Hen leg issues

[Lucy Kenevan]

Our hen has had a limp on one leg for as long as we’ve had her. She sits around a lot and doesn’t like walking. Sometimes she even closes her eyes while she’s sitting. She also breathes pretty heavily but I don’t know if that’s related to the foot issue. Any help is appreciated! The left side from the picture is the bad footView attachment 2177104View attachment 2177105

 

[casportpony]

Can you take a video of her walking, upload it to YouTube or Vimeo then copy and paste the link here?

 

[Lucy Kenevan]

 

[casportpony]

Looks like her left leg is bothering her. Can you fill your bathtub with a few inches of water, let her soak in it for about an hour, then clean her feet and legs really well with a fingernail scrub brush? I wanna see what her feet look like all cleaned up, 'cause I think she might have scaly leg mites.

 

[LaFleche]

How old is she and is she still laying?

 

[Lucy Kenevan]

How old is she and is she still laying?

She is about 3 years old. She’s had this limp for as long as we’ve had her, but I think it’s gotten worse. She isn’t laying right now, but she did last in January

 

[LaFleche]

And when did you last de-worm her and what does her poop look like?

 

[allanjensaft]

Our hen has had a limp on one leg for as long as we’ve had her. She sits around a lot and doesn’t like walking. Sometimes she even closes her eyes while she’s sitting. She also breathes pretty heavily but I don’t know if that’s related to the foot issue. Any help is appreciated! The left side from the picture is the bad footView attachment 2177104View attachment 2177105

I'd say this is 90% scaly leg mites from the images, you should quarantine the hen, bathe the leg in tepid clean water and apply generous amounts of Vaseline to smother the mites.

Some scales may fall (or be encouraged) out...

Fingers crossed!

 

[LaFleche]

To me it does not look like this limp is related to her foot. If it is an orthopaedic issue at all it might rather be the hip.

Did you feel her abdomen, is it swollen and if so hard or squishy?

 

[Lucy Kenevan]

And when did you last de-worm her and what does her poop look like?

We have never dewormed our chickens, should we be doing that? And should we do that to all of our chickens even if they don’t have symptoms?