Ever seen anything like this?

[Dewsetter]

My BCM Etta isn't well. I found a clump of her feathers in the run about 2 weeks ago but she seemed fine. However a few days later she was very lame on her right leg and one of her wings seems to be hanging strangely. There are no wounds on her and definitely no fractures. predators can not get into the run so whatever has happened it must be either she has managed to get stuck somewhere or one of her coop mates has done something to her. I have found a strange looking round thing under her wing (see pic) I am not sure if this is just where a feather has been plucked or if its something sinister. Has anyone seen anything like this before? She is fairly bright and seems to be eating quite a lot although she has lost a lot of weight. If she stands up she just wobbles now and then flops down onto her chest again and keeps her lame leg stretched out in front of her. she can sometimes get her balance and wobble about a bit. All of her coop mates are fine and I have separated her just incase she gets picked on. She is about 16 weeks old. Pics in next post. Thanks in advance.

 

[Dewsetter]

Anyone know how to post pics when using an iPad?

 

[casportpony]

Sounds like it could be Merek's.

 

[Trampledbygeese]

It could be a vitamin deficiency. I had a young hen get rickets once, it was similar symptoms and age to what you describe. Make sure the food is fresh as vit. D can degrade from the feed in a little as 3 months, other vits also degrade over time. Also make sure it's the right food for the stage she's in.

How about calcium? Is she getting enough oyster shells?

Are you certain it's not a predator? Mice can get in a hole as small as a dime, and will nibble on the chickens while they sleep - chickens sleep so soundly that they don't wake up as their toes get nibbled off. Rats only need 1/2 an inch hole. Raccoons can reach in to a 1/2 inch hole and grab for pieces of chicken. They can do a lot of damage without getting in the coup.

Or it could be an illness.

Please separate her from the rest of the flock. If it's illness, it will stop/slow the spread to the other birds. If it's injury of vit. deficiency, then being apart will give her a change to recover.

Give her lots of protein. Maybe mix the food into a porage if you are not already and double check that the food hasn't been sitting in the feed-store for ever and a day. Give her lots of oyster shells, water (with vitimes in it) and protein foods. So long as she will still drink, eat and poop.

 

[PAchickengirl]

Anyone know how to post pics when using an iPad?

I tried and tried, couldn't get it to work, even with Photobucket. Had to get on the desktop, then it was really,easy.