3rd Limping Hen Help!

[Asteen89]

In the past 2 months I am now on my 3rd limping hen. At the beginning of April I had two 1 year old red sex links start limping. One was worse than the other. I treated her for bumblefoot and she continued to decline until I put her down at the beginning of May because she started getting picked on and seemed like she was in a lot of pain. The other red sex link improved with no bumblefoot and now acts normal.

Now as of yesterday I have an 11 month old lavender Orpington who is limping. She is still drinking and eating as of this morning but just lays down everywhere acting like she’s in pain. I believe she laid an egg yesterday. She is one of my recent broodies that had a clutch of three chicks mid March. She does not have bunblefoot.

The only thing I can think of is this starts happening after they have been out free ranging.

Also, I had a hen die the night before last night with absolutely no symptoms prior that I could see. She was a big 1 year old Columbian Wyandotte and I thought perhaps it was from her falling off the roost bar and snapping her neck. I found her in the morning under the roost with her head under her and feet straight. She was completely normal the day of her death and spent some time free ranging. She was one of my prettiest and healthiest looking hens.

Currently my chickens are eating Purina flock raiser with crushed oyster on the side and grit. Occasional sunflower seeds and flock block for treats. They get a few table scraps a week, but not everyday.

I’m just at a loss right now for the limping and now with it being the 3rd one in 2 months it’s worrying. I do not have a avian/poultry vet in my area.

 

[azygous]

When an unknown illness hits your flock, it can be terrifying. Unfortunately, those symptoms are so ambiguous, they can point to a number of causes. What has your weather been like? Hot? Wet?

Heat stroke
Moldy food
Botulism toxin from a compost pile
Poisonous insects
Petroleum distillate poisoning (insecticides, paint solvents, engine solvent)
Marek's or lymphoid leucosis
Coccidiosis

What we do in the case of such symptoms, none of which can point directly at something, is to treat for the most likely, and move down the list and watch to see if anything works.

I would suggest you first give the entire flock electrolytes in their water for a couple of days. Add a little extra sugar to it. This will fix heat stroke.

Meanwhile, look around carefully for any sign of toxin exposure. Has anyone been cleaning paint brushes where the chickens wander? How about working on a car engine and spilling fluids onto the ground? Any leaking yard machine sitting there in the chicken yard?

 

[Asteen89]

When an unknown illness hits your flock, it can be terrifying. Unfortunately, those symptoms are so ambiguous, they can point to a number of causes. What has your weather been like? Hot? Wet?

Heat stroke
Moldy food
Botulism toxin from a compost pile
Poisonous insects
Petroleum distillate poisoning (insecticides, paint solvents, engine solvent)
Marek's or lymphoid leucosis
Coccidiosis

What we do in the case of such symptoms, none of which can point directly at something, is to treat for the most likely, and move down the list and watch to see if anything works.

I would suggest you first give the entire flock electrolytes in their water for a couple of days. Add a little extra sugar to it. This will fix heat stroke.

Meanwhile, look around carefully for any sign of toxin exposure. Has anyone been cleaning paint brushes where the chickens wander? How about working on a car engine and spilling fluids onto the ground? Any leaking yard machine sitting there in the chicken yard?

Thank you for your reply!

Weather was still cold in April. We did have a recent temp spike to almost 100’s Monday through Thursday last week. The temp is now mid 70’s. I am unaware of any solvent or spillage. We live out in the country and have couple farming neighbors that live in the area.

When my first 2 hens came down with a limp, I went ahead and treated the whole flock with corrid for 5 days just to be on the safe side for coccidiosis since I have baby chicks just hatched in March. They were also dewormed (I do this as twice a year) at the beginning of April with safeguard goat dewormer at dosage for their weight.

I did find some mold from a leak in their coop 2 weeks ago on the wall and cleaned it. I inspected the entire coop and didn’t find anymore than I could visibly see. I also fixed the leak to stop anymore moisture issues on that part of the north wall. During the time of cleaning the mold I also applied permethrin spray to the coop. I do this with spring and fall clean out unless I see any major issues with mites. Which usually we haven’t had many issues with mites.

I did lower the roost bar yesterday after finding my columbian Wyandotte passed. My tallest bar was 4 1/2 feet high. It now sets just below 4 feet.

I can’t think of anything else, they all seem to be in great health with nice red combs. Occasional bumblefoot I have treated. They have an 8x8x10 coop for the 12 of them, 9 nesting boxes and a 1500 square foot run with electric fencing.

 

[azygous]

These limping symptoms, as I already mentioned are very difficult to nail down to a cause. Once you've ruled out toxins, then you have possible vitamin deficiencies and pathological causes. The first you can try to treat with B-complex and vitamin E. The second, there's no treatment unless there's a small chance you're dealing with bacteria. That would require an antibiotic.

If the limping has been caused by that brief exposure to mold, the vitamin therapy can help repair damaged nerve endings. One tablet of B-complex and one capsule of E 400iu per day directly into the beak. Give with egg or a sliver of selenium for maximum uptake of the E.

 

[Asteen89]

These limping symptoms, as I already mentioned are very difficult to nail down to a cause. Once you've ruled out toxins, then you have possible vitamin deficiencies and pathological causes. The first you can try to treat with B-complex and vitamin E. The second, there's no treatment unless there's a small chance you're dealing with bacteria. That would require an antibiotic.

If the limping has been caused by that brief exposure to mold, the vitamin therapy can help repair damaged nerve endings. One tablet of B-complex and one capsule of E 400iu per day directly into the beak. Give with egg or a sliver of selenium for maximum uptake of the E.

I finally was able to locate a livestock vet about 45 minutes from me that could see her. So I’m going to take her in at 3 today and see if I can figure out what’s happening.

I greatly appreciate your help!!! I will update after the visit with the vet.

 

[Asteen89]

UPDATE: Vet said he thinks she is limping from being picked on or hurting herself getting off the roost. He thinks she has coccidiosis because she does have diarrhea today and pooped in the office. So he is treating her with Albon, which he said is stronger than corrid and also has antibiotic in it. She has to be separated from the flock because it has a 28 day egg withdrawal.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

How is your girl doing?

 

[Asteen89]

How is your girl doing?

She’s back to her normal self!