4.5 yo Orpington Still Struggling

[micstrachan]

Maybe. It is hard to detect pain in chickens. What pain meds are you considering? Meloxicam, maybe?

She's welcome to sit in the chicken coop forever, but I don't know how happy she will be.

Well, yes. I would need a veterinarian prescription for meloxicam. It might be time to see the Avian Vet and see if they prescribe it. I did give her aspirin once recently to see if it made a difference, but the weather here has been so crazy, it’s hard to experiment like that right now. I can also try ibuprofen, but neither aspirin nor ibuprofen are a long-term solution. I did order something else and I can let you know how it goes. I learned about it from another friend here on BYC. Feel free to message me if you are interested. However, mine has not arrived yet, and I haven’t tried it yet. I’m not sure if it is indicated in chickens, but my understanding is that it was prescribed by a veterinarian for a chicken, and I don’t want to get any veterinarians in trouble. Avian veterinarians are so hard to find, and we need to keep them in business.

I also wonder if the cold is aggravating my Little Mill’s arthritis or whatever she has going on. Since it started when she was young, I tend to think it started with an injury, but wonder if it has progressed to arthritis at this point.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I'm going to try turmeric, I think. It seems to have helped my Polish with her leg issues.

I've only been treating her for 10 days. That's a drop in the bucket. It's just so frustrating when the only issue I can see is the lameness. And it's very clear after some further observation that it's that she *can't* walk. She uses her wing like a crutch.

But she's gained 1/4 lb in that time. She's alert. Her color is great. Poop is fine (though occasionally more watery than I'd like). I'm hopeful for recovery, but I worry because she's separated from the flock (primarily because of the weather). Makes me feel bad, like I'm making things worse for her.

 

[Aunt Angus]

It's been 2 weeks. Poppy now weighs 4 lbs even. I'm starting to see small improvements. She tries to walk more. She can only go a few steps before sitting again,but her posture is better. I thought I was imagining it, but hubby noticed, too.

I may bring Iris in for a visit again. If the rain ever stops, I'll take her outside for a bit.

 

[Painted Calls]

 

[Aunt Angus]

Poppy is still with us. I'm still tube feeding. She gets 60 mL (more like 55 because of what's left in the tube) 4x a day. I also give worms, egg, and mash occasionally. She gets pellets free choice, and she eats them sometimes, but not often. She is very alert and vocal, and she's been trying to walk more.

She gets an hour or two in the sling daily. I bathe her every few days when her bum gets too gross.

But I am seeing progress!

Question: Should I continue the B complex? She also gets vitamin E.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You go, Poppy!

 

[micstrachan]

Poppy is still with us. I'm still tube feeding. She gets 60 mL (more like 55 because of what's left in the tube) 4x a day. I also give worms, egg, and mash occasionally. She gets pellets free choice, and she eats them sometimes, but not often. She is very alert and vocal, and she's been trying to walk more.

She gets an hour or two in the sling daily. I bathe her every few days when her bum gets too gross.

But I am seeing progress!

Question: Should I continue the B complex? She also gets vitamin E.

Thanks for the update! I would have to do some research to know about the B complex.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Ok, friends. I need advice and/or encouragement. It's been over a month. She's pooping great. Crop is great. She's gained weight (over 4 lbs now). She's perky and vocal.

She won't eat on her own (unless it's worms, the spoiled brat). She won't drink on her own. She still can't walk, though she tries.

She gets fed 55 mL 4x-5x a day. She gets B complex and vitamin E daily, with egg yolk for selenium. She gets time in the sling chair. I stretch her legs at every feeding out of shear desperation.

I bathe her a few times a week because her backside gets gross. I trim her nails and her beak.

What is going on? Do I need to be more patient? Or is it past the point of no return?

 

[Painted Calls]

Ok, friends. I need advice and/or encouragement. It's been over a month. She's pooping great. Crop is great. She's gained weight (over 4 lbs now). She's perky and vocal.

She won't eat on her own (unless it's worms, the spoiled brat). She won't drink on her own. She still can't walk, though she tries.

She gets fed 55 mL 4x-5x a day. She gets B complex and vitamin E daily, with egg yolk for selenium. She gets time in the sling chair. I stretch her legs at every feeding out of shear desperation.

I bathe her a few times a week because her backside gets gross. I trim her nails and her beak.

What is going on? Do I need to be more patient? Or is it past the point of no return?

IME, once it's been this long, they don't come back. It is up to you if you would like to continue supportive care. Does she try using her legs at all? If she seems to otherwise be thriving spirits wise, and you are okay with the amount of work it takes, keep going. At this point I'd make a more permanent sling chair. That way she's not sitting in her own excrement or developing pressure sores.

Here is one I made out of one of those plastic organization drawer things, and an old shirt.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I ordered her a chair because every version I made seemed to make her angry - lol

The plan is to keep her outside with Iris (super mellow Cochin) during the day in the duck coop-turned-grow out pen, which shares the main run. I'll bring her inside at night so I can feed her and tend to her more easily. She'll go back out every morning, as long as the weather is decent.

Can't say I didn't try. Now I'll just do my best to make her feel like a chicken again.