three_grannies
Chirping
- Apr 29, 2022
- 24
- 27
- 69
My 1-year-old Jersey Giant chicken, Maeve, has had a rough couple of weeks and I am hoping to get some expert opinions!
Around May 15th, I noticed that several chickens had developed bumblefoot. Maeve was one of the chickens, and this was the first time she had had bumblefoot. We had a lot of rain, and our backyard was super muddy, so I think this was the likely trigger. Her bumblefoot is slowly getting better after treatment, and I was able to start birdy booties a few days ago to protect her foot pads.
Around May 22nd, Maeve became a hardcore broody. She plucked all the feathers from her breast, refused to leave the nesting box, and began making t. rex noises at anyone who came near her. I couldn’t deal with her broodiness for a few days because of busy life stuff, but once I pulled her out of the nest box, she felt a lot thinner to me with a more prominent keel bone. Her crop was empty, so I’m afraid she the kind of broody hen that refuses to take breaks to eat.
I was taking measures to break her broodiness by bringing her inside the house to cool her down, taking away nesting material, and encouraging her to eat and drink. She has slowly started to increase her intake. She loves hardboiled eggs, so that seemed to help her energy levels.
I noticed some weakness and reluctance to walk after bringing her inside. At first, I thought it was from the bumblefoot, so I bought her some birdy booties. Her bumblefoot has been improving though, so I was confused by this. I also was wondering if she had some muscle wasting from being cramped in the nesting box.
More recently, over the past several days, I noticed that she was walking on her hocks and would flap her wings to get from one place to another. She mainly sits around all day. I also noticed some toe-curling when out of her birdy boot. I checked her bumblefoot wounds again and they are looking great.
After going through some chicken health resources, my theory is that Maeve has a B2/riboflavin deficiency triggered by poor nutrition from broodiness and bumblefoot and a reluctance to walk to the feeder. Unfortunately, she isn’t vaccinated against Marek’s (I bought her as a pullet, which I regret now as I’ve read more about flock security.) Yesterday and today, I gave her 3cc of poultry cell, sprinkled nutritional yeast on her food, and also fed her hardboiled egg. I've kept food and water with electrolytes close by her and she is separated in her own little area except when I take her out to encourage her to walk. She is eating and drinking a lot better, but it's mainly when I'm with her and not so much on her own. She is looking a little stronger today and I didn’t notice her toes curling when I took her out of her birdy boots.
Do you think that a vitamin deficiency is likely the cause of her symptoms? I was able to find lots of information online about chicks with B2 deficiency, but not a lot of information on adult chickens experiencing neurologic symptoms from deficiency. Or should I be more concerned about Marek’s disease? Aside from 2 other hens with improving bumblefoot, no one else appears to be sick. Three out of my six chickens received the Marek’s vaccine as chicks.
I included a video below of her walking. You'll hear her making broody clucks. This girl won't quit!
Around May 15th, I noticed that several chickens had developed bumblefoot. Maeve was one of the chickens, and this was the first time she had had bumblefoot. We had a lot of rain, and our backyard was super muddy, so I think this was the likely trigger. Her bumblefoot is slowly getting better after treatment, and I was able to start birdy booties a few days ago to protect her foot pads.
Around May 22nd, Maeve became a hardcore broody. She plucked all the feathers from her breast, refused to leave the nesting box, and began making t. rex noises at anyone who came near her. I couldn’t deal with her broodiness for a few days because of busy life stuff, but once I pulled her out of the nest box, she felt a lot thinner to me with a more prominent keel bone. Her crop was empty, so I’m afraid she the kind of broody hen that refuses to take breaks to eat.
I was taking measures to break her broodiness by bringing her inside the house to cool her down, taking away nesting material, and encouraging her to eat and drink. She has slowly started to increase her intake. She loves hardboiled eggs, so that seemed to help her energy levels.
I noticed some weakness and reluctance to walk after bringing her inside. At first, I thought it was from the bumblefoot, so I bought her some birdy booties. Her bumblefoot has been improving though, so I was confused by this. I also was wondering if she had some muscle wasting from being cramped in the nesting box.
More recently, over the past several days, I noticed that she was walking on her hocks and would flap her wings to get from one place to another. She mainly sits around all day. I also noticed some toe-curling when out of her birdy boot. I checked her bumblefoot wounds again and they are looking great.
After going through some chicken health resources, my theory is that Maeve has a B2/riboflavin deficiency triggered by poor nutrition from broodiness and bumblefoot and a reluctance to walk to the feeder. Unfortunately, she isn’t vaccinated against Marek’s (I bought her as a pullet, which I regret now as I’ve read more about flock security.) Yesterday and today, I gave her 3cc of poultry cell, sprinkled nutritional yeast on her food, and also fed her hardboiled egg. I've kept food and water with electrolytes close by her and she is separated in her own little area except when I take her out to encourage her to walk. She is eating and drinking a lot better, but it's mainly when I'm with her and not so much on her own. She is looking a little stronger today and I didn’t notice her toes curling when I took her out of her birdy boots.
Do you think that a vitamin deficiency is likely the cause of her symptoms? I was able to find lots of information online about chicks with B2 deficiency, but not a lot of information on adult chickens experiencing neurologic symptoms from deficiency. Or should I be more concerned about Marek’s disease? Aside from 2 other hens with improving bumblefoot, no one else appears to be sick. Three out of my six chickens received the Marek’s vaccine as chicks.
I included a video below of her walking. You'll hear her making broody clucks. This girl won't quit!
