Hen Can't Stay Up! HELP!

[-Dakota]

Hello!

This morning my white orpington (we think thats what she is) (a few years old) cant stay standing up.
there is no eye, nose or mouth discharge. her crop is not swollen.
there is no clear injury on her leg.
her legs are tucked under her as they usually are, they aren't leaning out to the side or anything.

she'll get up to get away from people (she never liked people). she looks like she is has no problem in walking, but after a few steps it looks like she looses balance backwards and quickly sits down. no other hen is showing any symptoms.
It doesn't look like Marek's disease at all.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. Does she still lay eggs? Is she eating and drinking, or has she lost weight? When she walks, does she waddle or walk more upright, and is her tail held low or normal?

 

[Eggcessive]

You might check her ears for any signs of infection, swelling, mites, or drainage. I treated a hen a year ago who lost balance and fell backward or sideways. She was vaccinated for Mareks and was 7 years old. Soon she was confined to a basket for 5 weeks, where she was fed wet feed out of a bowl. Soon she was recovered, up and walking, although she still is a bit wobbly with her tail down. She hasn’t laid in years, so I don’t know what caused her problem, but I will get a necropsy someday when she dies.

I would insert a clean finger into her vent 1-2 inches to check for a stuck egg. Keep her close to food and water, and giving 1/2 tablet of human super B complex vitamins crushed into some food might be helpful.

 

[-Dakota]

Sorry about your hen. Does she still lay eggs? Is she eating and drinking, or has she lost weight? When she walks, does she waddle or walk more upright, and is her tail held low or normal?

She has been laying normal sized and shaped eggs, and eating pellets (finally, i was getting ready to liquid feed her), i haven't seen her drink anything yet. Her weight seemed fine when I picked her up- when I did she was flapping really hard and kicking to get me to put her down; she isn't weak at all, she was flapping hard!

she is currently indoors and isolated. when she walks it is upright, not stumbling around at all, her tail up as normal. then her tail goes down and she sits as if shes dizzy or something? she is alert and awake as she normally is. shes never been a vocal hen so she is quiet.

EDIT: Okay after looked at her a bit I noticed she is trying to keep off her left foot, leaning to the side. he can squeeze her toes, and it doesn't seem to bother her when I touch it. she is preening herself a bit. I used a small syringe to dribble water on her beak hopefully she got some liquid in

 

[-Dakota]

You might check her ears for any signs of infection, swelling, mites, or drainage. I treated a hen a year ago who lost balance and fell backward or sideways. She was vaccinated for Mareks and was 7 years old. Soon she was confined to a basket for 5 weeks, where she was fed wet feed out of a bowl. Soon she was recovered, up and walking, although she still is a bit wobbly with her tail down. She hasn’t laid in years, so I don’t know what caused her problem, but I will get a necropsy someday when she dies.

I would insert a clean finger into her vent 1-2 inches to check for a stuck egg. Keep her close to food and water, and giving 1/2 tablet of human super B complex vitamins crushed into some food might be helpful.

I'll check her vent now and her ears. she doesn't any feather mites I checked earlier

 

[Eggcessive]

I do think that Mareks disease could be a possibility, but hopefully it is not. I would try some B vitamins and try to keep her comfortable. Check her for a stuck egg, since that can compress a sciatic nerve. A sling or chick chair might be helpful if she will tolerate it for periods throughout the day. If it is an injury, she might feel better in a week or two. Here is some reading about Mareks and a thread with pictures of slings:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[-Dakota]

I do think that Mareks disease could be a possibility, but hopefully it is not. I would try some B vitamins and try to keep her comfortable. Check her for a stuck egg, since that can compress a sciatic nerve. A sling or chick chair might be helpful if she will tolerate it for periods throughout the day. If it is an injury, she might feel better in a week or two. Here is some reading about Mareks and a thread with pictures of slings:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

It doesn't look like Mareks, her eyes are fine, her waste is fine, and she isn't paralyzed... I'm starting to think she may have junped from a high height and hurt her foot (she is a crazy heavy chicken, like you'd be surprised.) I got her on electrolyte water and "natural antibiotic" type liquid that the store gave me to boost immune system and respiratory healthy. She is responding to even the slightest bit of noise and is still trying to fly up to high ground. Shes keeping her head up and moving, looking around.
I didn't feel anything unusual around or in her vent
she does seem to be breathing a little heavy, sometimes out of her mouth. no weird wheezing or clicking noises though, i think she may be stressed, shes never spent time inside in a crate, isolated.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can place her in the coop near the others in a wire dog crate or pen with food and water to make her feel more comfortable. Mareks varies from chicken to chicken, and the eye symptoms are only seen in some chickens. She would be old for Mareks to strike, but it can happen anytime, especially exposed by new birds or a carrier. A leg injury would be more common, so hopefully it is that. Let us know how she gets along.

 

[-Dakota]

You can place her in the coop near the others in a wire dog crate or pen with food and water to make her feel more comfortable. Mareks varies from chicken to chicken, and the eye symptoms are only seen in some chickens. She would be old for Mareks to strike, but it can happen anytime, especially exposed by new birds or a carrier. A leg injury would be more common, so hopefully it is that. Let us know how she gets along.

It is 7pm right now. I will let you know if she makes the night. thank you for your help, it would crush me to lose one of my favorite girls.

 

[-Dakota]

You can place her in the coop near the others in a wire dog crate or pen with food and water to make her feel more comfortable. Mareks varies from chicken to chicken, and the eye symptoms are only seen in some chickens. She would be old for Mareks to strike, but it can happen anytime, especially exposed by new birds or a carrier. A leg injury would be more common, so hopefully it is that. Let us know how she gets along.

She made it through the night! she is eating and drinking much better and is showing more interest into treats I hold out for her! still can't walk though