Lame Chicken - at my wits end :(

[Tilhana]

Took these images yesterday afternoon. I was about to pick her up to feed her in her sling when she went over to where the other girls were and starting feeding on the scratch mix on the concrete slab. I just stood there with my mouth opened for a few seconds and then grabbed my phone with delight. She still had the wobbles but certainly am alot more independent.

This morning, she wandered about the run more actively than ever before with very little leg trembling.

She's gained more weight since the last posting and has grown too.

She's definitely looking GOOOD! Will continue to keep you guys posted!

Wow, I'm glad to see your hen improved so much so quickly. I have a rooster who's exhibiting very similar symptoms, the one lame leg with curled up toes - the way he looks when he tries to stand looks just like the picture you posted of yours standing on her hock and eating grass. I also thought it was Marek's and he seemed to be really deteriorating for a few days, so I was just offering palliative care until he died.

But now he seems like he's doing better. A few days ago he would try to walk and end up somersaulting over himself, or he'd lie on his side in his enclosure and kick violently with both legs trying to move himself. But now he's eating and even managing to stand up without falling over, his eyes are less glassy and swollen and his comb, which had been almost purple, is back to dark red. So now I'm wondering if this is something that might resolve on its own if I just keep giving him a bit of TLC. I really don't want to try 20 different types of OTC drugs and treatments that may or may not work, as his symptoms are all over the map. Did you do anything other than the sling and the extra vitamins and letting her out to exercise?

 

[ChookieG]

Wow, I'm glad to see your hen improved so much so quickly. I have a rooster who's exhibiting very similar symptoms, the one lame leg with curled up toes - the way he looks when he tries to stand looks just like the picture you posted of yours standing on her hock and eating grass. I also thought it was Marek's and he seemed to be really deteriorating for a few days, so I was just offering palliative care until he died.

But now he seems like he's doing better. A few days ago he would try to walk and end up somersaulting over himself, or he'd lie on his side in his enclosure and kick violently with both legs trying to move himself. But now he's eating and even managing to stand up without falling over, his eyes are less glassy and swollen and his comb, which had been almost purple, is back to dark red. So now I'm wondering if this is something that might resolve on its own if I just keep giving him a bit of TLC. I really don't want to try 20 different types of OTC drugs and treatments that may or may not work, as his symptoms are all over the map. Did you do anything other than the sling and the extra vitamins and letting her out to exercise?

Hey sorry to hear about your Roo. Hope he gets better soon.

Yes I did do something else. I gave extra protein.. I know this may not be the most agreeable method to many people.. but she essentially ate about a 1/4 cup of cooked chicken breast on top of her regular feed once a week. Of cos you can try giving him a different form of protein that's less controversial.

I'm sure you're already doing this.. but I also carried her in and out of the nesting box until one day she decided she could do it herself. A couple weeks later she managed to get onto the roosting perch with the rest of the girls. I haven't seen any discoloration of the comb on my girl so I'm not sure about that one.

What kind of feed is he on? Not layer mix I presume.

 

[Tilhana]

Hey sorry to hear about your Roo. Hope he gets better soon.

Yes I did do something else. I gave extra protein.. I know this may not be the most agreeable method to many people.. but she essentially ate about a 1/4 cup of cooked chicken breast on top of her regular feed once a week. Of cos you can try giving him a different form of protein that's less controversial.

I'm sure you're already doing this.. but I also carried her in and out of the nesting box until one day she decided she could do it herself. A couple weeks later she managed to get onto the roosting perch with the rest of the girls. I haven't seen any discoloration of the comb on my girl so I'm not sure about that one.

What kind of feed is he on? Not layer mix I presume.

I've had him separated from the rest of the flock in a little crate. He doesn't use a nesting box since he doesn't lay, and since I put him in there he's been content to press himself against the side and use it to prop himself up, gradually becoming more stable until today he was actually standing, albeit mostly on one leg with the other one gimp under him. I've tried putting him outside a few times but he mostly just sits and eats grass and dirt (or whatever chickens eat in the dirt, although I'm wondering if that's actually pica - it's so hard to tell with chickens since they find all kinds of microscopic stuff in the dirt).

I give them all a homemade mix of fermented organic grains (corn, wheat, oats, peas, millet, and barley), plus some Fertrell Nutri-Balancer vitamin supplement, plus whatever kitchen scraps/leftovers from the previous day, plus I let them free range for a couple hours most days. I also just started giving them alfalfa pellets as well. And the last few days I've been putting Rooster Booster vitamin supplements in his water, though I'm not sure how much he's drinking. I actually have some week-old leftover chicken in the fridge that I've been debating whether I can still safely eat. Maybe I'll give him some of that lol. I used to be squeamish about giving them chicken but since it's generally thought to be safe, I figure why throw good meat in the compost when they love it so much?

