Emergency - Hen not able to walk, leg dislocated?

[Lemon-Drop]

Hey y'all, unfortunately one of my girls, Cupcake, isn't doing so well. Admittedly I have not had much time for the hens with everything that's going on in my personal life, but today I was out with them and I noticed that Cupcake, my Buff Brahma, was lying in the roots of a tree and not moving, but still breathing.

She's a Buff Brahma, probably about 3 years old, and much thinner than most of the flock. However, some of our chickens have gotten skinnier recently and we're not sure why.

Her right foot is not spreading/curling on its own, and the right leg join seems to be sticking out more than the left. It only responds to deep pressure, but not to tapping (her other foot responds to that though by curling)

She's very skinny and her keel is jutting out.

Her butt is also red and bare, probably from some bullies.

She's been sick on and off a lot, but today was the first time I noticed this behavior. I have no idea what caused it. She also just looks really disheveled in general.

Her crop is empty so I don't think she's been eating or drinking well, if at all. The flock is on Purina Flock Raiser (20% protein), and the coop has pine shavings as the bedding.

I dewormed the entire flock a few weeks ago with Valbazen and also did a mite treatment.

I have no idea what to do, and I'm really worried I'm gonna lose her.

I was struggling to figure out how to download the pictures from icloud to here so I just took screenshots.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I feel like her quality of life isn't great anymore, but I'd hate to have to put her down.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry to hear about Cupcake.

I'd give her a little sugar water or electrolytes to see if she will perk up.

Re-check for lice and mites, often when a hen is not well, they can get re-infested quickly, even when they have been previously treated.

It does look like she has some evidence of Scaly Leg Mites, but not too severe. Vaseline worked up under the scales of the legs/feet can help smother the mites.

I'd first work on hydration (the legs can wait), then see if she will eat a little something. I may be that she's suffering from a reproductive issue like cancer, EYP, etc., especially if she's not been well off and on for a while. Sadly, these conditions take their toll on hens and sometimes they can perk up for a while longer only to decline again.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I'm sorry to hear about Cupcake.

I'd give her a little sugar water or electrolytes to see if she will perk up.

Re-check for lice and mites, often when a hen is not well, they can get re-infested quickly, even when they have been previously treated.

It does look like she has some evidence of Scaly Leg Mites, but not too severe. Vaseline worked up under the scales of the legs/feet can help smother the mites.

I'd first work on hydration (the legs can wait), then see if she will eat a little something. I may be that she's suffering from a reproductive issue like cancer, EYP, etc., especially if she's not been well off and on for a while. Sadly, these conditions take their toll on hens and sometimes they can perk up for a while longer only to decline again.

Thank you! I gave her some electrolyte water this morning so hopefully that should help. Could it potentially be Mareks?

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Still not doing well at all today. I'm keeping her in a nesting box with some electrolyte water and feed. She's really pale and isn't opening her eyes all the way either.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

this is on her keel:

 

[Yard Farmer]

View attachment 3953265View attachment 3953267View attachment 3953263

this is on her keel:View attachment 3953270

I had hens that fell ill last year and got a strange puffy face, and it turned out to be blood mites.
Once I treated for the blood mites, they went back to 100% within thew week.

I used: Gordon's - Permethrin 10, Livestock and premise spray.

You dunk them in it for 1 minute 30 seconds and it kills all the mites for up to 6 months. I highly recommend the product.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I had hens that fell ill last year and got a strange puffy face, and it turned out to be blood mites.
Once I treated for the blood mites, they went back to 100% within thew week.

I used: Gordon's - Permethrin 10, Livestock and premise spray.

You dunk them in it for 1 minute 30 seconds and it kills all the mites for up to 6 months. I highly recommend the product.

I used Permethrin only a few weeks ago and diluted to use as a spray. I sprayed all of their legs, butts, and around their coop/roosts, I also check at night with a flashlight for any sign of mites and I haven't seen anything recently, so I'm not sure it's that.

 

[Yard Farmer]

I used Permethrin only a few weeks ago and diluted to use as a spray. I sprayed all of their legs, butts, and around their coop/roosts, I also check at night with a flashlight for any sign of mites and I haven't seen anything recently, so I'm not sure it's that.

Mmm, I see. That would be the only thing I could think could be wrong with your hen, based off of my personal experience.

 

[SunriseChickers]

I don't have much advice about poor little Cupcake, unfortunately. But I'd like to recommend a feed change. Purina is an alright feed, but it has a lot of fillers and additives that are unnecessary.
I used to feed Purina, but I eventually decided to switch to Kalmbach because my hens stopped laying on Purina (they upped the glyphosates, which can stop laying). It's organic, and doesn't have all those fillers. I first introduced it mixed into their regular feed (it smells so much "tastier" than Purina, too!). You know what they did? They picked around the Purina and ate only the organic Kalmbach feed. They never touched the Purina after that. They've never had weight struggles since (some were over and underweight). They also started laying again within just a couple of weeks. Good feed is important for flock health, and "Big Brand" doesn't always mean good!