In the last couple of days, two of my hens showed the same symptoms and died in less than 24 hours.
One was almost 2 years old, she was standing still with drooping wings in the coop around midday, and didn't follow the others. She was immediately isolated and given a strengthening liquid...
I could have paid a fair sum and sent her in for a necropsy, but sentimentality won out and I buried her by the apple tree instead. Even if the result came back positive I'm fairly certain I already have Marek's in my flock or something near identical. It won't help me treat any others who...
Final update: She passed away in my arms this evening. She was doing well on Sunday, ate a ton of different treats and acted more alert, feathers looked nicer and she moved around a bunch to eat and bask in the warm cage. I almost dared hope the Chinese Skullcap was working and she could get...
My hen started breathing heavily with rattling breath a few days ago too, she breathes normally now after being given a small amount of human cough syrup 2-3 times a day (nothing fancy, mainly contains Bromhexine and used for kids 6+). I don't know what products you have available, but it's...
I have a little over 2 years old hen with similar symptoms I'm pretty certain is Marek's (I have two threads about it if you want to compare). It can happen to older hens, but is much more common before 4 months of age or so. There are some similar illnesses but most are untreatable too, except...
Are you able to feed him with a syringe in the beak or similar? You have to know what you're doing, but if done correctly it can help them eat even if they don't want to. If it really is Marek's chances of recovery are extremely slim to nonexistent, but it's something to try. Egg and cornmeal...
Update 11: She got worse the day after my latest message, started breathing heavily and like she had rales. The leg is no better, arguably even worse. The swollen part feels a bit smaller and less hard, but I'm not sure if that's due to it healing, or muscle atrophy. She can still only lift it...
Don't worry about it, I appreciate the earlier help. I figured it was difficult for any non-vet to see anything since not even the vets could find something, it is what it is
Hopefully it's just a sprain, if it Marek's you might not feel anything. There are other illnesses that can cause...
No worries, it's mostly died down so I made a new one here, that has the X-ray pictures. I appreciate all the input people have given, it's just a difficult situation now that not even the vets can diagnose it for certain, I think I'm on my own from here on
Did you get your hens tested for...
Updating with a picture and video:
She lies down a lot with the leg forward and toes curled, but can still lift the leg to hop around. The right leg feels somewhat larger and harder below the knee than the others, I guess it's what the fourth X-ray image shows as well. I'm suspecting some...
Hey, I'm back again with my limping 2,5 years old Serama bantam since the old thread was a getting a bit bloated
She's limped for a month now on her right leg and it's gotten gradually worse. She has to swing her leg forward before trying to move, like it's hard to control it, and doesn't want...
Update 9: She just got back from the second vet, who immediately thought it was a fracture after noticing the swollen, hard part near the knee. He suggested getting an X-ray which that clinic sadly couldn't provide, to see what kind of fracture it was. If it was a slanted one they could maybe...
That's a fantastic suggestion, I hope it's that. Any idea what it would look like on a hen? It seems like they can harden as they heal and need some time. I'd give her all the time she needs anyway, but since it's not getting worse or better fast it has me wondering.
I do remember her flying up...
Sadly no, it's where her legs get fluffy. I could try taking something but it'd just be feathers, you can feel that something is off there though. Do you have an idea what it could be?
Update 8: The swollen joint the first vet pointed out seems to be growing. It feels hard. I don't know what it could be from googling since she's fully grown, don't think it's a slipped tendon. She's still acting mostly the same, but it's worrying me nobody knows what it is or how to treat it...
Update 7: She's mostly the same as yesterday. I got a time on Thursday with the other vet after all. They didn't think it was Marek but had no idea either what it could be from my description. Maybe they can prescribe more Metacam worst case, it's worth trying.
She's been getting Vitamin B complex in the water for about 2 weeks, but I'll be more diligent and feed it to her directly, even if she hates having it dripped into her beak.
I'm sadly in Europe and it doesn't seem like our state vets do non-necropsy Marek's testing. I'd rather bury her if it...
Update 6: She's gotten all the Metacam doses now, but seems slightly worse at walking today. She didn't get her full Chinese Skullcap capsule yesterday though. She also wriggled out of my hands and fell on the floor, I hope that didn't hurt her too much.
I don't think the Metacam made much of a...
Update 5: Not much has changed, she might be a tiny bit better, at least she doesn't seem worse. She moves around the cage with her foot curled, but puts more pressure on it sometimes. Only two doses are left of the metacam, but she's getting the Chinese Skullcap capsules crushed into an egg...