Introduction! and Question!

[yodo]

Hello all! I am an 18-year-old male and I currently am taking care of a chicken that we randomly found roaming our neighborhood. I check this site often and took some great tips from here! Thanks!

My question, however, is that recently, the chicken that we found and took care of (as a pet), became (as it looks like) very depressed and stopped walking, but we thought it was just lazy for a bit. Afterward, the chicken stopped running and jumping entirely and just laid on the ground like if it was sleeping. Afterward, it couldn't sustain itself anymore on its feet so it laid like that almost all day. Now, it can't even stand up on its own or eat on its own and I need to cradle the chicken into my lap and feed and give it water from there. The only time the chicken is comfortable now is being inside a small open box which is small and tight and comfortable enough to give her support so she can stand, but I'm so confused and helpless since I can't take it to the vet. Is there anything I can do without killing it? I want to see if it can walk again because it's very sad seeing the chicken lay there all day long. Also, its legs are very pale and weak, and can't support himself unless she's against something.

I feed it ground beef, chicken, mealworms (dried ones from Kaytee), electrolyte solution, ham, and water. I'm not sure what to feed it either but it loves ground beef.

here she, and i don't know what her breed is either, and thanks for any answers and help.

 

[Goatlover223]

Chickens are by nature quite active in search of food during day light hours, so if you find a chicken lethargic, more often than not, this is cause for concern.



Chickens do love to sun bathe and take naps but should jump up quickly if disturbed. A chicken lethargic that is unusually slow and unresponsive may be quite sick. During spring and summer months some hens go broody.
They will choose a nesting spot and can believe they are incubating eggs, even when all eggs are removed daily. Broody hens enter a trance like state and often, even if removed from the nest, will sit low to the ground and not move. This is normal.
A chicken lethargic may not be able to stand or walk well. It will often be alone when the flock is out scratching and foraging. It may sit or roost with head drooped or tucked into a wing. A sick chicken that is normally not easy to approach may be unaware of activity around it, not put up much of a fuss when picked up and have trouble opening eyes. A chicken lethargic in this state needs help.
There could be one or more of many different things wrong. Removing a chicken in this condition from the flock is important as it may have something contagious.

 

[Byrd gal]

I am no expert but there are plenty here that are. First off she needs chicken food and vitamins asap. There are things in the feed a chicken has to have to live. What she is eating now should be a treat only. I hope this helps til the pros answer. They are great help for us newbies.

 

[coach723]

For starters I would suggest that you get some balanced chicken feed, feed stores, tractor supply, some walmarts carry it, it comes in crumble or pellet form. I would get a flock raiser, all flock, or grower feed. It contains important vitamins and minerals that are needed for proper health and growth. You can mix it with some water to make a mash consistency if needed, they usually like it that way. I would also recommend that you get a human B complex vitamin and give 1/2 of one of those every day. Being deficient in some of the B vitamins can cause walking, leg, and balance issues. Stop the other stuff for now, none of those are going to support proper nutrition. If you really need to tempt her to eat then mix a bit of scrambled egg in with the feed. See if you get some improvement with that. She also needs access to poultry grit to be able to digest properly, you can get that usually wherever you find the feed, offer it in a separate dish. Make sure she has plenty of fresh, clean water. Two things to check, what do droppings look like, and is her crop functioning normally. Crop should be empty first thing in the morning before access to food or water, and then fill and empty throughout the day as she eats and digests. Feel the crop to see how it feels, crop ID picture below, the crop is on the low neck or upper breast area slightly to the right side, you can feel it through the skin :

 

[drumstick diva]

agree with coach 723 (above)

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Good look with your bird.

 

[kyeschicks]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[N F C]

Hello, you've been given some good advice...hope it helps and your bird improves.

 

[janiedoe]

I want to wish you and your hen the best of luck.
She is beautiful. Please do get her started on chicken feed and follow advise from @coach723

 

[swampfox440]

welcome to BYC ! Good luck !