Help!....chicken can't walk

[junglejim01]

Hi, a few days ago i noticed one of 3 chickens wasn't leaving the coop. I thought she was just broody so i put her outside and she limped around slowly. In the days that have followed i've kept her separate from the others and kept her fed and watered apart from not being able to walk she seems ok although her rear end is quite crusty with poop. It would appear that she's lost feeling or movement in here legs, one more than the other. On one foot she cant straighten her toes so when she tries to walk, does so on the top of her foot but cant hold her weight so she topples over.
I took her to the vet but she didn't seem to know anything about chickens and prescribed an anti inflamatory in case she'd hurt her foot but in 3 days there's been no change. I've seen mentions of Mareks online but she doesn't seem to have the classic splayed leg look. Is there anything that could cause this 'leg paralysis'?
Thanks for any advice...i hope there's something i can do for her.

 

[Darklingstorm]

found this for ya
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/615332/sebright-hen-has-a-crippled-foot

most are suggesting a vitamin deficiency

 

[prasaanth]

I need urgent help !!!
Please somebody help !!!
My chicks are 4 days old today....
Today as i was taking one of the chicks out to play...it hopped out of my hands and fall...
He seem to be fine...he's eatting and drinking well...But he doesn't want to move much and is only sleeping....He seems tired...
Is there anything wrong with him??!!
I'am worried

 

[junglejim01]

Thanks for the suggestion about vitamins...i hope it's nothing worse but i'm not convinced as the other 2 chickens are well and have the same diet of lay pellets, veg etc. That said i gave her some marmite which she seemed to love! Time will tell i guess. Any other thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency

It sounds like it might be curly toe paralysis (b2 vit deficiency). (Riboflavin.)

Here you go:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/206930.htm

Milk products contain riboflavin.
"Milk supplies the vitamin riboflavin which is indispensible to high hatching quality in eggs."
from the 1945 document:
http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/poultry/bba01s12.html

 

[junglejim01]

Thanks for those links. The second one largely talks about chicks. My hen is just over a year old, presumably age isn't a factor....can hens of any age have this deficiency?
Also...any thoughts on marmite as a source for B vitamins?...how much do you think she needs?
Lots of questions...thanks for your help

 

[jahphotogal]

I am not very experienced, but one of my pullets had this happen, and a few days of isolation and vitamins helped her bounce back to normal. I thought perhaps she wasn't getting enough to eat and drink because she's at the bottom of the pecking order and the other birds weren't letting her near the food. Just a thought!

 

[junglejim01]

Thanks, that's a possibility. Originally she ruled the roost but i have noticed the last few months that she's been 'de-moted'. Can i ask how you gave her vitamins? Could i use an ordinary multivitamin tablet disolved into some water or put on food?

 

[growyourbrew]

Try giving her some egg yolk