Hen limping red featherless stomach - Updated w/PICs

[KatyTheChickenLady]

my guess she's not moving much because of the leg.

 

[PetRock]

I'm going to keep a close watch on her and slip her some extra protein treats. She is one of our first chickens and one of the sweetest!

 

[kathyinmo]

Really, she looks okay to me. What makes you suspect botulism? Look at this thread, and you will see what they look like with botulism.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=219553

 

[PetRock]

It was the limping and the feather loss that made me suspect botulism after reading every post I could find on both symptoms. I thought that maybe I just caught it before the head down stage started. We let our chickens free range all over the backyard including the compost pile. I bury the new stuff down a foot deep but I can't guarantee that they don't dig up some of it. So I was wondering if she ate some moldy produce or moldy chicken food that she dug up. We went and bought a composter today so all fresh stuff will spend a month in there before going into the compost pile. I also caught sight of a mouse in the coop this past week along with new mouse droppings. Someone mentioned that in a post on botulism. I guess sometimes too much knowledge can be a dangerous thing! I started suspecting the worst case scenerio!

I am relieved that you think that she looks fine. She is out with her sisters hopping around eating the new leaves on my grape vine.

 

[Theapplechicks]

we have a little d'ucle hen that does this. (minus the limp) she had a round spot on her lower chest area that is bare. I thought she was broody, but has never made any attempt to stay on the nest???

 

[PetRock]

Maybe they are just neurotic feather pullers? Ours does go through a ritual with the pine shavings before she lays her egg. Maybe she is an OCD chicken?!