INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Mother2Hens]

Hey Ya'll!! I'm in desperate need of advise!!

So I took my girl Pepper in to the Avian vet in Indy again this morning because she hasnt been using her foot correctly shes been walking on the knee joint instead of her foot we orgininally thought it was broken. Did xrays and it was not broken so they said she probably just hurt it because she did sqawk in pain while they did the exam. They sent us home with an anti inflamatory pain med. So on wed I notice she isnt roosting like she normally does and called back they said bring her in. Today they tell me it could be one of 3 things #1 she injured herself and it caused nerve damage (they think this is unlikely since there was no "known" trama) #2 theres an inflamation where the neveres are causing her to limp and they can do an endoscapy to see (a few hundred MORE dollars) or #3 it could be Mareks!!! If its Mareks she'll get progressivly worse and will need to be put to sleep of course. Apparently vaccinated chicken can get Mareks. They suggest I put her down and do an autopsy (another $200) to "see" if thats the problem. She a hatchery chick I got her at Rural king I've had her since she was only a few days old I cant just put her down to "see" if thats it. We love her! I dont know what to do at this point I thought Mareks was a faster moving disease. Shes been limping for 3wks. Still eating and drinking. Anyone with Mareks experiance or experiance with a limping chicken or lameness???

AmLambson~ Great to hear from you again although I am sorry to hear about Pepper! Several of us on the thread have dealt with chicken leg problems-- some with good outcomes, some not so good. I went through a similar experience this past July/Aug. with my lavender orpington pullet, Violet. She injured her leg on a dog crate that I was using to house her at night. She could not use her leg at all. At the first vet visit, she was X-rayed and determined that had a pulled tendon and was given anti-inflamatory prescription Metacam. A month later, after doing everything possible for Violet, I brought her to the vet because she wasn't any better, and I had her put to sleep. It was a terrible experience because she was my dear pet just like a cat or dog. Because of that, I wasn't in the mindset that she was just a chicken or that I could buy a dozen chickens for the price of her. I must say that this Indiana thread was so supportive throughout the experience, and especially after I had to have Violet put to sleep.

I just posted some leg injury info on page 1655 at the bottom for CRSelvey who has a chicken with a similar situation. It also has a link to a poultry foot and leg site that has a lot of info. Besides CRSelvey/Cheryl, racinchickins, Darth Layer, CCCHICKINS, and several more members have had chickens with leg issues. Someone had Mareks in their flock, too, I believe. It seems like yours would have additional symptoms if she had Mareks.

Best wishes and let us know how you and Pepper are doing!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

wings were darker but the size looks right if those pine cones match the ones on my pine trees. The front coloring looks right too. I was looking through a net but I don't know for sure that the face had stripes. But it was not a coopers hawk, just too small.

edit: I was goggling pictures additional pictures. I found one of the Sharp-shinned Hawk.
The bird I saw tonight had the belly and size of your pictured bird but the wings of the sharp-shinned. Maybe it was a mutt hawk. if not your picture is the closest I have seen.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

[COLOR=0000CD]AmLambson~[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Great to hear from you again although I am sorry to hear about Pepper! Several of us on the thread have dealt with chicken leg problems-- some with good outcomes, some not so good. I went through a similar experience this past July/Aug. with my lavender orpington pullet, Violet. She injured her leg on a dog crate that I was using to house her at night. She could not use her leg at all. At the first vet visit, she was X-rayed and determined that had a pulled tendon and was given anti-inflamatory prescription Metacam. A month later, after doing everything possible for Violet, I brought her to the vet because she wasn't any better, and I had her put to sleep. It was a terrible experience because she was my dear pet just like a cat or dog. Because of that, I wasn't in the mindset that she was just a chicken or that I could buy a dozen chickens for the price of her. I must say that this Indiana thread was so supportive throughout the experience, and especially after I had to have Violet put to sleep. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=8B4513]I just posted some leg injury info on page 1655 at the bottom for CRSelvey who has a chicken with a similar situation. It also has a link to a poultry foot and leg site that has a lot of info.[/COLOR] [COLOR=A52A2A]Besides CRSelvey/Cheryl, racinchickins, Darth Layer, CCCHICKINS, and several more members have had chickens with leg issues. Someone had Mareks in their flock, too, I believe.[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]It seems like yours would have additional symptoms if she had Mareks.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=8B4513]Best wishes and let us know how you and Pepper are doing![/COLOR]

yep i have had 2 chickens niw with leg issues. Never had mareks though, knock on wood. The thung i have found eith leg isdues is they are reallt hard to fix. Hopefully the leg problem can be fixed and it hopefully not mareks, i have had no luck fixing them.

