• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Anne Miller
  • r ranson
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Leigh Tate
stewards:
  • Beau Davidson
  • Nicole Alderman
  • paul wheaton
master gardeners:
  • Carla Burke
  • John F Dean
  • Nancy Reading
  • Jay Angler
gardeners:
  • Jules Silverlock
  • Mike Barkley
  • Jordan Holland

Wobbly chicken cures?

  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi all,
I have a very wobbly little Frizzle chicken, although her eyes are bright,  she has a good appetite, and does not look sick, she has had a very hard time walking in the last week, she leans over to eat and often falls to one side and/or flips forward upside down! The only sign of possible sickness is she keeps to herself and lays like a ball of fluff away from the others.

Both her feet seem to be ok, not broken - the other hens were bullying her and pluck her neck feathers so I have her secluded in a dog crate.  I thought maybe it was a nutritional deficiency so in addition to her food I have some water with a little probiotics and durastat (oregano and cinnamon oil) and some fresh garlic... and I just gave her a warm epsom salt bath (which she seemed to like!)  

Has anyone had a similar situation, or know of any thing else I can do to help her?  
Thank you!
 
gardener
Posts: 411
Location: Monticello Florida zone 8a
134
homeschooling hugelkultur monies foraging wofati building wood heat homestead
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Have you looked into bumblefoot?
 
Alison Anderson
Posts: 2
forest garden chicken bee
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Huxley Harter wrote:Have you looked into bumblefoot?


Hi Huxley - good thinking.  I didn't see any sign of it, but will look into it more....Thanks!
 
gardener
Posts: 499
Location: Nara, Japan. Zone 8-ish
370
2
kids dog forest garden personal care trees foraging
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
A hard time walking could possibly be early signs of a vitamin b deficiency. Usually paralysis starts in the feet and legs and the toes curl up. I think there are supplements available. Some other permies might know dietary sources of vitamin b (I know there are a lot of b vitamins, I don't remember the exact one that causes curly toe...).

If the feet seem ok and aren't curling, the loss of balance could point to something neurological. Do chickens get ear infections?

 
Huck Johnson
gardener
Posts: 411
Location: Monticello Florida zone 8a
134
homeschooling hugelkultur monies foraging wofati building wood heat homestead
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I've never heard of ear infection. Do they have discharge or stink? A healthy chicken's face smells ok.

Is she the only one of her species you have?
You might test her reaction time with a treat or waving in front of her face.

Do you have any pictures?
 
master gardener
Posts: 8478
Location: Pacific Wet Coast
4231
duck books chicken cooking food preservation ungarbage
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Have you considered Marek's disease?  https://extension.psu.edu/mareks-disease-in-chickens

If it *could* be Marek's, I'd get her isolated from the other chickens right away for their safety and observe her for other possibles. I had to do that recently, and unfortunately after other issues were eliminated (like strokes - I've had a chicken that had one and recovered!) we had to cull her as she couldn't eat and wouldn't/couldn't drink even when I held her by her water.
 
Enjoy the full beauty of the english language. Embedded in this tiny ad:
Planning the 2023 Permaculture Technology Jamboree - poor man's poll
https://permies.com/t/206625/permaculture-projects/Planning-Permaculture-Technology-Jamboree-poor
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic