Greetings from PA. Need some help please.

[NastyNate]

Hi all,
I have a chicken that had leg mites. I've been soaking her feet in epsom salt and smothering them with petroleum jelly which helped dramatically. She was limping before which I thought it was cause of the leg mites but now her feet feel cold and she just lays around not leaving the coop. Her feet look like they're curling, I don't know if she's loosing circulation. I don't know what to do for her, if anything or to put her out of her misery. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Can you start her on some poultry vitamins that contain riboflavin and other vitamins? Riboflavin deficiency can cause curled under toes which can lead to paralysis if not treated promptly. Ground beef liver in small amounts would also be a good source of riboflavin. How old is she? Could she have something else going on internally that might be causing pressure on her legs? Does she lay eggs and has she been getting around normally until the curled toes? Has your feed bag been in use long, and does it have a fresh date on it? Vitamins can leech out if feed is older, as in small flocks where it may take time to use a large bag.

 

[NastyNate]

Thank you. I'm on night shift right now... my wife checked on her not to long ago and said she's looking worse. All the food is fresh, cracked corn, DuMOR Poultry Layer 16% Crumble, mealworms, etc. We got her from a neighbor as a peep and it seems to be missing a chromosome. We have 10 hens and it's hard to tell who's laying but she's been in the same spot now for a couple days. I can run to tractor supply on my way home from work tomorrow morning and get some. My wife said she was offering it mealworms which she usually gobbles up but wanted nothing to do with them.

 

[NastyNate]

We just had a hen the other week die. It got lethargic and looked bloated. I watched a video about squirting olive oil up her to help pass an egg but I guess that wasn't it. The hen we're having trouble with now has always kind of been a loner.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sometimes it is hard to tell what is wrong. Many times you can open them up after they die to see what was going on, You can check for a stuck egg by inserting a finger into the vent opening up to 2 inches--wear a disposable glove if you have one. Bloating in the lower celly can be a sign of egg yolk peritonitis or even cancer. Check the crop in the early morning to make sure that it empties overnight. Feel her breastbone to see if she has lost weight.