HELP hen can’t walk properly, no circulation in feet

Brahmachicken240 · Dec 26, 2018

HELP, I have a sick Brahma hen that I brought to the vets 2 weeks ago. The vet said that she looks to have an infection in her legs. (At this point her feet were curled up)
Here two weeks later and although the infection seems to have gone with the medicine she’s eating and drinking and trying to walk around but she’s struggling really bad. I checked her today and her feet were ice cold but her legs were warm. Still can’t walk properly. The vet also said she has a deformed foot but she most likely hatched out like that.
Please help she was perfectly fine and then all of a sudden morning (3 weeks ago) she’s been like this

Pic was taken on the morning of the incident

Brahmachicken240 · Dec 26, 2018

@aart @casportpony
@rebrascora @Miss Lydia
@sylviethecochin

Eggcessive · Dec 26, 2018

Welcome to BYC. What state or country are you located? Can you post a picture of her legs and feet standing? Have you tried any vitamins yet. I would use either poultry vitamins with riboflavin included, or give 1/4 tablet of human vitamin B Complex crushed into food daily. You may also crush a whole tablet into a quart/liter of water. Curled under toes and walking on hocks can be a sign of riboflavin (vitamin B2 deficiency.) unfortunately, sometimes it is a sign of Mareks disease, especially in just one leg.

Have you had any freezing temperatures so far? Has your brahma hen been laying eggs? How old is she?

casportpony · Dec 26, 2018

Can you post some pictures of her feet?

Brahmachicken240 · Dec 26, 2018

Eggcessive said:
Welcome to BYC. What state or country are you located? Can you post a picture of her legs and feet standing? Have you tried any vitamins yet. I would use either poultry vitamins with riboflavin included, or give 1/4 tablet of human vitamin B Complex crushed into food daily. You may also crush a whole tablet into a quart/liter of water. Curled under toes and walking on hocks can be a sign of riboflavin (vitamin B2 deficiency.) unfortunately, sometimes it is a sign of Mareks disease, especially in just one leg.

Have you had any freezing temperatures so far? Has your brahma hen been laying eggs? How old is she?

She’s 7 months old.
I’ve been feeding her layers mash and scrambled egg. It’s in both feet, she can’t move her toes but she can move her legs. I live in Ireland and the temperature has been very mild for Christmas.
It’s too dark to take any pics at the moment but I can tell you that there are no lumps. Her feet are shiny and yellow. They were very swollen but not so much now. There are a few red dots around her feet, between her toes mostly.
She eats and drinks fine, she’s lost a bit of weight but I reckon that’s because she finds it hard to get to the food without me lifting her there.

The vet gave us medicine and told us that she looks to have an infection. The medicine was only for 5 days though and it’s long gone now, that was 2 weeks ago.

Unsure if it’s mereks because the rest of the flock is fine.

I’ve been keeping her separated ever since I saw her like that

Brahmachicken240 · Dec 26, 2018

casportpony said:
Can you post some pictures of her feet?

Too dark, I’ll post some tomorrow
But her toes are ice cold and her legs are hot, no lumps but they’re shiny and yellow with small red dots between the toes

Brahmachicken240 · Dec 26, 2018

I really don’t want to cull her, but she seems to be in a lot of pain.
She was part of my breeding flock for next year

Eggcessive · Dec 26, 2018

If her feet were swollen you might be dealing with mycoplasma synoviae infection or possibly gout. Have you seen any scabs on the foot pads that might be bumblefoot. Do you remember what drug or antibiotic the vet used to treat her infection? I would definitely use some B vitamins or give some chopped liver. I will look in tomorrow for any pictures when you get time and some daylight.

Cragg Klefor · Dec 26, 2018

Hi Brahmachicken,
Do you know what medicine the vet gave you? I ask because I had a chicken in the same situation and vet visit was the same also. I wish I knew more then. @Eggcessive gave you the advice I think would have made my little chickens life a whole lot different.

Eggcessive said:
give 1/4 tablet of human vitamin B Complex crushed into food daily. You may also crush a whole tablet into a quart/liter of water. Curled under toes and walking on hocks can be a sign of riboflavin (vitamin B2 deficiency.)

I second this!!