Help with ill hen

[Nazz]

I have searched the forums and can't find much on this, but I have a 1.5 year old female pekin that just seems to keep having health issues. We have a total of 3 females and 1 drake. She acts fine (aside from a limp), still lays eggs and the other 3 are fine. Attached is a picture of her wing that has been getting progressively worse for a few months and the bottom of her leg which she is limping on. We have dealt with bumblefoot a few times but this doesn't look like the same thing. Thoughts and thanks!

 

[6BeachChicks]

@HollowOfWisps

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I have searched the forums and can't find much on this, but I have a 1.5 year old female pekin that just seems to keep having health issues. We have a total of 3 females and 1 drake. She acts fine (aside from a limp), still lays eggs and the other 3 are fine. Attached is a picture of her wing that has been getting progressively worse for a few months and the bottom of her leg which she is limping on. We have dealt with bumblefoot a few times but this doesn't look like the same thing. Thoughts and thanks!

Are they jumbo pekins?
Do they have water to swim in?

Pekins once they reach 1-2 years can be more prone to wet feather which is what is going on with her wing. As for the foot there are some small bumble scabs on there, but I am almost wondering if the prior infection may have not been fully removed allowing it to build under the surface. The other possible reason could be a break, although I am leaning more towards an infection. With the prior infections was she ever on an antibiotic? The foot swelling and location is concerning enough that I would take her to a vet if you can.

 

[Nazz]

Thanks for the quick response. She is not a jumbo that I know of. She was abandoned in a parking lot as a chick and we rescued her. We do have 2 jumbos and they are much larger and healthy (so far). They are "free range" and we live on a 5 acre lake and have a koi pond she swims in very often, so she has plenty of access to water. We did give her abx for the foot once we removed the infection and she was fine for a few months then started limping again. Maybe we should start up the abx again? The only poultry vet around here is very pricey (charged $400 for a bumblefoot diagnosis the first time)

 

[Miss Lydia]

Such a shame they make so hard for most of us to be able to afford a vet. What is ABX? I’m wondering if Baytril might be better? You can buy it on line.

 

[Nazz]

abx is just short for antibiotics. My daughter gave her a good bath a few minutes ago and dried her off and she is in the coop for a few days and hopefully the wetfeather will clear up. We will start back on the antiobiotics as well. Hopefully it clears up!

 

[Miss Lydia]

What antibiotic are you using?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/another-bumblefoot-post.1492463/#post-24896429

 

[HollowOfWisps]

abx is just short for antibiotics. My daughter gave her a good bath a few minutes ago and dried her off and she is in the coop for a few days and hopefully the wetfeather will clear up. We will start back on the antiobiotics as well. Hopefully it clears up!

The wet feather will not clear up until her next molt. Good nutrition, access to water for swimming and checking her preening gland to make sure there are no issues is about all you can do. As far as antibiotics go not all are created equal and are not all suited for every situation. @Isaac 0 might be better able to help and have some suggestions.

 

[Isaac 0]

Curious to what,
you are feeding them as a diet?
how often she gets in water roughly?
what antibiotic you have/are using at what dose?

The wing feathers happen to be affected first for some reason in regards to issues with the integument. There is a decent amount of fraying occurring; microscopically this is the barbs/barbules on the feathers separating each other. This can occur when there is a lack of oil distribution over them.
Lack of bathing, clogged oil gland, dirty environment, ectoparasites, and nutritional deficiency could all play some role in this.

In the picture the feather appears to have snapped, this could be associated with a nutritional deficiency of sorts created by a poor diet. Reason for my first question.

Deficiencies of minerals, such as calcium, zinc, selenium, manganese and magnesium, may be associated with brittle, frayed feathers and itchy skin. There may be alterations in color or discoloration of feathers. The plumage can appear dull. Feather loss and moulting disorders can occur.
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/feath...als, such as,and moulting disorders can occur.

If she was getting in water daily, I find it unlikely she would be experiencing such poor feather quality, which is why I'm curious how often she regularly gets in the water. If she is not getting in daily, I would ensure she does. Keeping a mister near the pen and misting her down occasionally (when warm) may stimulate preening activity.
As @HollowOfWisps mentioned, improvement will likely not be seen until the next molt.

 

[Nazz]

They eat the Purina Layerna+ Omega 3 poultry feed when we feed them, but they spend a lot of time foraging as well. If we need to add something to the food or switch, I am 100% open to that. As far as the antibiotics, the vet had prescribed amox-clav for it and it seemed to clear up the bumblefoot pretty quickly before. They spend a decent amount of time in the water, but I'll make sure she is as well. She is the drake's favorite, and they usually mate in the water, so she does get in, but not sure if she cleans herself too well. I'll keep an eye on that. We have her in a coop right now and washed her really well yesterday, so hopefully that will help her oil glands kick back in. Thanks!