Unbalanced Hen, trouble standing, Toe curling

[ninejw]

Hi So my Barred Rock Hen that is approx. 3.5 years old, named Pewee is going downhill again. She is unable to stand up very long and balance well and sitting ends up on her side with her toes curled in and she’s unable to right herself and push up enough to stand with them. If I stand her up and right her she’s able to stand and get around on her own in her exercise pen even following me a bit outside the pen. Pen is inside the house. She was a bit unbalanced originally it seemed to be stemming from her left. No obvious injuries I could find. Definitely her last molted feathers are bad quality which shows systemic sickness/stress. She originally got locked out of the hen house overnight approx. 4 weeks ago and was found the next morning weak and puffed up by my SO. It was cool that night but not too cold yet maybe 40s but she is a fast and large molter as most of the good layers are. She was very light and obviously had lost weight when she was found. I treated her with a ALL in-1 pigeon med (Ronidazole, Tylosine, Amprilium, Levamisole) and didn’t really notice much else for symptoms except since she’s very talkative girl and she sounded congested when vocalizing and also swallowing more frequently I assume discharge sometimes open mouthed. Nothing out her nose or anything though. So, I assumed respiratory at that point. She responded well and we had her in a tub pushing food and meds for approx. 2 weeks. She got to come out and walk around a bit a few times a day. Since I was also currently caring for a ill parent I was able to get her and put her also with me after the second week and get her into a larger pen. After the 10 days of meds I transitioned her over to Chicken-Aid which is a vitamin and electrolyte supplement with probiotics and then staggering it now with Poultry Cell in the water. She seemed to be coming out of it with better balance and her poo went from sometimes runny to mainly solid. She is currently pooing solid normal poos and had been in the beginning too. She started laying eggs again (which I’m like really?!) a little thin shelled which is normal for her still all while having these balancing issues. No eggs since last week though. She seemed to be responding well, walking better but now she seems to be going downhill fast again in the last 2 days! I’m not sure what I’m missing if anything she is having more trouble balancing and when she sit on her side for long she ends up with her leg and wings trying to fumble for balance. She can’t eat either in that position. I’ve done a couple undercarriage soaks w/ foot massages and leg feet conditioning with a nail trim. I have examined her all over she’s mite and lice free she’s been wormed and I treat usually seasonally for mites or when they pop up. She more puffed up though now and can walk around with much difficulty. I’m going to possible switch her to giving the vitamins higher dose with a dropper and then put her on some Doxy-10 in her water. I don't want to miss my window since she's rapidly becoming more unbalanced again. I only have amprilium, Ronizole and Doxy separately. I don't want to do the all in one w/ amprilium because it blocks nutrient absorbtion. I can’t find Tylosin on it’s own as they’ve pulled all meds except amprilium off the shelf in this state or that’d probably be what I’d start her on again. I’m unsure of what is going on with her…mind is everywhere from Mereks (which she should have been vaccinated for at the hatchery and doesn’t seem to fit to me) to Sciatic injury or osteoporosis. I’m also considering nutritional deficiency exacerbated by amprilium treatment? Also, she’s on Poulin egg layer non soy pellet but is a treat fiend. I did have them on Nutrena Feather Fixer for awhile then my local stopped selling it a couple months ago. Also, I use hemp for bedding change 2x year. I’m at a loss and would appreciate an extra mind on it. I don’t intend to take her to a vet as most don’t care for chickens here and even though she’s like my feathered family member I don’t have a fortune to spend on her. Maybe I'm overlooking something? Thanks for any additional input any one can give!

 

[ninejw]

Her resting can’t raise to standing position.

 

[Eggcessive]

At her age I would probably suspect a reproductive disorder causing her problems with balance and legs. Salpingitis is pretty common, as well as cancer. Have you added any new birds to the flock recently? Mareks is less like at her age unless she was recently exposed by a carrier. I would research chicken slings or chairs, since that is a good way to get her upright in front of food and water for periods throughout the day, while allowing her to sleep at night lying down.

I am not a fan of medications that have multiple drugs for different diseases. Coccidiosis would be rare at her age. Antibiotics such as amoxicillin or enrofloxacin have been used to treat reproductive infections, and may help if used early. Ronidazole is for canker, while doxycycline can be used for respiratory and some other infections. I steer clear of antibiotics unless I was treating one for reproductive infection or something like MG (respiratory disease.) Enrofloxacin is legal for dogs and other animals, but not for chickens. Some however use it, since it can treat treat early salpingitis. Here is where I have found it in tablet or 10% liquid:
https://jedds.com/products/enroflox...W4mPJ2F5i0r9hI2HDPP2rF6F5POKgUXqYqfsO_d3S3ftF
It is given orally (not in water since it tastes bad and they won’t drink it) twice a day for 5 days. Dosage is 10 mg per every 2.2 pounds twice a day. The 10% liquid is 0.1 ml for every 2.2 pound twice a day.

