Chicken acting drunk. Walking backwards and stumbling?

[CityslickerHomestead]

Even if she hasn't laid an egg, I'd consider giving her extra calcium asap and for the next few days to see if she expels an egg or material. Calcium Citrate+D3, 1 tablet right into the beak daily.

Since she's stumbling and walking backwards, treat her for neurological symptoms. 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily. Give her a treat of egg daily.

She's hungry and thirsty. Was she being kept from food/water by the others?
Set her up in her own space with water and food within easy reach. Check her crop first thing in the morning to see if it's emptied overnight.

Do look her over for lice/mites and signs of injury as w

Even if she hasn't laid an egg, I'd consider giving her extra calcium asap and for the next few days to see if she expels an egg or material. Calcium Citrate+D3, 1 tablet right into the beak daily.

Since she's stumbling and walking backwards, treat her for neurological symptoms. 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily. Give her a treat of egg daily.

She's hungry and thirsty. Was she being kept from food/water by the others?
Set her up in her own space with water and food within easy reach. Check her crop first thing in the morning to see if it's emptied overnight.

Do look her over for lice/mites and signs of injury as well.

I did isolate her. She’s got access to plenty of her own feed and fresh water.

I inspected her for injures, checked for parasites, checked her vent, checked for bumble foot. She has no outward signs of any injury, swelling, infection, nor infestation. Worst thing I could find is a couple of her toenails could use a trim.

Gave her 3cc of Rooster Booster.

I’ll need to run to the store tomorrow morning and get calcium. All I have on had are TUMS antacids and I am not going to give that to her.

I’m starting to think it’s a head issue. Either she hit her head, or she had a stroke?

Hopefully she makes it through the night. She’s a sweet old lady.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

Aw I hope so too! I'm so sorry. We're all here hoping for you!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I did isolate her. She’s got access to plenty of her own feed and fresh water.

I inspected her for injures, checked for parasites, checked her vent, checked for bumble foot. She has no outward signs of any injury, swelling, infection, nor infestation. Worst thing I could find is a couple of her toenails could use a trim.

Gave her 3cc of Rooster Booster.

I’ll need to run to the store tomorrow morning and get calcium. All I have on had are TUMS antacids and I am not going to give that to her.

I’m starting to think it’s a head issue. Either she hit her head, or she had a stroke?

Hopefully she makes it through the night. She’s a sweet old lady.

I hope she pulls through.

Keep us posted on how she's doing.

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

Update: She survived the night. Still acting drunk and unstable. She still has a great appetite and is pooping fine. I had to head into work this morning but will be leaving early to get calcium and check on her in the afternoon.

She does not have a swollen abdomen so I don’t think she’s egg bound. But I may just take her inside my house and give her a warm Epsom salt bath.

My concern right now is I’m quarantining her outside the coop in a separate run that has a cover, but the weather is going to go from 81F (27C) and sunny today, to 26F (-3C) and snowing by the weekend. Oh, the joys of living in a landlocked state with no nearby ocean to regulate temps!

I’ll have to take her into the garage. I would take her in the house but I currently have four chicks in a brooder. Just in case she is an anomaly where she got Mareks disease at the age of 5+ years, (she might be older than that but I’m not sure since I adopted her and two other oldies a year ago from a hatchery that was going to cull them due to being old), I don’t want to wipe out the chicks. The chicks came from Hoover’s Hatchery by way of my local feed store, and I don’t think they vaccinate.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Taking her into the garage is a good idea if the temps are going to drop. If you feel she may need additional warmth, you can provide a heating pad on low, just cover it with something like a puppy pad and thick towels. She may use it or not.

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

She’s still alive. Still happily eating. But still falling over. She’s acting like a person who had a stroke.

The rest of my flock are doing just fine and acting typical.

I’m going to continue giving her Rooster Booster, Calcium supplements, and some scrambled eggs.

If she continues to deteriorate, I’m afraid I’m going to have to put her down to end her suffering. But I’m not giving up on her yet.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I really hope she continues improving. Great job with all the hard work! I'm sure your chicken thanks you.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She’s still alive. Still happily eating. But still falling over. She’s acting like a person who had a stroke.

The rest of my flock are doing just fine and acting typical.

I’m going to continue giving her Rooster Booster, Calcium supplements, and some scrambled eggs.

If she continues to deteriorate, I’m afraid I’m going to have to put her down to end her suffering. But I’m not giving up on her yet.

I would up the vitamins to see if that makes a difference.

Since she's stumbling and walking backwards, treat her for neurological symptoms. 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily. Give her a treat of egg daily.

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

I would up the vitamins to see if that makes a difference.

Yesterday she jumped up on a box! But immediately stepped backwards and fell off. She took a couple steps without splaying out. That’s an improvement over the previous days. But she’s still nowhere near healthy.

I upped the vitamins (increased her Rooster Booster dosage), continue to sprinkle the crushed calcium supplement in her water and on her feed (I don’t have access to liquid version and she won’t take the huge pill), and continue giving her cooked scrambled eggs.

Maybe it’s a vitamin deficiency. If that’s the case, I wonder what could have caused it in her, since the rest of the flock is just fine, and I’m supposedly giving them quality feed (Nutrena Hi-Pro Layer Pellets).

I added rooster booster to the rest of the flock’s water just in case.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I'm so glad to see the improvement!!!!