Is this a breast bone sticking out or a growth?

[Carchick]

Here is my Australorp, Esmeralda. She has been getting thin within the last month but she still has been eating and drinking the usual amount. Last year she injured her feet and had been walking fine up until last week and now she can barely walk. Is this a growth on her chest or is this a girl who desperately needs more food? There are no Avian bird vets around here so that's not an option. I'm going to cook up some eggs. Is there anything else I should be doing? I'm keeping her in the bird coop but in a crate so she doesn't over exert herself and also around her best buddy Buffy, a buff orpington who is blind in one eye and Esmeralda helps her.

 

[Kiki]

Can you share a few pics?

 

[rIrs roost]

Can you post a pic?

 

[rebrascora]

There is no photo showing but I suspect your girls may have Marek's disease. The lameness last year was probably her first attack and now this sounds like a second more serious one. Marek's causes muscle wastage despite eating well. It also causes tumours, but twisting of the body/neck due to neurological inflammation can also appear like a tumour. Sadly there is no recognised treatment for Marek's and you are probably lucky she has lasted so long after her first attack. The best I can suggest is good food (yes, get cooking some eggs for her)and vitamin supplements, particularly vitamin B complex. Your buff Orpington may also have the disease as the Marek's virus can cause damage to the optic nerve and exhibit as a discoloured iris or misshapen pupil. Keeping them together is a good idea as they don't do well in isolation. Taht said, it is infectious, so it might be as well to separate them from the rest of the flock, although the chances are, the others have already been exposed. The disease also compromises the immune system and makes them prone to other illnesses that their bodies would normally fight off, so supporting their immune and digestive system with good food, supplements and probiotics can all help.
If she is unable to stand, making her a simple sling or hammock will help keep her in a more comfortable upright position. If you do a search for images of chicken slings or chicken hammocks, you should get some ideas of how to make one from everyday items. If you can make it so that you can fix empty yoghurt pots to the frame or into the fabric and fill them with food and water, then it helps the bird to eat and drink without assistance.

Good luck with her.

Barbara

 

[coach723]

Only other thought I have is to ask if she's ever been wormed, and if her droppings look normal. Internal parasites can cause weight loss also. If your vet will do a fecal float test (some will do this even if they don't see birds- same test for all animals) that could rule that out as an issue.

 

[Carchick]

Thanks for your replies and help. I tried yesterday to make her a sling but after 2 hours, I just made a comfortable bedding in the crate. Well that's horrifying knowing that's her breastbone. She's now getting lots of bananas, oatmeal, eggs, and bread. She has not been wormed and after reading the symptoms, it certainly sounds like she might have that. I will have to look to see how to get my hands on something quickly as I don't want to wait on having to order something in.

 

[Kiki]

Feeding a lot of treats is going to make her full on them and she will not eat the right amount of complete chicken feed. Get her some grower feed, it's higher in protein and feed her that and leave the treats out.

 

[rIrs roost]

Feeding a lot of treats is going to make her full on them and she will not eat the right amount of complete chicken feed. Get her some grower feed, it's higher in protein and feed her that and leave the treats out.

X2 and if you have a tractor supple near by, Safeguard is a great wormer. I can't remember but it may say it's for goats. But if you decide to go with that I'll look up the dosage. Kiki or some of the others may be able to tell you the dosage quicker than I.

 

[Carchick]

I was able to purchase Valbazen (after researching it on here) and administered to her and 5 other hens and will repeat in 10 days. I also had some Oxine and DE on hand and worked on their coops along with Esmeralda's crate. Hopefully she can recover. Thanks so much for your help, we...Esmeralda and I, appreciate it!

 

[Kiki]

I was able to purchase Valbazen (after researching it on here) and administered to her and 5 other hens and will repeat in 10 days. I also had some Oxine and DE on hand and worked on their coops along with Esmeralda's crate. Hopefully she can recover. Thanks so much for your help, we...Esmeralda and I, appreciate it!

Throw the DE away, it isn't good for anything.