Hen can’t walk curled toes

[Bancm]

I noticed yesterday one of my hens kept laying down when the rest of the girls ran up to me. When she tried to get up one leg was not moving and hanging. I initially thought she had hurt a tendon she is always going too high - no obvious breaks nor did I feel anything. I immediately separated her and she’s been eating and drinking. She laid her egg this morning but now tonight it is both legs. Is this a vitamin deficiency or possibly something else? I’ve posted a pic of how she sits and now walks on her bottom legs.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is there any swelling or bloat of the abdomen below the vent between her legs?

How old is she?
Was her egg normal?
Any problems with laying soft shelled or shell less eggs?
Introduced any new birds in the last 30 days?

I would try vitamin therapy to see if that helps. Give 1/4 tablet B-Complex once a day. See that she's eating/drinking.

Hard to know what's happening with her, if she's having reproductive difficulties, disease like Marek's or a number of other things.

 

[Bancm]

Is there any swelling or bloat of the abdomen below the vent between her legs?

How old is she?
Was her egg normal?
Any problems with laying soft shelled or shell less eggs?
Introduced any new birds in the last 30 days?

I would try vitamin therapy to see if that helps. Give 1/4 tablet B-Complex once a day. See that she's eating/drinking.

Hard to know what's happening with her, if she's having reproductive difficulties, disease like Marek's or a number of other things.

She’s about 18/19 weeks old. Her egg was small but hard and the younger pullets have just started laying. I did see a few soft eggs yesterday and the day before freaked me out but thought perhaps it was the heat and too many veggies for them.
I don’t feel any swelling but it is difficult to tell.
No new birds in the last 30 days. I was worried about some toxins as well so gave her some yogurt after nutri-drench last night.

Regular Vitamin B or B12?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So she's just now come into lay.
I would make sure she's got calcium too.

B-Complex.

 

[Bancm]

So she's just now come into lay.
I would make sure she's got calcium too.

B-

 

[Bancm]

Thanks - it’s been two weeks now and she still isn’t walking. I’ve been give the b complex daily as well as poultry cell with a dropper (who knew how easy it actually is to do) added some oyster shell and give her a tiny bit of yogurt to make sure she takes the pill and oyster shell. I also noticed a small growth on the back of her neck and what looks like dried blood. She’s still laying every other days but very small eggs but she just started laying so…any thoughts?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry that she's still not doing well.

She may have suffered an injury or you may be dealing with disease like Marek's, it's hard to know.
The lump may be from an impacted feather follicle.

 

[Bancm]

I'm sorry that she's still not doing well.

She may have suffered an injury or you may be dealing with disease like Marek's, it's hard to know.
The lump may be from an impacted feather follicle.

So I tried so many different things for Fiona and something appears to have worked. (Including some crushed prescription herpes meds) She started walking again no curled toes either. Moving slow so I will keep her separated a bit longer before introducing her back to the flock. Her comb is drooping as is the other sapphire gem in the flock but at this point I will take it.

 

[CP2]

Thanks for the update! We're going through this exact thing right now, but it's only been a week. Been doing the B-Complex mixed in with some ground almonds and a drop of water to make a paste. She just sits on a log all day. She's a 21 week old Barred Rock, still hasn't started laying although some of her sisters have been at it for a couple of weeks.