hen suddenly can't walk -- i see no telltale signs why

[d.k]

* ALSO WONDERING ABOUT A MITE CONNECTION-- Could they be transmitting something to certain of these birds?? Or, are they just taking advantage of their deficiency-weakened state??

 

[TerryW]

I'm just now having the same problem with a Rhode Island Red rooster. That's how I ended up here, looking for an answer.

I did find this -

http://archive.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/disbact.htm#bot

Excerpts -

Botulism is a disease caused by the ingestion of a toxin produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. All domestic fowl and most wild birds are susceptible to the toxin's effects.

Botulism is not a bacterial infection, but a condition produced by a byproduct of the bacteria's growth. The organism is common in nature and is widely dispersed in soils. Ingestion of the organism is not harmful. It becomes dangerous only when conditions are favorable for its growth and subsequent toxin formation.

Weakness is generally the first sign of the illness and is followed by progressive flaccid paralysis of the legs, wings and neck.

Epsom salts (one pound per 100 birds) may be mixed into feed. Adding a level teaspoonful of Epsom salts in one ounce of water and placing in the crops of sick birds has been beneficial in many instances.
---------------------------------------------

Lots more info at the site. I've just administered epsom salts, I mixed it in water, pedialyte, and a teaspoon of canned pumpkin. He actually liked this and drank it on his own. I then mixed up a little Ionic-Fizz Magnesium Plus that's full of vitamins and gave that to him too. Time will tell if any of this works.

Mine also has sores on the fronts of his legs where they bend (what would be our knees). He was infested with lice and was dusted a few days ago. I've checked him thoroughly and he no longer has lice. Could be the lice weakened his system making him susceptible to botulism which may have come from algae in his water pan.

 

[chicknmania]

Wellll...sounds like you may be on the right track, at least with our hen. She has a problem swallowing....I guess I'll be off to the drugstore for some epsom salts...

 

[chicken legs]

I found this... Infectious Tenosynovitis
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PS044
with key words hocks and dehydration.

 

[chicken legs]

chickenannie,
Please update with her condition. Has anything you been doing helping? How is she ?

chicknmania, TerryW
How about you?

Am thinking about you all, and would just be heartsick if these were my chickens...

 

[chickenannie]

Hi, thanks everyone -- with all your input and my research, I've learned a whole heck of a lot about chicken diseases.

I've been giving my hen daily dust/dirt baths by hand which seems to give her great comfort and is making the mite problem go away. She's getting more used to me handling her, and the consequence is that she's now more happy when I come to take care of her -- she makes soft clucks when she sees me and stands by the dirt box waiting for me to help her into it. She started "getting it" finally that I am trying to help her, so when I scoop the dirt up under her feathers now she lays down and does her best to "help" kick dirt up onto herself despite her legs not working very well. She'll even close her eyes and put her head down into the sand so I can do her head feathers. Then she'll sit in her dirt box pecking on the dirt for about a half hour after the "bath" is finished. It's really very sweet. (then I take a shower!).

Her legs are in the same condition, despite all the changes in vitamins, etc. I checked for the symptoms of Tenosynvitis and she has no swelling on her legs or hocks. I did notice that her feet/claws work fine... they are curled inward i think only because of her hocks being bent down. She also doesn't show the other symptoms listed with botulism and other problems (she doesn't hang her head down or have diarrhea etc).

She is still happy to eat and drink and seems to have a good spirit (no droopiness, etc.) but from what I read, sitting on her hocks like this can cause permanent damage eventually.

It's interesting to hear how many other people have had similar problems. I hope this thread is helping more than just me. I really don't know what to do. i think she will have to be cared for as an invalid for the rest of her life. I may look into finding a hen rescue center who would be willing to care for her like this. I really hate to say this, but I don't think I can sustain this level of care permanently or I will be neglecting the rest of the flock and turkeys, etc.

 

[dlhunicorn]

on occasion there will be things internally going on which can cause pressure on the sciatic nerve which if under sufficient pressure will cause paralysis/lameness ... this could be an organ...tumors...cysts etc.
Even an injury to the back....

 

[chicknmania]

Yes, there are so many look alike things in chickens. Moppit doesn't have any leg swelling either. Unfortunately, she does have a some of the symptoms of botulism, the most specific one being the difficulty swallowing, she also has the limp neck thing (though not bad), she seems to have trouble keeping her eyes open, she sometimes passes out, especially if she is stressed. Right now we have her on poultry vitamins and electrolytes in her water, and we give her a crop full of juvenile formula we got from the vet, which has the consistency of baby food and has a lot of vitamins in it. She hates this stuff, and it stresses her out so bad when we force feed her that we have backed off some on giving her as much as she should probably have, still, she is getting a BIG dose of vitamins every day with everything we're giving her. She does seem to be getting stronger, uses her legs and wings more, and is eating a little better, but falls all the time and can't walk well. We haven't tried the epsom salts yet, although I did get some yesterday. We dusted Moppit with DE but I have not noticed any mites on her.

 

[d.k]

* Meanwhile, I've been looking into a few others areas-- There is something called "Inherited Riboflavin Deficiency" passed hen to egg and (used to?) often take out chicks with -- if they managed to hatch at all, that is-- with symtoms similiar to these feet & leg problems. . .Maybe there is enough riboflavin in starter nowdays to keep the chicks that DO hatch going until the switch to layer with lower nutrient values-- then the syndrome kicks again and gradually leads to this. . ???IDK

 

[chicknmania]

Moppit seems a bit stronger; we've been mixing her vitamin formula with yogurt. Still is falling and has serious balance problems, but noticed that her legs and feet work fine and she is kicking hard now as she struggles when we force feed her. Started her on a big dose of Terramycin today; ChickenDoctor suggested it may be an inner ear infection and that is what we are hoping it might be.