Injured/Disabled Chicken

[RedRoostChickens]

Hi! I have a one year old hen named Hazel that cannot walk. I have had her in a wheelchair for a week or so, and recently she stopped wanting to be in it, but can't feed herself when she's not in it. She's been trying to walk, and flaps her wings a lot, but her right leg won't straighten fully and she doesn't want to put weight on it. Her left leg seems fine. When she's in her wheelchair, she can go backwards by using her good leg and swinging her right leg slightly. Has anyone had a similar problem? How did you treat it?Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. How long has she been having trouble with her leg? Has she walked normally up to recently? Do you think it was a birth defect, and injury, or possibly Mareks disease?

 

[RedRoostChickens]

I think it is a birth defect because she was vaccinated for Marek's disease at her hatchery. Also, none of my other girls have the same problem. She has had a limp for her whole life. I have noticed that her right hock is more swollen than her left, so an injury might be a possibility, but I think that it is a birth defect because of her limp. Her leg first started really bothering her about a month ago, and it seemed to cause her pain, but after a week, she couldn't straighten it. Her leg isn't paralyzed though, she just won't use it.

 

[RedRoostChickens]

Can someone please help? She's starting to not enjoy being in her chair.

 

[RedRoostChickens]

Sorry about your hen. How long has she been having trouble with her leg? Has she walked normally up to recently? Do you think it was a birth defect, and injury, or possibly Mareks disease?

She's had trouble her whole life, but a month ago she got worse, and then a week after that, she can't walk at all. I think it is a birth defect or injury because she has had a vaccination for Marek's.

 

[Eggcessive]

Could you hold her up to clearly see her legs and their normal position straight on while someone takes a picture? There are several leg bone deformities such as varus or valgus deformity, twisted tibia, and tibial dyschondroplasia. Slipped tendons are also possible at birth. Here are some links to read and pictures of the problems above:
https://thepoultrysite.com/articles/leg-health-in-large-broilers

https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_Intertarsal_Joint_in_Broiler_Chickens

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/en-c...ctious-skeletal-disorders-in-poultry-broilers

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

She's had trouble her whole life, but a month ago she got worse, and then a week after that, she can't walk at all. I think it is a birth defect or injury because she has had a vaccination for Marek's.

The vaccination doesn’t always work. They can still be carriers and even show symptoms in some cases.

 

[RooandherRooster]

What breed is she? I see she has spurs?
Does she seem to be in pain when you touch her right leg, or is there mites or bumblefoot?

 

[RedRoostChickens]

Could you hold her up to clearly see her legs and their normal position straight on while someone takes a picture? There are several leg bone deformities such as varus or valgus deformity, twisted tibia, and tibial dyschondroplasia. Slipped tendons are also possible at birth. Here are some links to read and pictures of the problems above:
https://thepoultrysite.com/articles/leg-health-in-large-broilers

https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_Intertarsal_Joint_in_Broiler_Chickens

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/en-c...ctious-skeletal-disorders-in-poultry-broilers

Thank you for the links! I will look at them soon, and also I'll get the picture as soon as possible. I've never heard of those bone deformities! Again, Thank you!

 

[RedRoostChickens]

What breed is she? I see she has spurs?
Does she seem to be in pain when you touch her right leg, or is there mites or bumblefoot?

We believe that she is a Welsummer and her spurs are way longer that the other Welsummers in my flock. She doesn't like me touching her right leg and gets mad and seems to be in pain when I touch her joints.She doesn't have bumblefoot, or at least I haven't seen any on her feet, and I'm not sure about mites, but I don't think she does.