Chicken can’t balance well?

RavenGrace

Hatching
Jun 23, 2023
7
0
7
(TDLR at bottom)
Hello, I’ve noticed my chicken has been acting off the last few days. She didn’t come running when I was giving them treats like she usually does. She also doesn’t seem to walk very much and they’ve been kinda cooped up since it’s been so cold they’ve stayed inside so I thought it was just the cold weather. She still eats and drinks, I’m not sure about her feces as I have 3 other birds in with her. All look normal though. She is a Dominique 4 years old now. Doesn’t seem to be eggbound. She has stopped laying pretty much this winter. Today while I was feeding them corn she had gotten pushed and had fallen over. What was weird is she didn’t get back up and just laid there. Another chicken had stepped on her when she was laying down but she didn’t make an attempt to get up. She also hasn’t been roosting either. I’ve checked her legs and they seem to be normal, no mites or anything that could be hurting her. Im so confused it’s like she doesn’t have that much coordination to balance herself or something. She also is a little hunched up like appearance. We feed them layer feed and some other treats. If anyone has any idea of what is going on with her feel free to mention it as I don’t know what could bothering her. The other chickens are acting fine. Sorry if this isn’t much information.. she isn’t really showing many other signs besides something like a loss of balance. She does walk though it’s just like she’s “frail” and can fall over easily.

TLDR: Chicken acting weak or frail, still eats and drinks, had fallen over and laid there for a minute after a chicken stepped on her, feces are normal, doesn’t walk much, hunched appearance, been going on for over a week now, her temperament is normal, she doesn’t seem to be in pain and she still chirps. Just doesn’t seem to be herself and won’t come running when I yell for them to come eat a treat. Her crop and feet seem fine. Any help appreciated.

Here is the ingredients in the feed. I’m not an expert at all on chicken diets but I was wondering if maybe she isn’t getting all the vitamins she needs from this feed. Which would be unusual cause they’ve grown up on it their whole life.

Processed Grain By-Products, Grain Products, Calcium Carbonate, Plant Protein Products, Salt, DL-Methionine, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Vitamin E Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K), Niacin Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Folic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite
 
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You mentioned cold weather. Balance issues and lethargy are symptoms of both hypothermia and hyperthermia. The treatment is the same - electrolytes with a bit of added sugar. If you think this hen is having a reaction to the cold, bring her inside and let her warm up and give her electrolytes. She may revive and then you'll know it was the cold.

Older chickens especially will have trouble with very cold temps. This is why I have a heat lamp hanging in the run on this day when it's five below zero.
 

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