Injured chicken

[T and R Fox]

Hi, We have 2 hens who are about 18 months old. They have free range of our garden which is approx 2500sqm. 2 days ago 1 of the hens was perfect one minute, up at the window and door trying to get into the house where they know the food comes from, then we think she had a fall in the garage (always exploring). The next minute she was standing on one leg by the garage door and couldn't move. We checked her over but could find no obvious breaks, so thought perhaps a strain. We've kept her in a box with straw in the garage and have been feeding her by hand, although she won't eat much and drink none. She's had yogurt, scrambled eggs, corn, 1/3 of junior aspirin for pain relief, pasta, a little grass and other things she likes. Yesterday she did an egg an ostrich would have been proud of. Now she tries to stand and is slowly starting to put pressure on her injured leg, but tends to use her wings to balance. But she is also now doing green poop of which we have only read bad things about. We live in rural France and there are no vets around here who will look at chickens. They just think go and buy some more hens from the market. Sorry if this is a little long winded, but we've tried to give as much info as possible. Does anyone have any ideas we can try to try and get her better please?

 

[Eggcessive]

While Mareks disease is a worry with this sort of lameness, sometimes egg binding from an oversized egg, can cause a temporary nerve paralysis in the legs. Injuries are the most common reason for lameness. She may eat better if she is caged near other chickens, but I would keep her caged near her own food and water to keep a better watch on how much she is eating, forcing her to rest the leg, and look at droppings. Mareks disease can cause paralysis of one or both legs, wings, or neck, and loss of balance with using wings to help. Hopefully it is not that. Let us know how she gets along.

 

[T and R Fox]

Hi. Thank you for your reply. We hope it's not that either. It seems strange that she was running about as normal, then all of a sudden she couldn't move. The green dropping started yesterday, but today there is more white than green, even though it is still sloppy. Actually just found a vet who, although won't see her, gave us some antibiotics for her. Hopefully this will work. Will keep you posted on the outcome. Thanks again.

 

[Eggcessive]

Antibiotics should only be used for a bacterial infection, since overuse can contribute to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Does your vet think that the diarrhea could be an infection? Green droppings are usually a sign of not eating, and the white material is uric acid or kidney waste. Try giving her some plain yogurt for probiotics, and offer her some chopped egg or tuna along with her normal feed. Here are a couple of articles to read about Mareks, but hopefully that is not the problem:
https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[T and R Fox]

Thanks for your information and the links. Which do make depressing reading and hopefully is not the case for our little chook. There are not many symptoms there which match hers. But as you say, they can vary. Although the vet did not see her, I told her a full list of events and what has happened since. Given your advise, we will hold on with starting the antibiotics and see how she progresses. Tonight is the first she has really eaten properly. She seems more alert and has been pecking in the garden with us sitting with her. Although we have to move her, she is managing to take a couple of steps on her own. Her last dropping was a normal colour, if not solid. Will keep you posted of her progress. Many thanks again.

 

[T and R Fox]

Just as I posted the last reply, a big Hen Harrier landed in our garden! I wonder???? Haven't seen one here before. I ran to check our other chook and she was hiding in the log store.

 

[T and R Fox]

Hi. Update on our injured little girl. We followed your advice and did not give her the antibiotics. She has been eating yogurt, eggs, pasta, rice and corn, with a little of her pellets. Her droppings are now very close to being "normal". The bright green has gone now and they are solid. She is getting about more now although she is still hobbling badly. She can grip quite well with her claws on our finger and she has been scratching around on the grass. But she will sit down quite often for a rest. That's only to be expected we think. We have felt her leg all over and can find no obvious signs of a break and she doesn't go mad if we touch a sensitive area. So perhaps it's more of a sprain to a joint or pulled muscle. Just wish she could talk and tell us. We are still keeping her in a box in the garage at night, but our other chook will spend all day with her and even seems to help her in the dust bath. She hasn't done another egg yet, we think that's only to be expected given her situation! We have still no luck finding a vet who would actually see her and perhaps x-ray her leg. They just don't seem to want to know around here anyway.
Thank you once again for your advice and information. We will post again with hopefully even more encouraging news.

 

[T and R Fox]

Latest update and another question please. It's been 2 weeks tomorrow since she was attacked. Now she gets around quite well even with a pronounced limp. Her droppings are back to normal, and she seems as alert as she was before. They are both still petrified if they hear a strange noise from the sky and they run for cover. Poor little things are nervous wrecks. She is back in the pen at night with the other one. She has a strong grip on the perch.
Our question is:- She has still not laid an egg for 11 days now. Is this normal after what she has been through? Trauma/Stress/Shock. She is also losing some feathers from her belly. If she is pulling them out or they are falling out we haven't been able to establish. Are we just worrying about nothing and things will rectify themselves given time? Thank you all once again.