Hunched Unsteady Chicken

[Jfox33]

Hi all, I have an almost two year old leghorn, that has been acting off for about a week. I noticed her looking puffed up, and isolating herself. She had a mite lice infestation that has been treated, but is still continuing to isolate herself and continues to look puffed up and unsteady on her feet. I moved her inside, gave her epsom salt bath in case she was egg bound but I couldn’t feel anything. She eats avidly but hasn’t been drinking water. I’ve tried soaking scrambled eggs in electrolyte water. She has been moved inside but it still unsteady on her feet and doesn’t move much, she typically is hunched on one leg. Her poops seem normal. We got her as a rescue last fall. We’ve had a cold NH winter so far and she has some frostbite on her comb, not sure if that is contributing to the problem. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[500Chickens]

do you have pictures? it could be coccidiosis

 

[Jfox33]

do you have pictures? it could be coccidiosis

Some moments she looks really rough and depressed and then a minute later she’ll be fine and scavenging for food. Has lost no appetite and her poops are a normal color and consistency.

 

[500Chickens]

It definitely looks like coccidiosis. you could try to put apple cider vinegar in her water, but it doesnt always help

 

[Wyorp Rock]

two year old leghorn, that has been acting off for about a week. I noticed her looking puffed up, and isolating herself. She had a mite lice infestation that has been treated, but is still continuing to isolate herself and continues to look puffed up and unsteady on her feet.

She eats avidly but hasn’t been drinking water. I’ve tried soaking scrambled eggs in electrolyte water. She has been moved inside but it still unsteady on her feet and doesn’t move much, she typically is hunched on one leg.

When was her last egg?

She has mites, how did you treat them? Are the mites gone now?

If her crop emptying?

Photos of her poop?

If she's not laid an egg and should have, I would get Calcium Citrate+D3 into her ASAP. If you don't have that, give her 1 TUMS. Give the Extra Calcium once daily for 5 days. Don't soak her, this may stress her more.

If she's eating, but not drinking well, try offering wet mash/soupy feed. Electrolytes or sugar water, then plain fresh water would be good to give.

She looks to have some slight Frostbite on her comb, that should eventually heal up with no issues if left alone.

It definitely looks like coccidiosis. you could try to put apple cider vinegar in her water, but it doesnt always help

Apple Cider Vinegar will not treat Coccidiosis.

 

[2 Acres]

View attachment 4059210View attachment 4059209

Some moments she looks really rough and depressed and then a minute later she’ll be fine and scavenging for food. Has lost no appetite and her poops are a normal color and consistency.

Color of comb and wattles suggests minor frostbite. She should have been allowed to acclimate to the weather more slowly.

 

[2 Acres]

Color of comb and wattles suggests minor frostbite. She should have been allowed to acclimate to the weather more slowly.

I rescued a buff Orp and Black Maran from a neighbor that had a bunch of chickens. When he got down to the last 2, a bitter cold snap was setting in that same night. Those 2 birds never would have survived the night If I hadn't talked him into giving them to me. IIRC...he started out with 12 chickens. Evidently the novelty wore off.

Chickens are not just a novelty to me. Each one has their own personality.

 

[2 Acres]

When was her last egg?

She has mites, how did you treat them? Are the mites gone now?

If her crop emptying?

Photos of her poop?

If she's not laid an egg and should have, I would get Calcium Citrate+D3 into her ASAP. If you don't have that, give her 1 TUMS. Give the Extra Calcium once daily for 5 days. Don't soak her, this may stress her more.

If she's eating, but not drinking well, try offering wet mash/soupy feed. Electrolytes or sugar water, then plain fresh water would be good to give.

She looks to have some slight Frostbite on her comb, that should eventually heal up with no issues if left alone.




Apple Cider Vinegar will not treat Coccidiosis.

Correct... but Garlic, and Oregano do.. along with cayanne pepper. I use that same combination to keep mice out of the hanging feed troughs.

If anyone remembers my chicken hatched from my Dominique months back... This is what "Tiny" looks like now. And yes...I called it. Tiny is a Roo.

 

[Jfox33]

When was her last egg?

She has mites, how did you treat them? Are the mites gone now?

If her crop emptying?

Photos of her poop?

If she's not laid an egg and should have, I would get Calcium Citrate+D3 into her ASAP. If you don't have that, give her 1 TUMS. Give the Extra Calcium once daily for 5 days. Don't soak her, this may stress her more.

If she's eating, but not drinking well, try offering wet mash/soupy feed. Electrolytes or sugar water, then plain fresh water would be good to give.

She looks to have some slight Frostbite on her comb, that should eventually heal up with no issues if left alone.




Apple Cider Vinegar will not treat Coccidiosis.

Her last egg was last fall and then they all stopped laying for the winter. My other hens have just started laying again but she has not. She was never a prolific egg layer compared to my other leg horn.

I treated her mites with topical invermectin and I have not seen any since. I am wondering if she has anemia now.

Her crop has been emptying and I have been giving her calcium supplements.

I will try giving her fluids through her food some more, but I’m wondering if I should start Corrid treatment rather than electrolytes.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her last egg was last fall and then they all stopped laying for the winter. My other hens have just started laying again but she has not. She was never a prolific egg layer compared to my other leg horn.

I treated her mites with topical invermectin and I have not seen any since. I am wondering if she has anemia now.

Her crop has been emptying and I have been giving her calcium supplements.

I will try giving her fluids through her food some more, but I’m wondering if I should start Corrid treatment rather than electrolytes.

Thanks for all the help.

Sounds like she may be ready to come back into lay and is having a hard time.
If she were mine, I'd begin giving her Calcium ASAP.

You *can* treat her for Coccidiosis if you wish, it won't hurt her.

If she's not laid an egg and should have, I would get Calcium Citrate+D3 into her ASAP. If you don't have that, give her 1 TUMS. Give the Extra Calcium once daily for 5 days. Don't soak her, this may stress her more.