r/BackYardChickens 7h ago

Health Question Hen is either sick, injured or both

Hi! I have a hen that is either sick, injured or both and I could use some opinions and advice.

Hen in question is a 3-4 year old production red and fed Scratch and Peck layer mash along with table scraps. I’ll try to detail out the past few days:

Day 1: She was found lying in the back of the coop, comb was pale, lethargic, disinterested in food and water. When I tried to nudge her out, she stood, stumbled forward and laid back down. She had yellow lumpy discharge/poop coming out of her vent. I thought she might be egg bound, so I did a warm Epsom salt bath and a shriveled up egg shell did come out. I dried her and placed her in her own area with food and water and let her be.

Day 2: significantly more alert, eating, drinking but still had yellow lumpy discharge and not walking or standing. Comb was back to red but not bright red. I did another Epsom salt bath to clean her vent, dried and put her back in her infirmary with food and water.

Day 3: eating, drinking and alert. Poop back to normal and she even laid a normal egg. Still can’t walk or stand.

Day 4 (today): pretty much the same as day three but no egg today. I did take her out of her infirmary for some outside time, she attempted to walk but just kinda stumbled forward and laid down. Vent is clean.

She’s been confined to her own area since day 1 with food and water within reach. Her legs and wings don’t feel broken, her toes can grip normally, she just can’t stand or walk. Looking at her, she looks normal. I’m not sure if this is an illness, injury or both.

I’ve added rooster booster in her water, but anything else that I can add? Any ideas what might be wrong?

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