Hen with leg injury and "open mouth" breathing

[Bens-Hens]

Those pics are of my bird, not the OP's.

She was euthanised about 18 months ago, followed by our GLW a few weeks later.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I'll admit that Marek's crossed my mind. The one thing that makes me think it's a re-occurrence of an injury is that I actually saw the initial injury happen in February and it's the same leg and place involved. I'm going to check for a slipped hock, didn't think to do that earlier. I checked for that in February and it wasn't.

Found this Marek's FAQ for "just in case" - certainly info that's good to know. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

I've been trying to get a baby aspirin in her. She won't take it whole so dissolved it and put it in her food. I'm hopeful it will reduce inflammation in that leg and help with any pain. I'm going to try some vitamins, too, just to cover that base.

Just went in and checked and she was sitting by her food. She's eaten most of the aspirin-laced food within the past hour. She didn't seem to have her mouth open as much. Maybe it is pain related. Fingers crossed that's it and not Marek's!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Those pics are of my bird, not the OP's.

She was euthanised about 18 months ago, followed by our GLW a few weeks later.

So sorry! =(

 

[casportpony]

Those pics are of my bird, not the OP's.

She was euthanised about 18 months ago, followed by our GLW a few weeks later.

So sorry, my bad. Blame it on my old eyes!

Sorry for your loss.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

I'll admit that Marek's crossed my mind. The one thing that makes me think it's a re-occurrence of an injury is that I actually saw the initial injury happen in February and it's the same leg and place involved. I'm going to check for a slipped hock, didn't think to do that earlier. I checked for that in February and it wasn't.

Found this Marek's FAQ for "just in case" - certainly info that's good to know. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

I've been trying to get a baby aspirin in her. She won't take it whole so dissolved it and put it in her food. I'm hopeful it will reduce inflammation in that leg and help with any pain. I'm going to try some vitamins, too, just to cover that base.

Just went in and checked and she was sitting by her food. She's eaten most of the aspirin-laced food within the past hour. She didn't seem to have her mouth open as much. Maybe it is pain related. Fingers crossed that's it and not Marek's!

for you!

-Kathy

 

[Bens-Hens]

It was a long time ago, and as tough as it was to deal with (Marek's disease in general) we are better flock owners for it.

I hope you get to the bottom of it MTN LAUREL, and I hope it's not the dreaded MD.

Good luck, I will follow along.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I've come to the conclusion that this open mouth breathing [without extending her neck] is a response to pain. She has eaten all the food that was laced with a baby aspirin and is obviously more comfortable. Her mouth is no longer open. I watched her take the injured leg and bring that foot up to scratch her face so she has good control over that limb and the foot. Hopefully rest and a baby aspirin every so often will help her recover.

I'm going to keep an eye on how long it takes for the aspirin to wear off. I should be able to tell when she begins the open mouth breathing again.

Poor girls . . . it would be so much easier if they could talk!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

UPDATE: Shirley is still limping and still in confinement in a cage in our bathroom. She's doing well otherwise; eating, preening, laying eggs. Seems bizarre to go in the bathroom and come out with an egg!

She actually looks MUCH better physically than she did when we brought her in because the "mean girls" aren't picking on her. The open-mouthed breathing has pretty much ceased. I've been lacing her water with a baby aspirin and have added a fan to the bathroom although it didn't seem warm to me.

We're still perplexed as to what her injury could be. We don't feel any physical injury, broken bones, slipped tendon, dislocation. Don't see bumblefoot. Could this be a soft-tissue injury that's taking it's time to heal? Given how well she's doing otherwise, I don't think this is disease.

I did a short video to demonstrate how she's limping about. It's here >

If anyone see's anything I'm missing, please let me know and THANKS!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

UPDATE: We're still working with Shirley. She's much, MUCH improved but her injury hasn't improved to the point where she can be back with the rest of the flock. And she's very anxious to return, too. Right now she's in a large dog cage in my bathroom most of the time. The cage prevents her from walking around too much and allows her to rest her leg. We have been giving her daily "outings" into a small penned area we made for her alone.

We've noticed that her limp has almost gone away when she's in the cage. When we let her out into the penned area and she begins to scratch and move about more, the leg becomes tired and her limp will reappear after about a half hour of activity. However, even this is improving as it's taking longer for the limp to return. It's also not taking as long for her to recover from her exercise. Initially, we'd let her out for an afternoon and then she'd have to stay in the entire next day as the limp would be so pronounced. She's improved to the point where we can let her roam in the outside pen for the afternoon and - although her limp is back - it's gone again the next morning.

I guess what I'm trying to impart here is that a leg injury - and I've no clue if this is a joint issue or a muscle injury - can take a really long time to heal. So, don't give up!! The only downside is that Shirley is getting really spoiled! She looks fantastic, all her feather have returned from where a few of the older gals were feather picking on her, her comb is perky and bright. I think she's picked up some weight. And she lays an egg almost every day in the bathroom! However, she's almost learned how to speak English as she's figured out how to communicate with us to let us know when she wants to go out to play and when she wants to eat.

I swear, a few more weeks of this and she'll be sitting on the couch with total control of the TV remote!

 

[Bens-Hens]

Glad to hear she is on the mend!