Hen with limp- video enclosed

[mrskenmore]

Hi All,

My 4 year old Easter Egger had started to limp this week, I have isolated it to her left leg, she is doing a little goose stepping and not walking a ton. She is eating, drinking, preening and roosting at night as normal. Normal poops and behavior, alert and adorable as ever. I have trimmed her nails, given her a dose of nutri drench as according to the package instructions as well as provided probiotics in her water to up her immune system. She is currently in the coop with her 2 sisters, they have been a flock for the past 2 years. I don't see any mites, lice, cuts, bites or bruises. Her leg is not red, warm or swollen. She has no problem standing on it. I have attached a video of her in the coop this morning. This only happens every few steps, so there are times she walks completely normal. Please let me know your thoughts on what this could be.

Thanks!

 

[micstrachan]

Have you checked the bottom of her foot for a bumble? Not sure how she could get one in that setting, but maybe jumping down from the roost or if she gets free range time?

 

[mrskenmore]

Hi there,

Checked both her feet and in between the feet and no splinters, cuts, swelling and no bumblefoot (I had a hen with that last year so I do often foot checks)

I am leaning towards a joint or hip issue

Thanks for any help!

 

[MillersFarm]

Looks like something's stuck on her foot she's trying to kick off. Could she possibly have any string wrapped around her toes or shank? Tape maybe?

 

[mrskenmore]

Cute avatar MillersFarm!

Nothing binding her leg or stuck, I agree- she is trying to kick to get her leg to move from a standing position.. that is why I wonder if it is hip. It is definitely isolated to her left side only.

 

[mrskenmore]

The only other thing I noticed when I hold her the left leg tremors slightly. It is also about 28 degrees here currently on long island new york. It has been cold recently as well.

 

[aart]

She may have injured her hip or leg(think strain or sprain)...or have a touch of arthritis if she's not limping with every step.

If I have a bad limper, I isolate for a day or so.

From my notes:
If limp is really bothering them by inhibiting their normal activities too much, I will isolate them in a crate to 'force' rest for a day or two. Letting them out late in day, an hour before roost time, to give them a stretch and evaluate their mobility, then decide if they need another day and put them back in crate off roost after dark. Repeat stretch and eval the next day until they are better. Keep crate in coop so bird can remain 'with' the flock.

I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.

 

[mrskenmore]

Thanks Aart-

I will look into getting a crate to decrease her mobility. Is there anything else I should be doing nutrition wise or supplements to help heal?

 

[mrskenmore]

Also, if it is arthritis as she will be 5 in the spring, is there anything else I can do or give her?

 

[aart]

I don't do much 'special' for my birds other than an occasional dose of electrolytes/vitamins during extreme temperatures.
Just good balanced feeding regime and clean plain water.

I feed a 20% protein all-flock type crumble and a bit of scratch grains.
Calcium is provided for the layers by oyster shell.
Too much calcium in a non laying birds diet can cause gout (and maybe arthritis) as well as kidney and liver issues.

Have had several severe limpers and a few days of rest as described really helped.
Still took several weeks for the limping to completely go away.