2 year old barred rock limping - update, necropsy

[Miss Lydia]

I understand Botulism can cause lameness, check the feed for mold. If you bathed her and didn't see any bugs then thats pretty much out.

 

[Jane Jill Jack]

Here's another cite with several different diseases and their cures. Newcastle disease seems to match your hens the most, soft shells, weak legs, etc.
http://poultrykeeper.com/poultry-diseases-and-disorders.html

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hows she doing this morning?

 

[jrabbit]

No worse, no better.

I just gave her a bowl of yogurt, an ear of corn, and her own small bowl of water. She ate/drank it all. Not voraciously, but she does seem alert and has an appetite.

Last night, we had her out in the kitchen on a towel. Gave her water. She got her bearings, then took a few tottering steps around. She slid on the wood floor and clucked a little. I decided she was dry enough, so I put her in the roosting house, in the bed of hay - not on the perch. She appears to have bedded down there all nite, as evidenced by the poop. This morning, she got out of the house, which is above ground, with a narrow entrance ramp. She isn't moving around much still - and really appears to be lame - not able to move more than a step at a time. It seems like her legs buckle under her as she takes a step.

The other hen seems fine - maybe a little bothered by her friend's abnormal behavior. She laid an egg yesterday, so it's a gamble whether or not she'll lay today, but that's normal.

I will see if the feed store is open today, and maybe I can look for some type of supplement. Or, I can take her to the vet tomorrow - that choice will be rather expensive, though. We'll have to do some thinking.

This is what the henhouse looks like: she is hanging out on the ground, right next to the ramp. (this is an old picture)
http://philhyde.smugmug.com/Family/Pets/6630139_t9J2s#727104933_EMMgY

Beatrix is on the right in this photo: We think they are about 2.5 years old and were purchased from a large free-range hen-farm about 21 months ago.
http://philhyde.smugmug.com/Family/Pets/6630139_t9J2s#514986916_K48Gw

 

[Miss Lydia]

Looks like a pretty nice place for 2 hens and they get to free range so not cooped up all day thats good. It's baffling since she has an appetite and is laying, did you read about New Castle? at least it's treatable, wish I could help more but I just don't know. Please keep us updated though on how she is from day to day. Thanks

 

[jrabbit]

Newcastle just doesn't seem logical. There has been no gasping or wheezing. Poop seems normal - definitely not green. (except her wet feathers did seem to have something yellowish dried in them ...)

She was outside of her coop short time ago and tried to walk to me. Seemed marginally stronger than yesterday.

I'm so confused because she has an appetite, and she is alert. This is the hen who hasn't laid a proper egg since late summer. For a few weeks, she was laying soft eggs every 2-3 days, but mostly she's laid nothing.

She's a pet, so we don't wish to "do anything" unless she were suffering, which she doesn't appear to be.

 

[Jane Jill Jack]

Maybe she has a sprain or injured tendon? Are there any toxins or poisons such as rat poison che could've eaten?

 

[jrabbit]

no poison. not even ant or weed control. no mold in the feed.

She did look like she was walking better this evening, but she still seemed VERY sedentary and cautious. Maybe it was some type of sprain. When I bathed her, I felt her legs and feet, and they seemed "ok" - but I don't have a whole lot of experience with this.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Why not try soaking her in some nice epsom salts baths, if it's a sprain that should help. Are you giving her any extra vits? or poultry drench? I'd just give her extra care till she's back 100% If she's eating good and drinking Then Hopefully what ever it is will pass. One of my hens had some yellow stuff on her feathers I thought for sure an egg had broke and the yolk was coming out, that was right after she started to lay and she laid some really weird looking eggs also, that was about 5 mos ago and now she lays nice eggs and hasn't had anymore of the yellow stuff either. So hopefully this to will pass and she'll be fine soon. We're all pulling for her.

 

[jrabbit]

Same today. She seems a little more alert, if anything, but she's still slow and just sitting mostly.

She seems spooked by me now - she runs when I come near. That *did* start before the bath, but she really doesn't want me near her now, hah.

I gave them leftover fruit/yogurt home made smoothie today. She preferred the plain yogurt I gave her yesterday. I have asked DH to hunt for vitamins at the grocery store, but I don't really know what to look for. Suggestions?

thanks
--janis