 

[ninejw]

At her age I would probably suspect a reproductive disorder causing her problems with balance and legs. Salpingitis is pretty common, as well as cancer. Have you added any new birds to the flock recently? Mareks is less like at her age unless she was recently exposed by a carrier. I would research chicken slings or chairs, since that is a good way to get her upright in front of food and water for periods throughout the day, while allowing her to sleep at night lying down.

I am not a fan of medications that have multiple drugs for different diseases. Coccidiosis would be rare at her age. Antibiotics such as amoxicillin or enrofloxacin have been used to treat reproductive infections, and may help if used early. Ronidazole is for canker, while doxycycline can be used for respiratory and some other infections. I steer clear of antibiotics unless I was treating one for reproductive infection or something like MG (respiratory disease.) Enrofloxacin is legal for dogs and other animals, but not for chickens. Some however use it, since it can treat treat early salpingitis. Here is where I have found it in tablet or 10% liquid:
https://jedds.com/products/enroflox...W4mPJ2F5i0r9hI2HDPP2rF6F5POKgUXqYqfsO_d3S3ftF
It is given orally (not in water since it tastes bad and they won’t drink it) twice a day for 5 days. Dosage is 10 mg per every 2.2 pounds twice a day. The 10% liquid is 0.1 ml for every 2.2 pound twice a day.

Thank you! I ordered some of that but since it’ll take 2 days to get here I’m staying with the Doxy for right now. It should be affective against a few things plus those you mentioned. When she started laying again 2 weeks ago eggs were pretty normal which doesn’t really point to a repro disorder would it? I found her this am on her back in bad shape. So she’s back into her tub where she’s able to lean to keep herself upright. My fiance was already planning on building her one of those mobile slings. Good news is she’s back walking around here and there eating a lot again.

 

[ninejw]

Thank you! I ordered some of that but since it’ll take 2 days to get here I’m staying with the Doxy for right now. It should be affective against a few things plus those you mentioned. When she started laying again 2 weeks ago eggs were pretty normal which doesn’t really point to a repro disorder would it? I found her this am on her back in bad shape. So she’s back into her tub where she’s able to lean to keep herself upright. My fiance was already planning on building her one of those mobile slings. Good news is she’s back walking around here and there eating a lot again.

And no we added no new birds to the flock or anything.

 

[Susan Skylark]

She either has neurological or vestibular problems: tumor, infection, inflammation, injury or toxin affecting either the brain or whatever the chicken version of the inner ear might be. Throwing random antibiotics at it and hoping she gets better isn’t a good idea. If she hasn’t responded already she probably isn’t going to (not a bacterial cause). The FDA has made all animal antibiotics prescription now so you can’t just get penicillin or tetracycline at your local feed store without a prescription.

 

[Susan Skylark]

An anti inflammatory agent (aspirin, prednisone) may be a better option along with tincture of time. Keep her in a confined space with food water and clean bedding. Give her a couple weeks and if she’s improving that is a great sign, no change or worse is a poor prognosis (tumor or something).

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you! I ordered some of that but since it’ll take 2 days to get here I’m staying with the Doxy for right now. It should be affective against a few things plus those you mentioned. When she started laying again 2 weeks ago eggs were pretty normal which doesn’t really point to a repro disorder would it? I found her this am on her back in bad shape. So she’s back into her tub where she’s able to lean to keep herself upright. My fiance was already planning on building her one of those mobile slings. Good news is she’s back walking around here and there eating a lot again.

Doxycycline can treat E.coli, but it is not as good as Enrofloxacin. Neither is approved for poultry. In fact almost no antibiotics are approved for chickens except Tylosin/Tylan. I am not a fan of throwing antibiotics at them, except when one is so sick that they may have early salpingitis. Without a vet experienced with chickens, it is just hard to know what they have wrong. Sometimes we don’t know until after they die, and we can do a home necropsy or have the state vet do a professional one. I am sure we won’t be able to get any antibiotic soon without a vet, but many will not see chicken. So it is kind of frustrating.

My hen that had a 5 week bout of loss of balance, I thought may have had vestibular disease. She had no symptoms of anything else. She recovered suddenly, and could walk around one day. With one who cannot get around, we have to make sure they are getting food and water at least twice a day. I fed mine mushy wet feed, egg, and bits of other high protein foods. She would not drink, so fluids had to be added to her food.

