Hen thought to have had MG, now lame in one leg (non-urgent question)

[jonalisa]

My Buckeye, Jezebel, was brought inside between Thanksgiving and Christmas when I realized she was blind in one eye. Eye intact, although maybe sitting further back in socket. No foam or redness. I treated her and the flock for MG. Up to now, no obvious signs/symptoms in the flock of 15. (8 nine-yr olds and 7 one-yr olds.
However, at that time, Jezebel was also limping and I assumed an injury, perhaps falling off the roost when she couldn't see. (The limp is how I realized she couldn't see on one side).
Since then, Jezebel lives a gated area in the coop where she sleeps in a box with a blanket. Her leg has never healed, although she was able to get in and out of bed, eat, etc. In the last few weeks, it has gotten worse and in the last 2 days... she is not using it at all- toes are slightly curled in.

Not sure if this was is related to her possible MG, or if the leg was more seriously injured and I didn't realize it. Wondering what I can do for her, if anything. I bring her out every day in a gated area outside the back door, make sure she is with the flock (although she has to be separated as they pick on her), make sure she has sun and fresh air every day, check her water and food and hand feed her several times a day to make sure.

Two questions:
Could the leg be MG-related?
Is the eye MG-related? I ask because I have a second 9-year-old from the same original flock who just now seems to have trouble seeing out of one eye. It looks normal though. She has no other symptoms that I can see.

I originally assumed it was old age, and didn't consider MG until I was typing this.

 

[-Isla June-]

@nuthatched @Kiki @horsegirlabi

Here are some mentions that will hopefully help!!

 

[nuthatched]

Thanks for the tag. :]
Hmm, I'm not too familiar with MG, could you please provide pictures of the eyes of both hens and the legs?

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

My Buckeye, Jezebel, was brought inside between Thanksgiving and Christmas when I realized she was blind in one eye. Eye intact, although maybe sitting further back in socket. No foam or redness. I treated her and the flock for MG. Up to now, no obvious signs/symptoms in the flock of 15. (8 nine-yr olds and 7 one-yr olds.
However, at that time, Jezebel was also limping and I assumed an injury, perhaps falling off the roost when she couldn't see. (The limp is how I realized she couldn't see on one side).
Since then, Jezebel lives a gated area in the coop where she sleeps in a box with a blanket. Her leg has never healed, although she was able to get in and out of bed, eat, etc. In the last few weeks, it has gotten worse and in the last 2 days... she is not using it at all- toes are slightly curled in.

Not sure if this was is related to her possible MG, or if the leg was more seriously injured and I didn't realize it. Wondering what I can do for her, if anything. I bring her out every day in a gated area outside the back door, make sure she is with the flock (although she has to be separated as they pick on her), make sure she has sun and fresh air every day, check her water and food and hand feed her several times a day to make sure.

Two questions:
Could the leg be MG-related?
Is the eye MG-related? I ask because I have a second 9-year-old from the same original flock who just now seems to have trouble seeing out of one eye. It looks normal though. She has no other symptoms that I can see.

I originally assumed it was old age, and didn't consider MG until I was typing this.

Any pictures? The blindness could just be old age, as she's nine. But, if more than one chicken is going blind, it's more serious. How do you know another one has trouble seeing? I'm not questioning your judgement, just want to make sure.
Is the separated one lethargic or having trouble breathing? Is she eating and drinking? Can you feel her leg to make sure it isn't more seriously injured, and see if it's swollen, or maybe dislocated?
MG doesn't normally affect the joints, it's more of a respiratory infection. What did you use to treat the flock?

 

[casportpony]

Can you post a video?

 

[jonalisa]

Any pictures? The blindness could just be old age, as she's nine. But, if more than one chicken is going blind, it's more serious. How do you know another one has trouble seeing? I'm not questioning your judgement, just want to make sure.
Is the separated one lethargic or having trouble breathing? Is she eating and drinking? Can you feel her leg to make sure it isn't more seriously injured, and see if it's swollen, or maybe dislocated?
MG doesn't normally affect the joints, it's more of a respiratory infection. What did you use to treat the flock?

Here are videos of Jezebel... I will try to get a video of the other girl

 

[jonalisa]

As you can see, Jezebel's eye seems set back in the socket... It was closed when I found her, so I assumed she had been pecked. I treated the eye with terramycin ophthalmic ointment and saline. This is how it looked when it opened... It's hasn't changed.

The other hen I mentioned is also 9 and from my original flock. I did a hole in the garden and noticed she was not going after worms I put down beside her. I then picked up and moved it to the other side of her head where she saw it. Assumed old age.. she's a lot slower now.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

She's such a cute little hen! She looks fine except for her leg, and of course that eye. Maybe @azygous, @Eggcessive, or @Wyorp Rock will be able to help with the leg. Unless it's been injured, I honestly can't see what could have caused it. In the video, she didn't seem disturbed while you were moving it, it's just like it doesn't have enough strength to hold her up. Very odd.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have been familiar with Jezebel for 8 years, as she had swelling around the right side of her eye and face back then that was never diagnosed. Jonalisa had her state vet do testing for MG back then and it came back negative. There are different types of testing, and most now do PCR testing for MG and other things. Here is Jezebel’s thread from 2014 for those interested in seeing the pictures in the first pages:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hen-with-swollen-face-3-month-update-suggestions.939345/

Was Jezabel and her flockmates vaccinated for Mareks? Her curled toe paralysis is common in Mareks, and if her leg was injured and the nerve affected. Have you seen any greying of an eye or where pupils looked irregular shaped? I’m sorry that she is doing poorly, but you really have taken good care of her all these years. I have read a few other threads about her. She is a real trooper. I would use human vitamin B complex 1/4 tablet daily as a source of riboflavin, in case that helps her leg. It can help sometimes.

 

[jonalisa]

I have been familiar with Jezebel for 8 years, as she had swelling around the right side of her eye and face back then that was never diagnosed. Jonalisa had her state vet do testing for MG back then and it came back negative. There are different types of testing, and most now do PCR testing for MG and other things. Here is Jezebel’s thread from 2014 for those interested in seeing the pictures in the first pages:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/hen-with-swollen-face-3-month-update-suggestions.939345/

Was Jezabel and her flockmates vaccinated for Mareks? Her curled toe paralysis is common in Mareks, and if her leg was injured and the nerve affected. Have you seen any greying of an eye or where pupils looked irregular shaped? I’m sorry that she is doing poorly, but you really have taken good care of her all these years. I have read a few other threads about her. She is a real trooper. I would use human vitamin B complex 1/4 tablet daily as a source of riboflavin, in case that helps her leg. It can help sometimes.

Thank you so much. @Eggcessive ! Yes, Jezebel is a Buckeye, an endangered breed, and if I had to do it all over again, I would have 30 Jezebels.
Thanks for the info on the Vitamin B complex and your concern and ongoing friendship.
Thank you all on this thread for your much appreciated support. Will keep you posted.