Lately, the ticks in our area have been absolutely terrible. There are many of them, and they are extremely painful (the whole top half of my thigh has been red and swollen for a few days after a tick bite). A few years ago I lost a chicken to a tick (she deteriorated very rapidly though at the time).

My dad thought that maybe Lacey has something pressing on a nerve, meaning that her right leg can't work. Do things like this happen often with chickens?

As we only have three chickens, and have never had problems with worms, we do not worm our chickens.

I think that's all. Thanks !

Hi there,

Firstly there are several things that could be wrong and we may not ever find out. I would immediately worm all your three chickens, worming medicine for them can be obtained from most pet shops and produce stores now. A product called Ivermectin is fine and goes straight into the water.

I would not expect it to be a tick, I see the paralysis but as her breathing is fine then I would not lean toward ticks. What is her general body like, ie is she thin over the keel bone (breast bone) or still has a good coverage?

The colours of poo can just be what you have been feeding her. I would steer clear of any green feed for her while she is recuperating and concentrate on high protein feeds to help her regain her functions. Mareks disease is one thing that comes to mind when you say one leg but she seems a little old.

It could be a nerve thing, have you felt right up into her hip on the lame leg? Is there anything different? Unfortunately a vet would likely want to x ray her and this is a cost and would entirely depend on how much you and your family want (or can) spend on her.

When you have her out do you support her somehow in the sitting position ie with some can mulch, towels or other items that she can rest against so that she is not constantly trying to support herself.

I am sorry I don't have much more for you, perhaps others will have some information or ideas also.

Hi Sebducks,

I know, it's really a shame not knowing what is going on.

I'll see about worming, but as I've said, we have never had an issue with this before, and my other two girls seem to be fine.

I'd say that she is thin around her breast bone. The skin is exposed there from feather loss, and the bone sticks out. You can feel it when you pick her up. I don't think she's underweight though, but she's always been smaller compared to the others.

I haven't felt her hip, no. I tried testing her reflexes again earlier this evening on the right leg, this time after I pulled the leg away from her body, she did pull it back towards her, which she hasn't done before. I don't think there's much strength in that leg though.

No, she's not really needed to be supported. The ground is fairly flat and she's been able to sit stably. Sometimes I'll bunch up hay beneath her, but otherwise she has seemed to be ok. When I pull her up to stand though, I'll sometimes hold my hand underneath her so she doesn't have to work too much to stand, but can get a bit of air under her tummy.

Thanks for reading.

Hi Goanna

May I ask what breed of Chooky Lacey is?

Some breeds like Isa Browns only last about two - three years as they are bred for egg production & not longevity. Also Isa Browns are meant to be skinny around the keel, as a skinny chook is more egg productive than the bigger breeds. They are designed this way.

It's sad that your mum says you can't keep her in intensive Care, but she may be right in the long run. Best not to let her suffer too long.

Chicka-Dee

Hi Chicka-Dee,
I don't think Lacey is a specific breed, she's a mix breed "layer hen" they call them at the produce store. You're right though, I have heard that they don't last as long, however, I had two chickens before these current three, from the same supplier, and those two lived for about 4 years.

At this stage I think we may just keep up the care for her, she's been showing some slight improvement over the past two days. I think she's slowly getting her strength back, she stands much more easily and yesterday I saw her taking a few little steps. I really hope she'll get better.

Thanks for replying!

Glad to hear she has shown some improvement for you. The thing with worms is that there are several different types of them and while you may never see them they could still be present in your chooks. Wild birds carry them and can give them to your chooks.

This article might be of interest to you, http://poultrykeeper.com/common-article ... geese.html

Thanks for the link, Sebducks, I will have a read of it later on.
Mum and I bought some worming medicine yesterday to put in their water, as well as a sort of powder for mites and other itchies.

Hi Goanna

How is Lacey going?

Cheers
Chicka-Dee

She's doing really well, Chicka Dee! I'm really pleased. She's walking around, limping though, but walking. She'll stop and sit for half an hour or so when she's had enough, must be pretty tiring for the poor thing. I'm so glad we waited though, because it's lovely seeing her back on her feet and trying to keep up with the other two girls! Might still be a while before she's back to her complete normal self.