I feel like every day I have a new theory as to what it might be, and I look up the symptoms but nothing really matches exactly, or the risk factors that cause it don't match up. So at this point I'm just looking for anecdotal accounts of birds with lameness, since that seems to be the main thing that's bothering him now, and trying to figure out if he's more likely to recover or get worse. Some of these viral diseases like Marek's and 20 other Marek look-alike diseases, can look very different in different birds, so I'm kind of trying to stop driving myself crazy getting a diagnosis unless it implies a clear course of action for treatment, the way a superficial injury would.

It could also be that he got injured, and then that weakness or trauma made him more susceptible to some disease he was already carrying but his immune system was keeping at bay. I know Marek's can be latent in a flock like that and only come out when a bird is weakened, so presumably there are other illnesses that can do the same. And maybe he's now fought off the illness but is still healing from the injury.

 

[ChookieG]

I've had him separated from the rest of the flock in a little crate. He doesn't use a nesting box since he doesn't lay, and since I put him in there he's been content to press himself against the side and use it to prop himself up, gradually becoming more stable until today he was actually standing, albeit mostly on one leg with the other one gimp under him. I've tried putting him outside a few times but he mostly just sits and eats grass and dirt (or whatever chickens eat in the dirt, although I'm wondering if that's actually pica - it's so hard to tell with chickens since they find all kinds of microscopic stuff in the dirt).

I give them all a homemade mix of fermented organic grains (corn, wheat, oats, peas, millet, and barley), plus some Fertrell Nutri-Balancer vitamin supplement, plus whatever kitchen scraps/leftovers from the previous day, plus I let them free range for a couple hours most days. I also just started giving them alfalfa pellets as well. And the last few days I've been putting Rooster Booster vitamin supplements in his water, though I'm not sure how much he's drinking. I actually have some week-old leftover chicken in the fridge that I've been debating whether I can still safely eat. Maybe I'll give him some of that lol. I used to be squeamish about giving them chicken but since it's generally thought to be safe, I figure why throw good meat in the compost when they love it so much?

I feel like every day I have a new theory as to what it might be, and I look up the symptoms but nothing really matches exactly, or the risk factors that cause it don't match up. So at this point I'm just looking for anecdotal accounts of birds with lameness, since that seems to be the main thing that's bothering him now, and trying to figure out if he's more likely to recover or get worse. Some of these viral diseases like Marek's and 20 other Marek look-alike diseases, can look very different in different birds, so I'm kind of trying to stop driving myself crazy getting a diagnosis unless it implies a clear course of action for treatment, the way a superficial injury would.

It could also be that he got injured, and then that weakness or trauma made him more susceptible to some disease he was already carrying but his immune system was keeping at bay. I know Marek's can be latent in a flock like that and only come out when a bird is weakened, so presumably there are other illnesses that can do the same. And maybe he's now fought off the illness but is still healing from the injury.

I know exactly what you mean. You can drive yourself crazy just trying to figure out what the heck is going on. I have a hen that has gotten constant scattered stools (only overnight) that smelled sour for the past couple of months or so. Some have suggested it's sour crop but as she clears her crop every morning I couldn't confirm that. Then just a couple weeks ago she started having dags below her vent and she's been releasing scattered poo during the day too so now I suspect it's vent gleet. I've been treating her now with yogurt and ACV for 2 days now but it hasn't improved much so I will put her on Nilstat drops (human medicine) tomorrow if she's still the same. I couldn't get hold of Medistatin (for poultry) here in Australia - called my local feed store, a vet clinic, and local online pet stores to no avail.

I think it'll really help your roo if you get him onto a sling in the crate you've got him in? As least you may be able to reduce the pressure on his leg with a sling and with any luck may improve his condition and confirm a diagnosis. Have you tried gently pressing his lame leg to see if he flinches? That may suggest it's an injury as opposed to something internal like Marek's.

Yeah my girl was sitting on the ground most of the day before I had her on the sling as she just didn't have the energy to walk around. It probably hurt alot for her to do so too and she didn't eat much in that condition but as soon as I put her in the sling she gobbled up her food and drank water like there's no tomorrow.

Let me know how you get along. You poor thing..I feel for you and your roo. Keep at it, don't give up yet..as long as you roo is fighting it, you should give him a chance. I mean I understand that some people may not be able to do so due to many reasons but if you can, you should try. I know if it wasn't for the fact that somebody suggested using a sling my girl would have been on the dinner table! All the best!

