My chicken can't walk, but isn't paralyzed

[Xiuhcoati]

• My chicken’s breed is a red jungle fowl, silkie cross. Her weight is normal, unchanged.
• About a week ago, I noticed she had a wobbly gait in the coop. I immediately quarantined her. The next day symptoms worsened, and she was only able to rest on her side with trembling legs. She is eating, drinking, and preening normally.
  
  The symptoms leveled off and has somewhat improved. She can put weight on her legs, and if her chest is supported by your hand, she can walk. When alarmed, she can run/flop, and she can walk by pushing herself along on her chest. She can’t stand up. When held, she kicks her legs very strongly.
  
  She has laid two eggs since then, the eggs look completely normal.
• The bird has been exhibiting symptoms for about a week.
• No other birds are exhibiting symptoms
• No visible trauma
• I’m not sure what could possibly have caused this. She’s normally in a fully enclosed run. The other day she was let out in the backyard to free range while I cleaned the coop. She could have gotten something bad for her while out.
• The bird gets layer crumble but may have gotten into my compost pile. It’s possible she ate something bad for her in it.
• Poop looks normal
• Apart from quarantining her I haven’t given her special treatment. I don’t know what to do.
• Taking the chicken to the vet is not an available option.
• I’ll get a photo later and add it to the post.
• They normally get wood chip bedding. My neighbor however, got rid of her chickens and gave me some straw, which I used this time.

 

[CoopintheWoods]

First of all: I am neither an expert nor a veterinarian.

When a hen of mine suddenly develops a limp or some other mysterious injury, I examine for parasites, any signs of infection, or egg binding. If I don't find anything, I'll give half of a baby aspirin in a spoonful of fish-based wet cat food daily for a few days to see if conditions improve. When it works, it's like magic.

To be clear, the aspirin only works if the injury is indeed minor. I had two hens at different times who suddenly developed severe limps, one got better with less than a week of daily meds and the other apparently had a permanent condition. These sort of things can also be neurological or untreatable.

Best of luck.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? Was she vaccinated for Mareks? Can you get some Poultry Cell or a chicken vitamin with riboflavin, and give 1 ml daily? Place her close to food and water, and offer it often. Cooked egg and wet chicken feed are good to use.

 

[Xiuhcoati]

She is 2-3 years old. She has not been vaccinated for Mericks. I just went out to get the vitamins. Shortages of everything are common place, there was only one vitamin at the feed store, "Poultry Booster." It has 1,000mg of Riboflavin in it. I mixed the appropriate dosage in her feed and gave it to her. She really seems to like it.

Here's a picture of her, bill is messy because she just ate some wet feed with the vitamin in it. I took her outside for better lighting, but she's currently being kept in a box in my garage.

 

[Eggcessive]

A chicken sling may be of help to get her upright, keep her more clean, and in front of food and water for periods throughout the day. There is a link here for chicken sling chairs, and the basic design is in post 11:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[Xiuhcoati]

A chicken sling may be of help to get her upright, keep her more clean, and in front of food and water for periods throughout the day. There is a link here for chicken sling chairs, and the basic design is in post 11:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

This is a great idea! I believe she will be a lot more comfortable if she can sit up properly.

 

[Xiuhcoati]

I am not sure if it's connected with the vitamins or not, but she started trying to stand up outside, and in the box she's sitting properly. I'm hopeful she'll get better!

 

[Xiuhcoati]

Update on the chicken:
It's still in my garage because it still refuses to walk or stand up on its own. Its legs seem to have fully recovered. I have to wrap her in a towel to take her outside for her daily sun because when she is upright she kicks VERY strongly.

If you set her (air sprinting) on the ground she runs 3-4 feet before throwing herself on her side and scooting from there.

Not sure what the problem is. If it is Merricks, do they recover from the instability/inability to walk? Has anyone tried things like CBD, turmeric, or turkey tails in chickens?

 

[Xiuhcoati]

Just an update, 8 days later and she can now stand on her hocks and walk around that way. I believe she's getting better.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Glad to hear she improved.