My chicken is very weak, won't eat, and has a swollen leg. What to do?

It's possible your hen may have an injury to the leg such as a sprain or break, or even a potential nutrient deficiency causing weakness. If the leg isn't improving on its own, seeking veterinary care to have it looked at by a vet is best. They may be able to figure out the issue or create a brace while the leg heals to make sure it stays in the proper position.

Unfortunately, these are very general symptoms of illness with multiple causes. A physical exam, and possibly diagnostics, would be needed to definitively diagnose the underlying cause. For this, Kuko needs to be physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating domestic fowl. In the meantime, keep him warm and as stress free as possible. Make sure he continues to eat and drink. You can feed him a chick starter mixed with water to make a paste to get some calories and nutrition into him. Use a dropper and unflavored PediaLyte or DioraLyte to aid in hydration.

Thanks for reaching out about Chika and including photos. First thought is the bitten toes were an access site for bacteria that settled in the joints or the trauma of the bites allowed a sub-clinical infection to manifest. Mycoplasma gallinaceum is a common joint infection in thickens. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Warm compresses on the joints can help lower the swellings. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Chicky and including photos. A physical examination must be made to determine which of these it is, and each will require a different treatment plan. There are some infectious diseases that can cause this also like bacterial infections or Mycoplasma gallinacium. Provide good diet and husbandry, especially heat support. Good luck.

In adult chickens, "wry neck", can be caused by infection, trauma or poor diet. Hen pecking can cause trauma and infection. A poor diet results in a vitamin deficiency, usually E, B1, D or a combination. Have her examined by a vet experienced in treating domestic fowl. Separate her from the flock for now. Feed a fortified chicken feed. Vitamin E should be given daily. Give with the mineral selenium to enhance absorption. Vit B can be mixed in with food or water. Infection should be confirmed and treated with the appropriate antibiotic if indicated.

Without knowing more about the signs that your birds are showing, it is difficult to say what is going on with them. There is a lot of overlap with infectious diseases in chickens, so many of them can look alike. The treatments for them, however, can vary, and need to be initiated by a veterinarian. I would recommend that you contact a veterinarian in your area so that s/he can do a physical exam on at least one of your birds. I was unable to find where you were located based on your zip code, as it did not give any results for the US. There are some regions which have avian diagnostic labs, and many times they have a chicken veterinarian on staff. This may be an option for you depending on your location. At home, you can try supportive care for the birds. Ensuring they have a warm place to go is crucial, so they don’t have to work as hard to keep warm (chicken body temperatures are about 102-104 F). Also make sure they have fresh water and food easily available to them, and monitor to ensure they are eating. To do this, you can feel along the bottom of their necks - this is where the crop is, and it is a pocket in their esophagus where good is stored when they eat. If you feel good in it, that is good as it indicates they are eating. If it is empty, they are not. Please do not give any human medications to your birds, as many of them can be harmful to chickens. I hope that gives you a place to start, and good luck.

Unfortunately, those are extremely vague signs of illness, so it would be hard to say what is going on. It would be best to separate the sick hen from your flock to avoid being picked on and spreading any illness. Keeping her warm in quarantine with easy access to food and water may help, however if you can't find an outward cause of her illness, she will need to be seen by a vet in person to determine what the issue is.