 

[ninejw]

My bad so it’s Duramycin/ tetracycline I put her on. She’s a lot improved today so we’re back on tract. She’s been eating a lot and drinking well. She’s walking around in a small pen too. That’s great to hear your hen spontaneously recovered Eggsessive! I hope mine pulls through. I’ve been giving her lots of nourishing foods even though she’s more of a cracked corn/ treat fiend lol

I don’t feel I’m just throwing meds at her. I only put her on what I thought would cover what was wrong with her based on my educated guess and her symptoms. More than likely after this course is done she will remain in a warm spot recouping for the winter getting her gut restored with probiotics and some nourishing food. But I’m not about to throw in the towel and do nothing for her. Thanks and will keep you all posted.

 

[ChickenBFF]

Hi So my Barred Rock Hen that is approx. 3.5 years old, named Pewee is going downhill again. She is unable to stand up very long and balance well and sitting ends up on her side with her toes curled in and she’s unable to right herself and push up enough to stand with them. If I stand her up and right her she’s able to stand and get around on her own in her exercise pen even following me a bit outside the pen. Pen is inside the house. She was a bit unbalanced originally it seemed to be stemming from her left. No obvious injuries I could find. Definitely her last molted feathers are bad quality which shows systemic sickness/stress. She originally got locked out of the hen house overnight approx. 4 weeks ago and was found the next morning weak and puffed up by my SO. It was cool that night but not too cold yet maybe 40s but she is a fast and large molter as most of the good layers are. She was very light and obviously had lost weight when she was found. I treated her with a ALL in-1 pigeon med (Ronidazole, Tylosine, Amprilium, Levamisole) and didn’t really notice much else for symptoms except since she’s very talkative girl and she sounded congested when vocalizing and also swallowing more frequently I assume discharge sometimes open mouthed. Nothing out her nose or anything though. So, I assumed respiratory at that point. She responded well and we had her in a tub pushing food and meds for approx. 2 weeks. She got to come out and walk around a bit a few times a day. Since I was also currently caring for a ill parent I was able to get her and put her also with me after the second week and get her into a larger pen. After the 10 days of meds I transitioned her over to Chicken-Aid which is a vitamin and electrolyte supplement with probiotics and then staggering it now with Poultry Cell in the water. She seemed to be coming out of it with better balance and her poo went from sometimes runny to mainly solid. She is currently pooing solid normal poos and had been in the beginning too. She started laying eggs again (which I’m like really?!) a little thin shelled which is normal for her still all while having these balancing issues. No eggs since last week though. She seemed to be responding well, walking better but now she seems to be going downhill fast again in the last 2 days! I’m not sure what I’m missing if anything she is having more trouble balancing and when she sit on her side for long she ends up with her leg and wings trying to fumble for balance. She can’t eat either in that position. I’ve done a couple undercarriage soaks w/ foot massages and leg feet conditioning with a nail trim. I have examined her all over she’s mite and lice free she’s been wormed and I treat usually seasonally for mites or when they pop up. She more puffed up though now and can walk around with much difficulty. I’m going to possible switch her to giving the vitamins higher dose with a dropper and then put her on some Doxy-10 in her water. I don't want to miss my window since she's rapidly becoming more unbalanced again. I only have amprilium, Ronizole and Doxy separately. I don't want to do the all in one w/ amprilium because it blocks nutrient absorbtion. I can’t find Tylosin on it’s own as they’ve pulled all meds except amprilium off the shelf in this state or that’d probably be what I’d start her on again. I’m unsure of what is going on with her…mind is everywhere from Mereks (which she should have been vaccinated for at the hatchery and doesn’t seem to fit to me) to Sciatic injury or osteoporosis. I’m also considering nutritional deficiency exacerbated by amprilium treatment? Also, she’s on Poulin egg layer non soy pellet but is a treat fiend. I did have them on Nutrena Feather Fixer for awhile then my local stopped selling it a couple months ago. Also, I use hemp for bedding change 2x year. I’m at a loss and would appreciate an extra mind on it. I don’t intend to take her to a vet as most don’t care for chickens here and even though she’s like my feathered family member I don’t have a fortune to spend on her. Maybe I'm overlooking something? Thanks for any additional input any one can give!

Do you happen to know if she was vaccined for Marek's disease? That definitely looks neurological which could be brought on by a few different viruses, Marek's being the one that first comes to mind seeing her on her side like that. I had a nasty spell of that from some rescue chix I brought in, even after quarantine. It usually comes on during molting periods, when their immune system are a bit down. It will either pass, or not. Keep her clear if your other chix as a precaution. Best wishes and prayers being sent her way!