16 WEEK OLD HEN NOT STANDING ON ONE LEG

[turbohen_TX]

We let our 16 week old hens free range today and one of our Easter Egger hens is now not standing on one of her legs. She tries to use it when she walks and gets around but, mostly sits around. I picked her up and felt her bones. Nothing obviously broken, no bumble foot, no blood, no missing feathers. She has been healthy. I think she might have injured it while running or trying to fly. When they get out of the coop & run to free range, they like to practice their flying skills...not very good at it. My other concern is that she may have a vitamin or mineral deficiency. We are feeding Purina Start and Grow, a little scratch grain once in a while and popcorn yesterday. We have 10 hens (we hope, jury is still out on one) and I don't know if this one needs to be separated from the rest.

 

[PrincessLay-a]

We let our 16 week old hens free range today and one of our Easter Egger hens is now not standing on one of her legs. She tries to use it when she walks and gets around but, mostly sits around. I picked her up and felt her bones. Nothing obviously broken, no bumble foot, no blood, no missing feathers. She has been healthy. I think she might have injured it while running or trying to fly. When they get out of the coop & run to free range, they like to practice their flying skills...not very good at it. My other concern is that she may have a vitamin or mineral deficiency. We are feeding Purina Start and Grow, a little scratch grain once in a while and popcorn yesterday. We have 10 hens (we hope, jury is still out on one) and I don't know if this one needs to be separated from the rest.

I would isolate her to protect her from injuring it further.
I'm not an expert on vitamin deficiencies but I would say to give her some electrolytes and scrambled or boiled eggs to start. If it is a sprain keeping her in a cage that encourages her not to move around to much will help. I do know of a box that has a net sling that you can build yourselfthat sits the hen without its legs having full weight on them and that can help the healing process.

I hope that helps.
Good luck

 

[PrincessLay-a]

https://www.tillysnest.com/2014/03/vitamin-deficiencies-in-backyard-chicks-html/
This is a good article to read about vitamin deficiencies and lists food that you can find at home to feed your hen.
Eggs are really high in a lot of vitamins so they are great for that.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. I would watch her and if she is not limiting her own activity, I would place her inside a wire dog crate with her own food and water inside the coop to force rest. Injury or a sprain may be her problem, but we always get nervous about Mareks with one leg being lame. Is she having any problems with balance or using her wings to stay upright? Have you checked her entire leg for swelling, bruising, redness, or pain? Sometimes it helps to watch them walk to figure it out. I would not let her jump up and down from the roosts while her leg is injured.

 

[micstrachan]

Well, shoot. At her age, my first thought is Marek’s. Having said that, my Millie had a limp that seemed like an injury her first year and every so often she seems to favor it just slightly. I think hers was an injury, unless I have Marek’s in my flock and don’t know it.
@Eggcessive has asked some great questions than can help steer us in the right direction. Another thought would be to see if a little aspirin (or metacam if you could get it) makes any difference. If it helps, I’d lean toward it being an injury.

Edited for typo “great” instead of “Gray.”

 

[turbohen_TX]

I would isolate her to protect her from injuring it further.
I'm not an expert on vitamin deficiencies but I would say to give her some electrolytes and scrambled or boiled eggs to start. If it is a sprain keeping her in a cage that encourages her not to move around to much will help. I do know of a box that has a net sling that you can build yourselfthat sits the hen without its legs having full weight on them and that can help the healing process.

I hope that helps.
Good luck

Thanks


Thank You.
We have her set up in our brooder (which is a luxury suite for chicks). Before I secluded her, she was eating grass and weeds with the other chickens and went to the coop to roost. Other than not wanting to use that leg, she seems fine.

 

[turbohen_TX]

Welcome to BYC. I would watch her and if she is not limiting her own activity, I would place her inside a wire dog crate with her own food and water inside the coop to force rest. Injury or a sprain may be her problem, but we always get nervous about Mareks with one leg being lame. Is she having any problems with balance or using her wings to stay upright? Have you checked her entire leg for swelling, bruising, redness, or pain? Sometimes it helps to watch them walk to figure it out. I would not let her jump up and down from the roosts while her leg is injured.

Right now we have her in a brooder with food and water with electrolytes. I gave her a scrambled egg and she isn't interested in it. We have a wire dog crate but it is not readily accessible so, tomorrow we will get it set up. I noticed her lameness right after lunch today. She doesn't have problems with balance and doesn't use her wings to stay upright. Most of the afternoon she just laid under a shrub. She did try to fly a few times when she was trying to run from me. She is the most skittish of our young hens so not as easy to handle. I was able to pick her up and did not find anything obvious, no breaks, no swelling, no redness, no blood, no sores after checking her feet and legs on both sides. I thought if I felt a difference side to side that would give me a clue but, nothing. I will check again tomorrow. She holds her foot up, it isn't dragging and the toes aren't curled. She tries to put weight on it but, to me, it looks like she hurts when she tries to walk. Honestly, I feel like she has a hip sprain. That might sound odd but, because the whole flock loves to try out their wings when the free range it would have been easy for her to land wrong or to be dive bombed by another one of the flock. I hope it isn't Marek's Disease...it did cross my mind.

 

[turbohen_TX]

Well, shoot. At her age, my first thought is Marek’s. Having said that, my Millie had a limp that seemed like an injury her first year and every so often she seems to favor it just slightly. I think hers was an injury, unless I have Marek’s in my flock and don’t know it.
@Eggcessive has asked some great questions than can help steer us in the right direction. Another thought would be to see if a little aspirin (or metacam if you could get it) makes any difference. If it helps, I’d lean toward it being an injury.

Edited for typo “great” instead of “Gray.”

I will try the aspirin tomorrow if she isn't better. Also, I will probably try a sling, at least for overnight. Tonight is a wait and see.

 

[micstrachan]

The sling is a good idea. I’m not sure if they’re supposed to sleep in them, though.
@Eggcessive ?

 

[Eggcessive]

I just tried a sling on a hen who has no balance but can stand and walk, and she kept killing herself trying to get out of it. Slings are good if they cannot walk, but if they can walk some, they may be more dangerous since they can injure themselves. If she will tolerate it, it is good for short periods with letting her out to stretch and to sleep at night. Slings can be good to get them upright, keep them cleaner, and to set food and water within reach. It just depends on how they tolerate them.