2 Weeks- still not walking - is there any hope?

[Kalthia]

For the last two weeks we have had this hen who won't walk more than a few tentative steps. She mainly sits down. Her foot does not place as a normal foot would, and she slips and slides with it.

We were keeping her inside for a few days while we tried to figure out if she was egg bound. We took her to the vet who says she was malnourished and gave her vit b and suggested rooster booster. We followed all the instructions and she continues to not do well. The vet ordered pain medication for her on Friday.
Today (Sunday - day 15) she still can't walk. I attached a video of the most she will do. I am keeping her mostly separated in the big run of our coop to make sure she gets enough water/food. She is still laying eggs.

I am not sure next steps. The pain medication does not seem to be making a difference. I am concerned that I am babying her too much - so today - since it is raining and I didn't want to go out in a thunderstorm, I left her to try to get out of the coop by herself. After two hours, I went and got her. Her food is placed around the coop so she has to get up to walk to the best parts (meal worms). She can't make it up the ramp to the coop or down again.

I feel bad for her, she is the one hen that will sit on my lap and let me hold her. Should I just leave her to fend for herself? Should I cull her?

https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2...zX2dpZklkJmN0PWc/CxehvAxrxKPl6L7XQN/giphy.gif

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Did you get an Xray of the leg?

 

[Kalthia]

Did you get an Xray of the leg?

No, the doctor examined her and said it was not necessary. She didn't find any reason to believe it was injured.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

O.k.
So what does she think is the cause? Mareks?

If you don't want to cull her, then try splinting the leg. Place her food and water where she can easily reach it. Raise the water and feed station up on a block so she can reach them.
The Doc said she is malnourished, this says she's not been able to get to food/water very well and isn't eating.
Offer her extra protein like egg, fish or meat along with her normal feed. Giving a direct dose of poultry vitamins every other day for a week would be a good idea too.

You are the one that will have to access her and determine if you think she needs to be culled.

 

[Kalthia]

O.k.
So what does she think is the cause? Mareks?

If you don't want to cull her, then try splinting the leg. Place her food and water where she can easily reach it. Raise the water and feed station up on a block so she can reach them.
The Doc said she is malnourished, this says she's not been able to get to food/water very well and isn't eating.
Offer her extra protein like egg, fish or meat along with her normal feed. Giving a direct dose of poultry vitamins every other day for a week would be a good idea too.

You are the one that will have to access her and determine if you think she needs to be culled.

She did not mention Mareks - and Zoe is bright with red combs and eating everything she is offered. She does not seem to have the signs and symptoms of it.

I had put them on a whole seed feed and I think they were nitpicking through and getting the tasty stuff (if nutrition is even the cause). When she went to the vet her crop was empty and now feels much better.

She is okay - except for the walking. The pain meds don’t seem to be changing this. Hopefully the vet will have time tomorrow to see her and offer more suggestions.

 

[Shadrach]

For the last two weeks we have had this hen who won't walk more than a few tentative steps. She mainly sits down. Her foot does not place as a normal foot would, and she slips and slides with it.

We were keeping her inside for a few days while we tried to figure out if she was egg bound. We took her to the vet who says she was malnourished and gave her vit b and suggested rooster booster. We followed all the instructions and she continues to not do well. The vet ordered pain medication for her on Friday.
Today (Sunday - day 15) she still can't walk. I attached a video of the most she will do. I am keeping her mostly separated in the big run of our coop to make sure she gets enough water/food. She is still laying eggs.

I am not sure next steps. The pain medication does not seem to be making a difference. I am concerned that I am babying her too much - so today - since it is raining and I didn't want to go out in a thunderstorm, I left her to try to get out of the coop by herself. After two hours, I went and got her. Her food is placed around the coop so she has to get up to walk to the best parts (meal worms). She can't make it up the ramp to the coop or down again.

I feel bad for her, she is the one hen that will sit on my lap and let me hold her. Should I just leave her to fend for herself? Should I cull her?

https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2...zX2dpZklkJmN0PWc/CxehvAxrxKPl6L7XQN/giphy.gif

I'm not stating that it is either of these, but that looks like a possible dislocation, or osteoperosis.
Have you tried Calcium Citrate?
Did your vet check for a dislocation?

 

[Shadrach]

One other thing. No competant vet prescribes painkillers for a hen that can't walk until they know why. If it is a dislocation, or joint related then having less pain just encourages the hen to walk and this can just cause further damage.
The pain is there in part to dicourage one from using the limb.
Find another vet.