Infection?

[SlvrScrl79]

My hen isn’t walking. She is 3 years old. I can’t find anything wrong with her. No injuries. She isn’t interested in eating or drinking.
We found her last night when we went to close the coop.
I put her in a box last night and kept her inside my house. She did poop this morning. It’s not 100% solid, but it’s not 100% loose either.
Today I gave her 1 ml nutridrench by syringe. I also let her soak in warm water. I found a yellow scab on her chest after I pulled her out of the water. It looks like it could be pus, I’ve read pus is hard in chickens. I’m unsure if the inability to stand/walk is related to this. I’m at a loss.

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

@Eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

The breast bone looks like it has a large breast blister, which is a result of continuous pressure on her keel/breastbone. She may have been lying on damp bedding or just resting her keel again a hard surface or rough roost. This can be common in lame chickens or ones who spend much of their time on a rough roost. You can apply Betadine or Equate First Aid Solution (Walmart) to the breast lesion twice a day. Pad any area that she is lying, and make sure bedding is clean and dry.

Has she only been unable to walk since you found her last night? Has she recently been molting and does she lay eggs? Do you have rooster who might have hurt her back? Can you see any swelling of her leg joints, or any green bruising?

 

[SlvrScrl79]

The breast bone looks like it has a large breast blister, which is a result of continuous pressure on her keel/breastbone. She may have been lying on damp bedding or just resting her keel again a hard surface or rough roost. This can be common in lame chickens or ones who spend much of their time on a rough roost. You can apply Betadine or Equate First Aid Solution (Walmart) to the breast lesion twice a day. Pad any area that she is lying, and make sure bedding is clean and dry.

Has she only been unable to walk since you found her last night? Has she recently been molting and does she lay eggs? Do you have rooster who might have hurt her back? Can you see any swelling of her leg joints, or any green bruising?

Sorry it took me so long to reply. Yes, that is a pressure sore, I know that now. First time I’ve dealt with that. I was looking for some explanation.

We do have a big Rhode Island Red.
she hasn’t been able to walk since we found her.

They all just went through a molt and none of them have laid any eggs in a few weeks. I don’t think she’s egg bound, I let her soak for a while just to be sure. I couldn’t feel anything there.

Initially I was having to force feed her and put fluids in her mouth. She was not interested in eating or drinking. As of yesterday, she has started eating and drinking. She has tried standing but can’t get up very high. Her feet still aren’t working. She’s definitely balancing better, she was having issues balancing herself while she was sitting.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would offer some human vitamin B complex 1/4 to 1/2 tablet daily, which you can give orally or crush into a bit of egg or food. That may help with riboflavin deficiency or curled toe paralysis. She might have been injured in her spine, but some tumors or infections can cause pressure on the leg nerves causing lameness. A chicken sling or chair might help her to eat and drink and be up off the ground for periods throughout the day. She can be out of it for periods of rest, and at night to sleep. Food and water containers can be placed in front of her. Here is a good thread with many samples one page 1 and on page 2 there is a design:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[SlvrScrl79]

This is what I came up with from around the house. I just gave her a 1/2 of a B-Complex.

 

[SlvrScrl79]

I would offer some human vitamin B complex 1/4 to 1/2 tablet daily, which you can give orally or crush into a bit of egg or food. That may help with riboflavin deficiency or curled toe paralysis. She might have been injured in her spine, but some tumors or infections can cause pressure on the leg nerves causing lameness. A chicken sling or chair might help her to eat and drink and be up off the ground for periods throughout the day. She can be out of it for periods of rest, and at night to sleep. Food and water containers can be placed in front of her. Here is a good thread with many samples one page 1 and on page 2 there is a design:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

a lot has happened over the last few weeks. My 17 yr old dog, Bones, who I had his entire life, started deteriorating. We had to put him to sleep March 9th. This is a level of grief I have never experienced.

I continued to take care of Henrietta, our hen that couldn’t walk. I eventually made a place for her outside, where I can see her from my back windows. I thought being outside would be better for her and definitely more entertaining for her. The longer this has gone on, the more I started to think, it must be something not fixable. I started thinking, I might have to have my husband cull her. She did start laying eggs, but they are super tiny, not the normal size she should be laying. I was going to come in here and ask about this new development…if it meant anything or if maybe it helped to diagnose why she couldn’t walk.

But Bones started to deteriorate. Even though he was 17, I wasn’t ready for it to happen. I turned my attention to him.

Bones passed away and the last two weeks have been a blur.

Today, just a little while ago. I happened to be looking out of my back windows, checking on Henrietta, when I noticed…SHE’S STANDING!


I went outside to check her out. She can stand, but she still can’t walk. She tried to take a step, but she han only take 1-2 tiny steps before she appears to try to become unbalanced.


Do you have any other suggestions?