This is Betsy. Five days ago when I went out to give my girls some free range time, I saw Betsy collapse and remain still at the door to her coop. She could not walk. If she tried to take a step her right leg would not move forward and she would fall with the leg sticking out behind her.
I couldn't find any injury and she ate and drank readily so I decided to pop her into a dog crate with food and arnica laced water and wait and see if it got better. The first day showed no improvement and I started to wonder what a softie like me was going to do with a vulnerable chicken.
I then had to leave her in someone else's care for a couple days so she pretty much just sat in the dog crate for about 72 hours. She laid one egg. Yesterday she could take a few steps and stand for a minute. Today she walked about 15 feet to get under the rhododendron, her favorite hang out, then plopped down and did not want to get back up, but could if I made her.
If anyone knows something about injured chickens, please take a look at the photo below. You can see that the injured right leg is placed behind the good left leg when she is standing on it. I'm thinking the injury is in the hip area. I'm open to suggestions!
For now I am conducting short walking sessions with her every few hours with total rest in between. We will see what tomorrow brings.
She might not be injured at all. You can feel up and down her legs, you should feel a break or she'll flinch. I've had chickens do this, develop a walking problem (suddenly). I have one right now in isolation (for her protection form getting picked on, and no-stress eating). They have all recovered after a week or three. Don't give up on her. Give her lots of special food - greens, variety, vitamins.
Oh thank you for your comment! I don't feel any breaks and she can push my hand away with the bottom of her claw. I will certainly give her more time, and am so happy to know this you've seen them recover. I've been feeding her sunflower seeds and some fruit, but will step up the food tomorrow. She got some foraging time twice today too. Tomorrow I think I will give her some time in a larger enclosure, maybe 3 by 3, on the ground and in the sun. I'm mostly worried about keeping the others away from her, but nearby to reduce stress. Does this sound like a good plan?
That is exactly what I do. Her own space, but with the others around. I also give them boiled eggs and livestock electrolytes (stress-aid) in their water. I've never looked up what it is, maybe a vitamin deficiency? I just know that one day they can't use their legs, and after some care, they come back. They always have a good appetite (so not "illness"), just, no legs. Happened to three of my hens, I think. Save Betsy!
Thank you so much. Maybe I will try a tad of rescue remedy in her water today, and cook up some eggs for all of them. I sure have enough this month! Do you mind if I keep consulting you here?
Of course.
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I just learned useful things from @owasco and @selka, should we ever get chickens again! In the 18 years we had chickens, I don't recall this ever happening to any of our hens, but now I know what to do if it ever does happen.
Why thanks for stopping by! @selka knows a lot.
How is Betsy doing now? Has she made it out of rehab? I have a Betsy of my own! It’s amazing how attached we get to these feathered ladies. Do you feed your chickens mealworm/meat to help boost their diet?
Why thank you for asking! Betsy is still walking slowly, I haven't seen her run yet, but she is back with her peeps 24 hours a day. The first night I let her sleep outside of the dog crate she chose to roost low on the wide ladder leading up to the roosting bars, then the next night she slept up top. But when I went out the in the morning she was still up there - she couldn't get down. For a couple days I had to go out and lift her down.
Mealworms definitely every couple weeks through the winter. They're favorite snack is sunflower seeds. They'll follow me anywhere if they know I have some of those with me.