Chicken losing ability to walk

[ckeene1990]

I have a Wyandotte chicken, she is 21 weeks old. I noticed that she had a limp and was holding one leg up, gradually she started having trouble with both legs and is just taking small steps, if any before she lays down. I checked for Bumblefoot, I checked her legs for any injury, I can’t see any issue. I had them vaccinated for mareks when I got them, her eyes are fine, and she is eating and drinking fine. I started her on poultry cell to see if it is a vitamin deficiency. It’s only day two of that. I have her separated from the other chickens. I’m not sure what it could be, any thoughts?

 

[nuthatched]

I'd give direct dose vitamins, see if it helps.
400 i.u vitamin E and a third of a B complex tablet every day for a few weeks.
Any brand from the grocery store

 

[ckeene1990]

I'd give direct dose vitamins, see if it helps.
400 i.u vitamin E and a third of a B complex tablet every day for a few weeks.
Any brand from the grocery store

I started poultry cell, I think that should cover the gambit of vitamins. Does it seem like a deficiency to you, these are my first chickens.

 

[nuthatched]

I started poultry cell, I think that should cover the gambit of vitamins. Does it seem like a deficiency to you, these are my first chickens.

Poultry cell may not have strong enough levels, especially for a deficiency.
It sounds like it, yes.

 

[IwuvMyChickens]

I have a Wyandotte chicken, she is 21 weeks old. I noticed that she had a limp and was holding one leg up, gradually she started having trouble with both legs and is just taking small steps, if any before she lays down. I checked for Bumblefoot, I checked her legs for any injury, I can’t see any issue. I had them vaccinated for mareks when I got them, her eyes are fine, and she is eating and drinking fine. I started her on poultry cell to see if it is a vitamin deficiency. It’s only day two of that. I have her separated from the other chickens. I’m not sure what it could be, any thoughts?

I'm so sorry! I had a couple thoughts, one is does she have worms? ingrown nails? Are her nails trimmed? Mites? Or simple bruises? Is she sore from something? Was she attacked before by something above or fast and twisted something? These are all possibilities I think it might be. She needs to not feel stressed and stay hydrated. Also feel if her legs are hot or really cold. Depending on which one you should do some research. I really hope this helps, good luck!

 

[ckeene1990]

Poultry cell may not have strong enough levels, especially for a deficiency.
It sounds like it, yes.

I’ll have to take a look and see if the levels are comparable. She just laid an egg, it was soft, so it seems like she is not getting enough calcium.

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you seen any curling up under of the toes? Do you have a rooster who might have hurt her trying to mate? How high are your roosts? I would give 2 ml daily of the Poultry Cell, or get B complex tablets and use those.

 

[ckeene1990]

Have you seen any curling up under of the toes? Do you have a rooster who might have hurt her trying to mate? How high are your roosts? I would give 2 ml daily of the Poultry Cell, or get B complex tablets and

 

[ckeene1990]

Have you seen any curling up under of the toes? Do you have a rooster who might have hurt her trying to mate? How high are your roosts? I would give 2 ml daily of the Poultry Cell, or get B complex tablets and use those.

She curls her toes if I pic her up and she pulls her leg up. No rooster, roost are about 2 ft, she is taking very short steps and only a few before laying down. She has also started panting, when there is really a reason too.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a Wyandotte chicken, she is 21 weeks old. I noticed that she had a limp and was holding one leg up, gradually she started having trouble with both legs and is just taking small steps, if any before she lays down. I checked for Bumblefoot, I checked her legs for any injury, I can’t see any issue. I had them vaccinated for mareks when I got them, her eyes are fine, and she is eating and drinking fine. I started her on poultry cell to see if it is a vitamin deficiency. It’s only day two of that. I have her separated from the other chickens. I’m not sure what it could be, any thoughts?

I started poultry cell, I think that should cover the gambit of vitamins. Does it seem like a deficiency to you, these are my first chickens.

I’ll have to take a look and see if the levels are comparable. She just laid an egg, it was soft, so it seems like she is not getting enough calcium.

Did you give her Calcium Citrate+D3 once daily as suggested in one of your other threads? If not, I'd get her started on that to see if her shell quality improves. Aim for 300-600mg Calcium Citrate daily for a week.

She had (or some of the flock) had what seemed like some type of respiratory issue last month, did that resolve on it's own? Could have been Infectious Bronchitis, but hard to know without testing, this can affect production and overall health even when birds recover.

The vet prescribed Motrin, did that make any difference at all? Maybe not since the limping is getting worse. Could be you're dealing with disease like Marek's, again, testing would have to be performed.

I'd continue with vitamin support, feed a nutritionally balanced poultry feed and hope to see some improvement. If you do lose her, having a necropsy through your state lab would give you more information to the cause of her decline.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chickens-blowing-nose.1630583/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/limping-with-video.1633958/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/acting-strange-egg-bound.1633716/