golden campine with curled toes?

[chooniecat]

have a 5 mo golden campine pullet that has been very healthy until this a.m. I noticed her on floor of chic shed and it was still dark so it scared me but she is alive and fairly lethargic(for her) shes normally quite active(thus her name-bullet the pullet) and she trys to walk weakly and all of the toes on right leg are curled under. I have her in a kennel in house with food/water and have seen her drink and food is everywhere so I THINK she's nibbled. I thought injury but have palpated her leg and she doesn't SEEM to hurt so? I noticed her in a nest 2 days ago turning in circles(finally ready to lay?) but thats probably unrelated. been a bad bad week and I hope she is perkier tomorrow.

 

[hen-thusiast]

If she's anything like our golden campine, I'd say she's got an injury somewhere and you just aren't seeing it. Especially by the sudden onset. Yours is "bullet the pullet" and ours has the nickname "beep beep" after the Road Runner.

Their only gear is full speed. She probably did something the day before when she was going full speed and has managed to hurt herself.

I seriously can't imagine a "fairly lethargic" golden campine. Seriously. That would just be weird. No wonder you are worried.

Hope she gets better. I'm pretty attached to our little campine.

 

[hen-thusiast]

I guess I should have asked what you are feeding them and their housing/bedding.

 

[chooniecat]

they are all fed 17% layer crumbles and have straw bedding. they all prefer to roost at the top of nest area(5' high) and given her size and the other 10 chickens in relatively small area(there is TONS of room but they all go here) my first thought is injury and I just picked her up a few minutes ago and she DID squack at me so i guess she DOES hurt but i can't take her to vets(my thoughts have been to try to tend to them myself, but I have been lucky,, because of $) and if they don't improve fairly quickly and are in serious agony then I will end they're stay on earth. I am sooooo sad but I will bed her inside and try to feel for pain again in morning. hope she gets happier though. she is quite the runner(generally

) but once you have her shes very quiet and calm.

 

[hen-thusiast]

Quote:
I know it's amazing, for how much they run, they are so incredibly easy to handle. The five foot roost seems kind of high, maybe she got injured getting on/off it? If she's anything like our campine, she probably did that. Ours is always the first one up and the last to bed and does it in almost complete darkness.

I'd give her a couple of days of rest before you make any decision, it really is amazing what chickens can recover from. The squawking might mean she's feeling better. When ours doesn't feel 100% she's quiet and when she does....you better watch out because she'll "talk" your ear off. I'd keep her someplace where she doesn't have to move a whole lot and let her rest and see if she gets better. I bet she will.

Good luck!

 

[chooniecat]

its 3 pm thursday and she doesn't APPEAR to be eating. she has watery poop and is lethargic(eyelids closed unless i touch her) so can't hold on to too much hope. will see how she feels friday afternoon and maybe decide. I think possibly GC's don't grip as well because they have less toes?(or I am very incorrect on number of toes on regular chicken) they have an 18' high roost and the nest area is floor to 5' so maybe just need to (for future small birds )have a lower area. I will be shocked if she improves but HOPE she does.

 

[hen-thusiast]

Have you gotten any food in her yet?

Oftentimes you have to build lower roosts for the heavier birds. Our campine has the same amount of toes as the others and she's got a wonderful grasp.

Sorry she has taken a turn for the worse, it's not good if she's not moving and won't eat. Have you tried some scrambled egg or her favorite food? Electrolytes in the water? My novice guess is still injury, but maybe it's something more serious than just a leg injury.

Hope she recovers