Sally- if it was sort of colorful it was a kestrel.

it is so cute. never seen one of these

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
I wonder if wrapping in vet wrap would help or a splint. I might try that for a week before paying for a test. Then if I was really attached I might try something like bengay or theragesic under the vet wrap, maybe there is a chicken verson. Also I have paid lots of money to have a house pet cat go to the vet so I've been there and it is hard. Where to draw the line and say no more. Tests tend to cost more than the solution. For our cat, we paid for the X-rays but would not do the surgery, instead we went with the cheaper RX and some home remedies. Then he had the nerve to run away less than 2 yrs later when we had a new baby. Somehow I am now adjusted to owning a barn cat that gets tiny amounts of food when I feel like it once a day and chickens that are to give me eggs or at least fertilize eggs if they don't want to be dinner or rehomed. It is just a different valuing system. I have to support your caring for your pet chicken as I would want support when i took my pet cat to the vet. So I am sorry if I came across as harsh earlier.

 

[DarthLayer]

Hey Ya'll!! I'm in desperate need of advise!! So I took my girl Pepper in to the Avian vet in Indy again this morning because she hasnt been using her foot correctly shes been walking on the knee joint instead of her foot we orgininally thought it was broken. Did xrays and it was not broken so they said she probably just hurt it because she did sqawk in pain while they did the exam. They sent us home with an anti inflamatory pain med. So on wed I notice she isnt roosting like she normally does and called back they said bring her in. Today they tell me it could be one of 3 things #1 she injured herself and it caused nerve damage (they think this is unlikely since there was no "known" trama) #2 theres an inflamation where the neveres are causing her to limp and they can do an endoscapy to see (a few hundred MORE dollars) or #3 it could be Mareks!!! If its Mareks she'll get progressivly worse and will need to be put to sleep of course. Apparently vaccinated chicken can get Mareks. They suggest I put her down and do an autopsy (another $200) to "see" if thats the problem. She a hatchery chick I got her at Rural king I've had her since she was only a few days old I cant just put her down to "see" if thats it. We love her! I dont know what to do at this point I thought Mareks was a faster moving disease. Shes been limping for 3wks. Still eating and drinking. Anyone with Mareks experiance or experiance with a limping chicken or lameness???

I'm sorry about Pepper. But if it makes you feel better, I really don't think its Mareks. I once had a buff rock that had some leg injury but I waited to see if she got better and she did. Then the other two I had were sold as white rocks but came to the conclusion they are actually Cornish x's. Sadly I have too put them down and my mom is calling the vet tomorrow. But I would just wait and see if it passes through whatever it is. I wish your hen and you well!

 

[Leahs Mom]

wings were darker but the size looks right if those pine cones match the ones on my pine trees. The front coloring looks right too. I was looking through a net but I don't know for sure that the face had stripes. But it was not a coopers hawk, just too small.

edit: I was goggling pictures additional pictures. I found one of the Sharp-shinned Hawk.
The bird I saw tonight had the belly and size of your pictured bird but the wings of the sharp-shinned. Maybe it was a mutt hawk. if not your picture is the closest I have seen.

Did you hear it's call at all? Here is the site with the calls and some info on the sharp-shinned. They are supposed to be in Indiana down your way (and up here too). The description calls it a "tiny hawk".

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sharp-shinned_Hawk/sounds

Been continuing to be on hawk-watch as I drive around. Still seeing a BUNCH of them.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I'm sorry about Pepper. But if it makes you feel better, I really don't think its Mareks. I once had a buff rock that had some leg injury but I waited to see if she got better and she did. Then the other two I had were sold as white rocks but came to the conclusion they are actually Cornish x's. Sadly I have too put them down and my mom is calling the vet tomorrow. But I would just wait and see if it passes through whatever it is. I wish your hen and you well!

i dont think ut is mareks either

 

[danand]

We have lots of Kestrels around here. They are actually very pretty. They have more gray-blue than regular hawks. There is one spot on my way to twn that I've seen them ever since I was a kid. Saw them there today. They are field hunters and like mice, saw one with one tonight. The farmers are all busy here so they are looking for critters. And yes they are about the size of a small crow. They like to overlook fields from electric/ phone lines. And since we were talking hawks. The chasing and activity right now is the adults chasing off the young hawks. They actually don't migrate but will widen their territories. It has been very Hawk- noisy here for several weeks and seems to have settled down now. We have 74 acres of woods and even the larger hawk( red tailed and shouldered) fly very well in our very thick woods.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Ugh~ I just made a long post to many people and when I clicked Submit, the post was gone.

I do want to give my condolences to pipd re Chickie.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Did you hear it's call at all? Here is the site with the calls and some info on the sharp-shinned. They are supposed to be in Indiana down your way (and up here too). The description calls it a "tiny hawk".

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sharp-shinned_Hawk/sounds

Been continuing to be on hawk-watch as I drive around. Still seeing a BUNCH of them.

It was really sneaky and quiet. But I have heard lots of hawk sounds all day.