Chicken leg problem

Mar 22, 2018
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Ok so about 2-3 days ago I noticed my favorite hen was limping and just laying around a lot. I noticed she was favoring her L leg, just doing like a tow tap and would not let her heal down. When I picked her up her affected foot would just stick out and she would ont grab my finger. I quarantined her for a day or 2 so and noticed she was able to limp around a bit better and moving around the yard slowing following everyone else around. I thought she was getting better. So I brought her back to the flock since I was worried about her getiing rejected. Came back home this evening and she looks like she staying in the same spot all day and got pecked on since her comb was swollen and she had blood on her feathers. I tried to get her up with a treet and she now could not put weight on her other leg either. She was not able to stand up. and using her wings for stability. I requarantined her and got her to drink and eat as I dont think she ate anything today. I am freaking out now. Since the begining I noticed bother of her legs were really warm figured cause she;s been laying all day. I have not seen any swelling I am ble to move both legs. I seemed when I was assisting her with standing she was using the L leg (initial injured one) as stability and was not putting any weight on her original good leg at all. Please HELP!!!! I don't want to put her down. Do I just need to let her rest? Would an ice pack help? Thanks
 
I'm sorry she isn't feeling well.
Is she drinking water by herself?If she was in one spot all day she may be dehydrated, water is important.

Can you post pictures of how she is laying?
What is her age?
And...have you recently brought any new birds home?
 
I can try and get a picture but now she wont put any weight on her legs. before she would only let the tips of the first 2-3 toes touch the ground now she can't stand up. She is about 6 months.
 
The first think that comes to mind is Marek's disease.
This "not wanted or being able to use" legs is classic signs of it.

I am thinking that the others have been picking on her today because they cans sense that she is sick.

Please read through this and see if anything looks familiar.
The Great Big Giant Marek's Disease FAQ


@rebrascora might be able to help you figure things out better than I can.
;)
 
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She wants to eat and drink she jus can't walk. I noticed she keeps her butt in the air too.
 
Sorry about your pullet. Mareks does look like a possibility, but an injury or vitamin deficiency could be possible. There also can be a very slight possibility of a bacterial infection in the lower spine which is more common in broiler chickens, that can make the lower legs useless.

For now, I would make a chicken sling to get her upright and in front of her own food and water. Dog crates can be used to separate her so she isn’t picked on. If you lose her, I would get a necropsy and testing for Mareks disease. Call your state vet or poultry lab, promptly refrigerate the body, and it will need to be shipped or delivered on ice packs. Here is a good link with poultry vet labs:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm
 

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