Help hen can't walk

[Animal-lover339]

Hello good morning hope you're all having a chickentastic day,so I woke up this morning and was feeding my birds as usual but I notice one of my older hens she's about 10 years old maybe even more she was a gift i had from an old profesor i had and she just can't suddenly walk yesterday she was fine she is interested in food as I gave her and she ate but she tries to walk and just falls chest first and I'm not sure why I checked for any injury's or something and only notices one of her toes is sort of yellow like as if she was but or something have a rooster the same way but he can walk and only limps occasionally she is completely fine no bloggers no crust no sign of trauma but she can't walk

if you notice the roosters leg is the same but very swollen could this be a rat problem?

 

[azygous]

I would really love to help you, but if you could expand on the information, it might help.

Do you have evidence of rats? Droppings? Do you notice rate bite injuries on these chickens?

I don't see any swelling or injuries in your photos. Have you tried giving these two chickens aspirin for their pain? Use 81 grain chewable aspirin twice a day.

 

[Animal-lover339]

I would really love to help you, but if you could expand on the information, it might help.

Do you have evidence of rats? Droppings? Do you notice rate bite injuries on these chickens?

I don't see any swelling or injuries in your photos. Have you tried giving these two chickens aspirin for their pain? Use 81 grain chewable aspirin twice a day.

I don't have much info since it happened overnight except both are very active seeking food and water the rooster is limping more and his leg is swollen at the base (where the fingers are) and no sign of bumble foot just very swollen haven't given him or her anything but I'll try to get right on it

I have not Seen any rat bites and or rats not droppings but an old wives tale here says that rats will break the cages get in and eat the birds which I've had experience with pigeons but never chickens

 

[azygous]

Have any of your chickens had any runny "noses" or bubbly eyes? Any coughing or sneezing? There is a respiratory disease that can cause swelling and pain in the legs and feet.

 

[Animal-lover339]

Have any of your chickens had any runny "noses" or bubbly eyes? Any coughing or sneezing? There is a respiratory disease that can cause swelling and pain in the legs and feet.

At least the hen does not i have not checked the rooster but the hen i checked thoroughly he has feeling in her legs no not swollen or anything its almost as if she can't support her own weight she's not fat since she's a game hen she's probably about 2 pounds at most

 

[azygous]

Try giving the hen a cup of water with a teaspoon of brown sugar stirred in as her only water source for all of today and tomorrow. She may be starving and is losing strength. If she recovers her ability to stand and walk, then you'll know that all she needs is access to more food. She may be being bullied away from the feeder. You need to watch and see if that's happening.

Examine the rooster for signs of injury. Rats do bite chicken feet at night when they roost.

Have you heard of bucket roller traps? Look on Amazon. They are terrific at catching rats and mice, up to a dozen each night.

 

[Animal-lover339]

Try giving the hen a cup of water with a teaspoon of brown sugar stirred in as her only water source for all of today and tomorrow. She may be starving and is losing strength. If she recovers her ability to stand and walk, then you'll know that all she needs is access to more food. She may be being bullied away from the feeder. You need to watch and see if that's happening.

Examine the rooster for signs of injury. Rats do bite chicken feet at night when they roost.

Have you heard of bucket roller traps? Look on Amazon. They are terrific at catching rats and mice, up to a dozen each night.

I've been giving her vitamin water but I doubt she is being bullied since she was caged and with a. Blind rooster she is just very aggressive so I had to cage her also most of my birds are free range so I always make sure to throw enough food

I examined the foot and he has a wound on one of his toes but I don't think that's enough to make him limp is it?


And I've never heard of that but will definitely look into it

 

[azygous]

If the wound on the foot is swollen and has a black scab, it's a staph infection called "bumblefoot", a funny name for a serious and painful infection. It needs soaking and debriding (removal of scabs and infected tissue) and a wound ointment and bandaging. Do you think you can manage that?

If the hen is getting enough to eat, the problem may be arthritis from advanced age.

 

[Animal-lover339]

If the wound on the foot is swollen and has a black scab, it's a staph infection called "bumblefoot", a funny name for a serious and painful infection. It needs soaking and debriding (removal of scabs and infected tissue) and a wound ointment and bandaging. Do you think you can manage that?

If the hen is getting enough to eat, the problem may be arthritis from advanced age.

I have treated bumble foot I'll have to check and see whats going on then


And I understand that if that's the case she'll have to be euthanized

 

[azygous]

No. Bumblefoot is treatable. You soak, remove the scab and usually the pus plug is attached. Then you pack the wound with a triple antibiotic ointment and bandage. Only if the foot is badly deformed and swollen, infection running to the bone that you'd have to euthanize.