- Dec 1, 2008
- 5
- 2
- 7
Hi all... I have a mixed breed mutt hen (penedensca and americauna) that has always been reluctant to stand and walk. She used to walk a bit, but she preferred to sit on her rump on the ground unless there was a real good reason for her to move somewhere. She moved ok when she actually did move around, but most of the time she couldn't be bothered.
I found her the other day with a bloody foot, so I sprayed it with blukote antiseptic to keep the other hens from pecking at it, but now she won't walk at all unless she's physically forced. I've examined her legs and to the best of my ability they seem to be just fine. There doesn't seem to be any injuries, all the joints seem ok, and she'll stagger around on it a bit if I throw some scratch although it's kind of painful to watch. If I move the foot and leg joints around she doesn't get too terribly miffed at me, although she does have a few choice words to say during the process.
She can't climb out of the nesting box in the morning. I'm putting her in the nesting box each night and taking her out in the morning. She's eating well, in fact she's content to sit down right beside the feeder and waterer on her rump and eat and drink.
She's about 8 months old. Hasn't laid anything yet but I figure that's due to the lack of winter lighting. I just put a light up the other day to hopefully boost the eggs (I'm getting zero eggs out of 3 hens so I have to do something) but I don't think it's the light since she's always been a bit gimpy and reluctant to walk.
Any ideas what I can do? I figured I'll give her a week or so to see if she starts limping around on her own again before I make any decisions but replacing hens where I'm at (concord, CA) is kind of a pain in the rear so I really would like her to be ok.
My hens don't free range (too many hawks and raccoons) so I have them in a covered run and coop that is as raccoon-proof as I know how to make it. They eat flock starter, garden trimmings, kitchen veggie scraps, the occasional melon, etc. I haven't started feeding laying feed yet because none of them have started laying yet.
Sure could use some advice on how to fix up her foot if possible!
Thanks!
-- Gary F.
I found her the other day with a bloody foot, so I sprayed it with blukote antiseptic to keep the other hens from pecking at it, but now she won't walk at all unless she's physically forced. I've examined her legs and to the best of my ability they seem to be just fine. There doesn't seem to be any injuries, all the joints seem ok, and she'll stagger around on it a bit if I throw some scratch although it's kind of painful to watch. If I move the foot and leg joints around she doesn't get too terribly miffed at me, although she does have a few choice words to say during the process.
She can't climb out of the nesting box in the morning. I'm putting her in the nesting box each night and taking her out in the morning. She's eating well, in fact she's content to sit down right beside the feeder and waterer on her rump and eat and drink.
She's about 8 months old. Hasn't laid anything yet but I figure that's due to the lack of winter lighting. I just put a light up the other day to hopefully boost the eggs (I'm getting zero eggs out of 3 hens so I have to do something) but I don't think it's the light since she's always been a bit gimpy and reluctant to walk.
Any ideas what I can do? I figured I'll give her a week or so to see if she starts limping around on her own again before I make any decisions but replacing hens where I'm at (concord, CA) is kind of a pain in the rear so I really would like her to be ok.
My hens don't free range (too many hawks and raccoons) so I have them in a covered run and coop that is as raccoon-proof as I know how to make it. They eat flock starter, garden trimmings, kitchen veggie scraps, the occasional melon, etc. I haven't started feeding laying feed yet because none of them have started laying yet.
Sure could use some advice on how to fix up her foot if possible!
Thanks!
-- Gary F.
