2.5 year old RIR Infection. attack. Legs not working

[annmjensen]

I have a 2.5 year old RIR hen. She got ill and was attacked by other hens on her head before I found her. I took to vet. He drained her abdomen and she is on baytril 2x a day. She has been eating (although finicky) and drinking and her poop now looks normal again (had been watery/yellow). The problem now is her legs. One stretches out behind stiffly. The other is under her, but clenched into a claw. She sort of lumbers and hobbles around. I am trying to sort out if this is a side effect of the peritonitis (the vet's & my guess as to her problem) or a side effect of her having the heck pecked out of her head???? Like a chicken stroke??? She will have NOTHING to do with the Rickets diet. Didn't like the whey/bread. Likes peas, Meal worms, Rice. I made a hot mash of some grains. She was not impressed. Won't touch the regular pellets or chick feed. Other than continuing to tempt her with food to try to rebuild the strength/weight she has lost is there anything else to be done? Chicken Physical Therapy??? Vitamin supplement for the water? I always use ACV and I have been dusting what she eats with probiotics....

 

[klmclain1]

Have you tried wetting the pellets and mixing in some canned cat food to get her to eat?? Mine LOVE that!

 

[annmjensen]

I did soak the pellets and mix them with canned beef cat food. She ignored it all. When I mixed cat food with the rice, she picked out the rice grains (eyeroll). I am wondering if the cat food is not the right texture - our cats eat this "filet" stuff, not the more baby food kind... Maybe I will try the pate texture on her tomorrow!! Thanks!!

 

[Sarahndipity723]

Hi,I'm new to this forum,however,I had an experience with what appeared to be a stroke in a chicken last yr.It presented similar to yours ,re feet/legs that is-one foot was curled the other leg was dragging behind it.Believe it or not,I gave it part of a baby aspirin,it appeared to be a stroke,most likely related to the heat(heat stroke) as it was a very hot day the day before.
I was stunned to see the change in the chickie the nxt morning,the leg he(meat bird cockeral)was dragging behing him he was now bearing wt on,the leg with the curled toes had begun to straighten out,I gave him more baby aspirin 2x day and by the end of 3 days he was walking around normally(!)
I asked my vet about this,he had no explanation.
Don't laugh, I'm a nurse,I've found a few baby aspirins often go a long ways at critical moments,for man or beast(pets)...
Sarah

 

[annmjensen]

I did give her water that had baby aspirin dissolved in it, but at a pretty low dosage. Like 1/2 tablet per liter I believe. (I got the dosage somewhere in the million of pages I searched) She is probably about 5-6 lbs now that she has been "drained"... I wonder if a whole one is too much??

 

[Sarahndipity723]

I think I gave the 5lb meat bird at least half a baby aspirin first,he ate it out of my hand,then another half 8hrs later.I did notice a change by the second dose.
I put several baby aspirin in the waterer for him and all his buddy the nxt day,it was a 98 deg day with high humidity,and I thought I'd try treating everyone prophalactically for heat stroke-it seemed to work,no issues with the lil chubbs(meat birds/cornish x) in that searing heat that day and theyre very fragile. I also fed him another 1/4 baby aspirin by hand in the am and pm,I made sure he had no internal injuries too.
Good luck with your chickie!
-Sarah

 

[annmjensen]

Ok. She (of course) wouldn't take it from my hand, so I dosed her with it dissolved. LOL. She is out in front now, but it it threatening to rain. so I have my rain coat over half her run.....and she has some food and water and such..

 

[annmjensen]

Ok - so today she is eating chick starter and the small seeds from their scratch (none of my hens ever like the corn bits). She is eating it and throwing at all over. I put an old chick feeder in (the metal triangular kind with head holes) and she used her hook claw to grab it and climb on top. She seems very happy that she can get off the ground, so I guess tomorrow's project is a scrap lumber ramp. I will start it on a low incline and then increase the angle. I am going to have a chicken therapy center!!!