Our golden sex link hen started limping two days ago. She is favoring her right leg. I checked her feet and legs the first night and didn't see anything wrong. Yesterday, we did a more thorough examination and noticed that her stomach is featherless and bright lobster red. She is still eating, pooping, laying eggs but is not straying far from the area between the coop and the house plus has the red featherless stomach. From reading other posts, I wonder if she has botulism. I brought her in and kept her in a dog kennel for the night. I treated her with molasses in her water last evening and epson salts in her food. I gave her scrambled egg and yogurt for breakfast. She gobbled it up but is not happy to be in the house. Do you think that it is botulism? Would that cause the feather loss & irritation on her stomach? Is there anything else that you recommend to do? Thanks!
1) What type of bird , age and weight. Golden sex link, around 5 lb., 13 mos. old
2) What is the behavior, exactly. Limping favoring her right leg and lobster red, featherless stomach.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? Noticed the limping 2 days ago and the stomach yesterday.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? Other 6 hens showing no signs of either problem.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. No sign of any truma or injury.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. Don't have any idea. They free range our backyard including the compost pile. I dig a deep hole and bury all kitchen vegie scraps but I guess they could work hard and dig them up. I also noticed mice poops in the coop this week so we have a rodent problem that needs to be dealt with today.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. She is eating and drinking like always.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. Poop looks normal. She had her big morning poop when I let her out of the kennel this morning.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Molasses in water for 6 hours last night and epson salt in her Purina crumbles layer food.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? Can't afford a vet so need to help her myself.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. Pics posted above
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use They have pine shavings on the floor of the coop and in the nesting boxes. Their run has all purpose sand. They free range our 1/3 acre yard all day long.
1) What type of bird , age and weight. Golden sex link, around 5 lb., 13 mos. old
2) What is the behavior, exactly. Limping favoring her right leg and lobster red, featherless stomach.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? Noticed the limping 2 days ago and the stomach yesterday.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? Other 6 hens showing no signs of either problem.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. No sign of any truma or injury.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. Don't have any idea. They free range our backyard including the compost pile. I dig a deep hole and bury all kitchen vegie scraps but I guess they could work hard and dig them up. I also noticed mice poops in the coop this week so we have a rodent problem that needs to be dealt with today.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. She is eating and drinking like always.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. Poop looks normal. She had her big morning poop when I let her out of the kennel this morning.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Molasses in water for 6 hours last night and epson salt in her Purina crumbles layer food.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? Can't afford a vet so need to help her myself.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. Pics posted above
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use They have pine shavings on the floor of the coop and in the nesting boxes. Their run has all purpose sand. They free range our 1/3 acre yard all day long.
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