Hello all,
I have a 1.5 year ameraucana hen that for the past summer has difficulty walking.
I raised her and her Wheaten flock mates since they were day olds, and once she hit maturity she seemed to lie down a lot. I didn't think much of it, I thought she was just being a lAzygirl, as she usually did it when she ate. Once the beginning of summer hit, she would lie down more often, but she was good weight and very healthy and capable of grooming and partaking in chicken activities. About a month passes, and now she is lying down 75% of the time. But still seemed extremely healthy, but no other chickens of ours acted like regarding lying down. Mid-late summer was when things got a little worse. She started to limp, along with lying down. The past month or so now she has been lying down 90% of the time, and has difficulty walking properly.
Her movements are very "stiff", and she tends to have her legs very close together when she walks, often crossing her legs when she walks, or almost tripping on one of her legs. She can run if she fears something, not a natural run but she can go very fast! And she can walk to get food. But most of the time she lies down. Also, her wing placement is silly. She is often trying to reposition her wings but they too look stiff and awkward, and like they sit too far up on her, not in the sense of too close to her neck, but rather like if you lifted and tried to touch your shoulder blades. I can move her legs when she is on her back. She can physically have her legs moved, nothing appears broken, and nothing feels too soft like Rickets. She is able to grasp onto my finger eith her toes.
Here is some of her symptoms-
-Difficulty walking
-Stiff
-Slightly underweight but not critically
-Low muscle mass IMO
-Not sure if in pain, but looks uncomfortable when having to walk (prefers lying down)
-Wings look awkward and she is often trying to adjust them
-Able to physically move legs and toes, just has trouble making them walk properly
-Able to run if scared
-Not bald on chest or breastbone like a meat bird
-Totally lice and mite free, along with dirt particles so able to dustbathe
-Eating alright
-Bright eyes and clear nostrils
-Healthy and normal otherwise
-When lying down, wings are not droopy and bird looks healthy, isnt sleeping too often
-Other chickens acting normal
Thanks for your help. I do not think it's Mereks after really researching Mereks, and looking at videos of Mereks birds. But more insight is needed.
I have a 1.5 year ameraucana hen that for the past summer has difficulty walking.
I raised her and her Wheaten flock mates since they were day olds, and once she hit maturity she seemed to lie down a lot. I didn't think much of it, I thought she was just being a lAzygirl, as she usually did it when she ate. Once the beginning of summer hit, she would lie down more often, but she was good weight and very healthy and capable of grooming and partaking in chicken activities. About a month passes, and now she is lying down 75% of the time. But still seemed extremely healthy, but no other chickens of ours acted like regarding lying down. Mid-late summer was when things got a little worse. She started to limp, along with lying down. The past month or so now she has been lying down 90% of the time, and has difficulty walking properly.
Her movements are very "stiff", and she tends to have her legs very close together when she walks, often crossing her legs when she walks, or almost tripping on one of her legs. She can run if she fears something, not a natural run but she can go very fast! And she can walk to get food. But most of the time she lies down. Also, her wing placement is silly. She is often trying to reposition her wings but they too look stiff and awkward, and like they sit too far up on her, not in the sense of too close to her neck, but rather like if you lifted and tried to touch your shoulder blades. I can move her legs when she is on her back. She can physically have her legs moved, nothing appears broken, and nothing feels too soft like Rickets. She is able to grasp onto my finger eith her toes.
Here is some of her symptoms-
-Difficulty walking
-Stiff
-Slightly underweight but not critically
-Low muscle mass IMO
-Not sure if in pain, but looks uncomfortable when having to walk (prefers lying down)
-Wings look awkward and she is often trying to adjust them
-Able to physically move legs and toes, just has trouble making them walk properly
-Able to run if scared
-Not bald on chest or breastbone like a meat bird
-Totally lice and mite free, along with dirt particles so able to dustbathe
-Eating alright
-Bright eyes and clear nostrils
-Healthy and normal otherwise
-When lying down, wings are not droopy and bird looks healthy, isnt sleeping too often
-Other chickens acting normal
Thanks for your help. I do not think it's Mereks after really researching Mereks, and looking at videos of Mereks birds. But more insight is needed.
