Curly Toe (Mareks??) Question

[Friendthechicken]

Hi,
I have an older gal, not sure exactly but at least 18months, who suddenly started limping two days ago. Actually, I would call it hopping on one foot. She uses a wing to balance and has spent the last two days sorta posted up in one spot, not moving much. I gave her access to food and water close to her.

• 8/29: notice she is not cruising around in morning, epsom salt soak that evening, try to put her on roost but she’s unstable and stick her in a nest box at night.
• 8/30: she hops down alone and tries to run around, regular poop, laid an egg in her hangout spot not a nest box (never happens), eventually snuggled away, did not get up much; toe does curl around my finger
• 8/31: nest box is clean (no poop), epsom soak, eats regular food and an egg, huge, watery poop in tub (included photo) start b complex half tablet, more “regular” poop later. She used the bad foot to scratch herself but isn’t putting weight on it. You can see eventually in the epsom soak she flattens out the hurt/curled foot.

No signs of bumble foot. I thought originally it was a roost injury. Now I’m thinking possible B deficiency but still pretty uninformed about that.

They get fermented and dry scratch & peck and some sprouted wheat berries and kitchen scraps.

Any advice? Should I be doing something differently? Could it be Mareks?

Thanks!!

 

[Friendthechicken]

Also @NanaK helped me with this post also involving a little limp last week but she is back to normal cruising around and I’m almost certain it’s not related.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/limping-bumblefoot-help.1596176/post-27133105

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Could it be Mareks?

Sorry your hen is troubled! Marek's doesn't cause the sciatic nerve tumor in older chickens that I'm aware of.. usual symptoms in older birds are slow wasting or crop disorder.

Sounds to me like she may have gotten an injury that's possibly not quite detectable.

She used the bad foot to scratch herself but isn’t putting weight on it.

That's another sign of pain not ataxia (in-coordination, or paralysis as might be seen with Marek's).. which is NOT to say that she isn't carrying/dealing with Marek's..

This quote..

"Infected chickens generally do not present with paralysis and tumor growth after one year of age (though some individuals still can, it is more uncommon). Infected birds may present any of the other symptoms at any age after 4 weeks, however. There are no hard and fast “rules” as to when a bird may become symptomatic."

Was taken from this very informative, well written, and easy to understand link..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

I hope she recovers quickly!

 

[Friendthechicken]

Sorry your hen is troubled! Marek's doesn't cause the sciatic nerve tumor in older chickens that I'm aware of.. usual symptoms in older birds are slow wasting or crop disorder.

Sounds to me like she may have gotten an injury that's possibly not quite detectable.


That's another sign of pain not ataxia (in-coordination, or paralysis as might be seen with Marek's).. which is NOT to say that she isn't carrying/dealing with Marek's..

This quote..

"Infected chickens generally do not present with paralysis and tumor growth after one year of age (though some individuals still can, it is more uncommon). Infected birds may present any of the other symptoms at any age after 4 weeks, however. There are no hard and fast “rules” as to when a bird may become symptomatic."

Was taken from this very informative, well written, and easy to understand link..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

I hope she recovers quickly!

Thanks so much for your reply! All good info. I am hopeful it’s an injury that will heal with time.