Hen limping. Please help

[This_chicks_place]

Hi I have a Marans who is 10 months old, 2 days ago she started limping, not bad at first but it has progressed. Her leg seems to turn in abit so that when she walks she ends up standing on her foot sometimes. I felt her legs and looked at her feet for bumblefoot. I don't feel or see anything unusual and she doesn't complain like she's in pain. I gave her a baby aspirin in case she is feeling any pain it might help her be more mobile. Does anybody have any ideas what might be going on with her?

 

[4H Amy]

Do you have a rooster? I have had a couple that have been too rough on the hens and maybe sprained their ankle.

Also, has your flock been vacinated for Marek's?

 

[This_chicks_place]

Yes, we do have a rooster. But this particular hen hasn't laid an egg in 3 months. She went through a light molt in the fall and hasn't started laying again. The rooster doesn't even try to mate with her. And no the flock was never vaccinated for mareks. I got them from a breeder and all have been healthy since the day I brought them home. I thought Mareks was a disease for young chicks. If it is Mareks what should I do?

 

[4H Amy]

I have had Marek's go through my flock a couple of years ago. I only knew that it was because one of the hens that was affected was one of my daughter's favorites. It had trouble walking, flying and getting up on the the perch. We took the hen to our 4H vet and she had to euthanize her because she said the hen had tumors growing on some of her nerves. The most noticable tumor was on her back near her preening gland. This hen was over one year old, so even though you will see on the web that most birds get Marek's at a certain age that is not always the case.

I ordered the vacine from First State Veterinary Supply, but you could order it anywhere online. Then we vacinated all of our flock. I only lost 2 birds out of 30. You can call the guy who owns First State, he is really helpfull. Make sure that it is Marek's disease before you go through all of this though, it is not cheap to get the vaccine. He did send me the correct needles, etc. so that I didn't have to make a seperate trip to the farm store.

Before you go through all of this, do you have a vet that could take a look at your hen? Did you wash off her foot and look for a cut or anything? I saw that you looked for the bumblefoot spot. I just don't want you to have any unecessary expenses. Maybe she jumped off of the perch and tweeked her ankle a bit.

My hens aren't really laying super great right now, nor or alot of other people that I know that have chickens so the lack of eggs might not have anything to do with it, not sure. It is always so tough to tell with chickens because there are so many things that can happen and they really do try to hide alot of their symptoms so they don't get picked on by the rest of the flock.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I have a hen or two that find "lame" now and then. If they jump wrong, land wrong or whatever, they sprain themselves and bruise themselves like all critters. Give it a day or two, provide her with a quiet place to rest, if you can. See if she doesn't improve. Most of the time, the sprain goes away all by itself. Let's hope so.

 

[Judy]

Hopefully, Fred's Hens is right and it is a minor injury that will clear up with time and some rest. I would keep an eye on the foot for bumblefoot, just in case.

If she still has a problem after a couple of weeks or more, you may have to consider one of the "hip" problems that they can develop. Let's hope not. I do think an injury that will resolve on its own is much more likely.

 

[This_chicks_place]

Thank you for your replys. I am hoping it is just a sprain or slight injury. She does manage(I use that word lightly) to move around abit, but she spent most of the day in the coop resting. She slept in a nest box last night and is there again tonight. I will keep giving her baby aspirin and pray for improvment!