brookely
In the Brooder
- May 2, 2022
- 5
- 30
- 39
Hi all!
My mother keeps backyard chickens and she's a bit worried about one of her girls.
She went to let them out from their coop one morning and one of them was limping. Over the last week, this has progressed to the point where the chicken is unable to put any weight on the leg at all, and cannot walk. She tends to stick the leg in front of her out straight but it's not stiff.
The chicken doesn't seem to be in any pain when not trying to walk/put pressure on the area, and nothing appears swollen or scratched or irritated. She's checked for bumblefoot and has ruled this out as well. She's done a worming treatment and tried anti-biotics and this hasn't improved things either. She says she thought she heard a click from the chicken's leg once but isn't 100% sure.
The chicken does have scaly mites and is being treated for those, but it seems a fairly mild case, and the other chickens haven't had these issues.
The chicken is around 2 years old, and a silkie. She doesn't have a reduced appetite, she's eating and drinking well, and seems lively and bright aside from her leg. She's also sleeping well during the night and is very alert during the day.
She doesn't believe it's Marek's disease, as she's seen that before and said the bird with Marek's was a lot stiffer and the disease progressed differently, but if it presents itself in other ways, we're open to the possibility, so the chicken has been removed for the rest in case of spread. (Edit: I should note that the bird with Marek's was at a different property and over a decade ago now, there has been no Marek's at this property and there's been no opportunity for exposure to the disease for these chickens that we know of).
Does anyone have any experience with this and possibly know what this could be?
My mum is very attached to her chickens but our local area doesn't have any vets who can help, and we're hoping we can help this chook.
Thanks in advance!
My mother keeps backyard chickens and she's a bit worried about one of her girls.
She went to let them out from their coop one morning and one of them was limping. Over the last week, this has progressed to the point where the chicken is unable to put any weight on the leg at all, and cannot walk. She tends to stick the leg in front of her out straight but it's not stiff.
The chicken doesn't seem to be in any pain when not trying to walk/put pressure on the area, and nothing appears swollen or scratched or irritated. She's checked for bumblefoot and has ruled this out as well. She's done a worming treatment and tried anti-biotics and this hasn't improved things either. She says she thought she heard a click from the chicken's leg once but isn't 100% sure.
The chicken does have scaly mites and is being treated for those, but it seems a fairly mild case, and the other chickens haven't had these issues.
The chicken is around 2 years old, and a silkie. She doesn't have a reduced appetite, she's eating and drinking well, and seems lively and bright aside from her leg. She's also sleeping well during the night and is very alert during the day.
She doesn't believe it's Marek's disease, as she's seen that before and said the bird with Marek's was a lot stiffer and the disease progressed differently, but if it presents itself in other ways, we're open to the possibility, so the chicken has been removed for the rest in case of spread. (Edit: I should note that the bird with Marek's was at a different property and over a decade ago now, there has been no Marek's at this property and there's been no opportunity for exposure to the disease for these chickens that we know of).
Does anyone have any experience with this and possibly know what this could be?
My mum is very attached to her chickens but our local area doesn't have any vets who can help, and we're hoping we can help this chook.
Thanks in advance!
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