4 year old Hybrid Hen falling over, unable to stand, help?!

[lizzie201296]

Hi
We have two hybrid hens, nearly 4 years old. They were from a reputable breeder (I say reputable - I mean that as in they're not ex-batt. or anything).
We used to have another one but she died nearly a year ago from a blocked egg that broke and got very nasty.
Apart from that, we've not had any major problems - the remaining two stopped laying about 10-12 months ago, (when they were about 3yrs, which I'm told is the sort of age hybrids usually stop). But we kept them on more as 'pets', and they've both been generally healthy - every now and then one of them would look a bit glum, but only for a day or two (usually when the weather was bad - live in UK!)
Our black one though has been very wobbly on her feet for the last week or so, and is just very under the weather looking. She is still eating and drinking, but has been finding it quite difficult to walk. She stands or sits, blinking slowly, all puffed and tucked in. Today, I went up to find her lying on the floor like she had fallen on one side. My mum was wondering if maybe she's had some sort of stroke (can chickens get strokes?), as our dog had a stroke once and the behavious seems pretty similar - walking wobbly and off centre, falling over and seeming pretty unresponsive and not very alert.
Of course, it could just be because she is old (is 4 old for a hybrid?) and on her way out, but I'm wondering if there is anything I can do?
She doesn't appear to be in any pain - not in the sort of way our one who died was like. I tried to help her up, and when I brought the food and water to her, she ate and drank with ease, and she does try and make an effort to get up but just topples to one side.
I've checked her legs and they don't appear to be broken or anything, and I can't think of a situation where they would get hurt (they're in an enclosed outdoor area so nothing can get at them).
I fear it is probably just her age, but I just want to make sure there's nothing like an illness or something else? What I am quite worried about though is that we're having pretty rotten weather at the moment, and I'm worried that she'll get cold if she's not moving around?

Also, I saw online that it could be a protein deficiancy, so gave her some marmite (widely recommended on the web?) which she ate some of. However, I would've thought something like that would effect both of them, not just one?

Please help asap, not sure if she'll make it through the night. Also, I'm a 15 year old girl, so I can't exactly rush her off to the vets (and our vets aren't very good with chickens - one had worms when we first got them and the vet didn't know what to do so gave us a small dosage of horse wormer!)

Thanks!

 

[Marigold]

Hi Lizzie and welcome to the Forum. I'm sorry it's under such worrying circumstances for you.
Yes, chickens can get strokes and they might have similar effects to the symptoms you describe. One other symptom of heart trouble in chickens is having a purple or dark blue/red colour to her comb - did you notice anything like this? As you say, four is quite a good age for a hybrid, and it would not be surprising if she was approaching her last weeks or months. I'm glad she appears not to be in pain, and I think you are right not to feel the need to involve the vet at this stage. Just keep her comfortable and quiet, carry on bringing her food and water if she's off her legs, and maybe give her a box of warm hay or woodshavings to sleep in if she can't perch. She might like it if you soak some pellets in warm water and add some appetising treats such as hulled sunflower seeds, chopped hardboiled egg, or anything else you know she likes. I would avoid giving Marmite as it's so high in salt and also yeast, which is very bad for hens and can cause problems with sour crop, and I'm sure she hasn't got a severe protein deficiency if she has been eating a normal diet. You might bring her in overnight if it's horrible outside and just keep her warm and comfortable.

She's obviously a very lucky hen, to have such a concerned and careful owner. Good luck, and please let us know how she gets on.

 

[chrismahon]

Sorry to hear about your hen Lizzie. She is a year older than any of our hybrids have reached. Is she pooing OK? I ask because many of ours had an abdominal infection and their rear end was very badly swollen and the last, Annie, struggled to walk as a result of it. She was only pooing a thin green sludge at that stage.

