Hen is limping on alternating legs

[Callender Girl]

My 6-year-old Buff Orpington appeared to have quit laying a long time ago, which is totally fine with me. I came home today to find her in a nest box and an egg in there with her. I don't know if it's hers or one of her coopmate's. I don't think I've ever seen her in a nest box since she and the others moved to that coop about two years ago.

But later, I went out and she was lying down in the corner of the run. She had some trouble standing, although she is alert and happy to eat. First, she limped on her left leg, then it seemed okay and she limped on her right.

Does this sound like maybe she did lay the egg and her body is just having a little trouble bouncing back? I really need for her to be okay because she is the last of my original hens, the lone survivor of a deadly mink attack and the queen of all my chickens.

 

[DobieLover]

My 6-year-old Buff Orpington appeared to have quit laying a long time ago, which is totally fine with me. I came home today to find her in a nest box and an egg in there with her. I don't know if it's hers or one of her coopmate's. I don't think I've ever seen her in a nest box since she and the others moved to that coop about two years ago.

But later, I went out and she was lying down in the corner of the run. She had some trouble standing, although she is alert and happy to eat. First, she limped on her left leg, then it seemed okay and she limped on her right.

Does this sound like maybe she did lay the egg and her body is just having a little trouble bouncing back? I really need for her to be okay because she is the last of my original hens, the lone survivor of a deadly mink attack and the queen of all my chickens.

Have you palpated her abdomen to feel for fluid build up or any other abnormalities?
How is her crop functioning?

 

[Callender Girl]

I just felt her abdomen and can't detect fluid build up. She's already eaten breakfast, but her crop doesn't seem abnormally large. She's mostly laying down and she seems to be holding her feet with her toes slightly curled.

 

[Callender Girl]

As it turns out, both the Orp and a second limping hen from the same coop have completely different ailments.

When my livestock vet couldn't see my chickens, I turned to my canine/feline vet who called my livestock vet to confirm the antibiotic I wanted to use if it seemed to be bumblefoot (my first guess after they both started limping). But I bathed both girls in baths of warm Epsom salts and didn't see a bumble when they were cleaned up.

At the suggestion of my dog/cat vet. I called that office back the next day because two days a week, there is a woman vet who KNOWS about poultry. I LOVE her; she has dozens of chickens (her hens are allowed to live out their retirement years when their egg-laying days are over), Muscovy ducks and a couple of turkeys. She asked me to bring my girls to the office (where I have been previously told by a front desk person that they do NOT see poultry) and gave them a thorough examination.

I did not know that bruises show up an intense green color on chickens, and the Orp clearly had a huge bruise on her thigh. The SF girl had a callus on her left foot that the vet removed. Both girls got some pain meds, and I gladly paid the $100-plus bill, relieved that neither had a serious, nor contagious disease (I'm sure my late father is rolling in his grave that I would "throw away" that kind of money on $5 chickens).

Honey, the Orp, is walking again, and Celeste is doing better. I think she is intentionally lolly-gagging so I will feed her separately, bring her a dish of water that's hers alone, toss her a couple of grapes and give her some frozen sweet corn. What a manipulative little girl!

The peace of mind from having a knowledgeable veterinarian who likes poultry is priceless!

 

[theoldchick]

Old chickens are like old people. And like old people they will need special care. My senior center has extra wide ramps that allow my old timers to gracefully maneuver from roost to ground. They really enjoy their mixed veggies (corn, peas, chopped carrots) and love cantaloupe day.

 

[Debrabuf]

My 6-year-old Buff Orpington appeared to have quit laying a long time ago, which is totally fine with me. I came home today to find her in a nest box and an egg in there with her. I don't know if it's hers or one of her coopmate's. I don't think I've ever seen her in a nest box since she and the others moved to that coop about two years ago.

But later, I went out and she was lying down in the corner of the run. She had some trouble standing, although she is alert and happy to eat. First, she limped on her left leg, then it seemed okay and she limped on her right.

Does this sound like maybe she did lay the egg and her body is just having a little trouble bouncing back? I really need for her to be okay because she is the last of my original hens, the lone survivor of a deadly mink attack and the queen of all my chickens.

I have the same coop, I wonder if the girls get hurt getting out of the nest boxes?

 

[Callender Girl]

Honey actually lives in a different coop and never hops into my avatar coop. There are six girls who live in that big red coop, and none of them has had any leg injury.

I added a bigger, better ramp to the coop where Honey lives, and I think I've solved the issues.