 

[lizzie201296]

Thank you for your replies - She seems more mobile today; she's been walking around without falling over, just stumbling every now and then. But she still seems very under. She keeps sitting or standing with her head pulled in and a bit puffed up. Someone on another forum suggested an impacted crop, but I felt it and it doesn't seem like there is anything wrong. I gave her some yoghurt and olive oil (everyone suggested that to clear the crop) anyway, just to be safe. Her comb looks like it always has (pinky/red), so I don't think it's that. I have noticed her scratching her ear/side of head and shaking her head, but this could be nothing - I probably just noticed because I'm watching her more than usual. I had a look at her ear though and it doesn't seem to be blocked or anything.
She appears to be pooing fine, haven't noticed any change. On my post on backyardchickens.com regarding this, I have attached some photos, so take a look if it's of any help: http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/662864/4-year-old-hybrid-hen-falling-over-unable-to-stand-help

Thanks,
L

 

[chrismahon]

Could be ear mites/ lice which would account for the scratching and the difficulty standing from a balance point of view. She looks so miserable Lizzie -I just want to pick her up and give her a cuddle! We use Cod Liver Oil with multivitamins as a pick up, 0.5mL per Kg of bodyweight, so 2mL in your case. But only once in a while as we have found repeating it has the opposite effect. If poos are fine no crop problems anyway. Her comb is fine -if it were pale I'd think of red mite. Have you checked her over for lice or mites. We've had Northern Fowl Mite reported a lot recently and it's difficult to spot. You are looking for scabs on the skin particularly around the vent area and on the hackles. The mites are tiny and you may need a magnifying glass to see them.

 

[Marigold]

I'm glad she made it through the night, Lizzie, and is a bit more mobile today. If her comb is still red, and her crop is clear, and she is eating a bit, that's all good, though chickens are very stoic when they are feeling ill to protect themselves from possible aggression from the other birds if they show signs of weakness. So they may actually become quite poorly before even a careful keeper notices anything obviously wrong. She may have been under the weather for some time and possibly losing weight. When you pick her up, does she feel heavy and chunky compared with the other hen, or lighter? Do check carefully for signs of redmite in the coop, or little white lice eggs stuck round under her bum feathers or on her head. i wouldn't worry about Northern Fowl Mite, that is most unlikely. I would hazard a guess that what you are seeing may have some neurological cause, but that there is little you can do at her age except keep her comfortable and try to get her to eat nourishing food.

 

[lizzie201296]

I have checked her for lice and mites, and haven't seen anything. We clean out the coop every day and replace all the bedding etc, and my dad gives the whole place a thorough cleaning once a week and sprays it with the anti-lice sprays and stuff, so I don't think it's that, plus I can't see anything either on her on in the coop. How do I check for ear mite?
I know, it's horrid seeing her so glum! She definitely perks up when I give her a cuddle, but I can't sit there with her all day!
The other one is being very nice though - she's not pushing her out of the way for food or anything, and was sat next to her for a while yesterday (they usually totally ignore each other and push each other for food!).
I'm debating bringing her in, but then the other one would be by herself... Also it's a lot of hassle getting them inside - the brown one had worms when we got them, and we brought her in for a few days while she recovered and it was so difficult (we have three dogs, so we had to close a whole room off!).
Thanks,
L

 

[Marigold]

Talking about worms, have they been done with Flubenvet in the last 4-6 months, Lizzie? I expect they have, since you are so careful about hygiene but a worm burden can pull a hen down.
She looks a real sweetie on the pics you posted, I can see why you love her so much.
I agree about problems bringing her in, especially as the weather is warm ATM. Does she sleep in the nestboxes? not a good idea normally but if she's feeling poorly and unstable you mnight encourage her to do this.

 

[lizzie201296]

They were wormed quite recently, so I don't think it's that - I had a root through her poop as well (lovely!) and couldn't see anything. Actually both of them sleep in the nest boxes - when we had three, the one that died would sleep on the perch, and the other two always slept in the nest boxes, right from the beginning. When that one died, we thought the other two would start sleeping on the perch, but they didn't, they both stayed sleeping in the nest boxes... Very strange. Is that a bad thing? Never really given it much thought...
L

 

[Marigold]

It's preferable for them to perch because otherwise the nestboxes get poop in which makes the eggs dirty unless you get to them to clean them out before the birds lay. Also it's not so nice for them to sleep in their own poop and their feathers may get messy. But if you don't mind, that's up to you whether to train new, young hens on to the perches, when you get to your next batch - too late to bother for these two I expect!


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