 

[Tilhana]

Let me know how you get along. You poor thing..I feel for you and your roo. Keep at it, don't give up yet..as long as you roo is fighting it, you should give him a chance. I mean I understand that some people may not be able to do so due to many reasons but if you can, you should try. I know if it wasn't for the fact that somebody suggested using a sling my girl would have been on the dinner table! All the best!

I've been out of town for a few days but just wanted to thank you for your advice. I did try some extra protein for the rooster but by the next day he had taken a turn for the worse, and he was gone by that afternoon. It's sad but I think the evidence is pretty good that he had an illness and was not likely to recover, but I wanted to at least give him the chance and make him comfortable while he fought it.

I'm glad your hen did so much better with your treatment. I used to wonder if I was being cruel by letting my chickens try to recover when they got sick or injured instead of just putting them out of their misery. Last year we had a fox attack, killing several chickens outright and badly injuring 2 more. I tried to treat the injured ones, and one, a rooster, died after a couple days of what must have been extreme pain, as he was bitten in the neck and couldn't lift his head. I felt like maybe I was wrong to let him suffer and should have killed him right away. The other injured bird, a hen, seemed to be in even worse shape, with a huge gash through her skin that soon became infested with - well I'll spare you the details. It took me a couple days to find the injury and let's just say it was pretty disgusting. I came so close to culling her, figuring she couldn't recover from such an injury. But then I did some research that suggested she might have a chance, and I cleaned out the wound and applied a ton of iodine and put her in the hospital area and used a dehumidifier to keep the room dry, and she ended up making a full recovery. So now I default to giving them all a chance, no matter how hopeless it seems, because you never know what they might recover from.

 

[ChookieG]

I've been out of town for a few days but just wanted to thank you for your advice. I did try some extra protein for the rooster but by the next day he had taken a turn for the worse, and he was gone by that afternoon. It's sad but I think the evidence is pretty good that he had an illness and was not likely to recover, but I wanted to at least give him the chance and make him comfortable while he fought it.

I'm glad your hen did so much better with your treatment. I used to wonder if I was being cruel by letting my chickens try to recover when they got sick or injured instead of just putting them out of their misery. Last year we had a fox attack, killing several chickens outright and badly injuring 2 more. I tried to treat the injured ones, and one, a rooster, died after a couple days of what must have been extreme pain, as he was bitten in the neck and couldn't lift his head. I felt like maybe I was wrong to let him suffer and should have killed him right away. The other injured bird, a hen, seemed to be in even worse shape, with a huge gash through her skin that soon became infested with - well I'll spare you the details. It took me a couple days to find the injury and let's just say it was pretty disgusting. I came so close to culling her, figuring she couldn't recover from such an injury. But then I did some research that suggested she might have a chance, and I cleaned out the wound and applied a ton of iodine and put her in the hospital area and used a dehumidifier to keep the room dry, and she ended up making a full recovery. So now I default to giving them all a chance, no matter how hopeless it seems, because you never know what they might recover from.

A couple of hours before reading your reply, I was climbing a ladder up the roof of my shed to retrieve my roo, an araucana cross that I got from a local breeder less than a month back. The evening had set in and the last of the daylight was quickly diminishing but there was still enough for me to spot Mr Mullet, who was up there tonight for the second time this week. I had gone over tonight to lock up the coop and found him missing again. Needless to say the first time he was missing sent me into a panic and I spent a good 15 minutes scanning the trees and ground for him. Three days ago, we had been working on a run extension and removed the chicken wire overhead from the old run to use for some parts of the sides of the extension which our leftover wire couldn't cover. Somehow Mullet had decided the coop wasn't good enough and managed to get up 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 inches) to roost overnight when the overhead wire was removed. I couldn't figure out how he'd done it except maybe he had somehow used the elm tree as leverage. It was frustrating: I thought maybe we should clip his wings, maybe we need to cover the top again with more wire.. maybe we shouldn't have gotten a roo in the first place...

But I've grown very fond of Mr Mullet. He's not the prettiest roo around but he's a great fella: rarely crows, calls out to the girls when he finds food and drops it to them, never forces himself onto them, warns them when he spots a potential threat, doesn't attack me when I get in the run. It's unfortunate that roos are so underrated as they provide so much care and security for the flock. Annoying that they are so demonized in urban backyards when undisciplined barking dogs can be far annoying. As such I'm sad and sorry to hear about your dear roo but I think he couldn't have had a better carer than you and you should be proud of it.

It just goes to show how much effort is required when it comes to caring for your livestock. I was pondering these things and reading your reply has given me the encouragement I needed and the admiration for the dedication you have for your chicken. I'm truly touched by the effort you have put in and it's people like you that makes this world a better place.

Kudos to you my dear BYC friend and thanks for you reply.

 

[Tilhana]

But I've grown very fond of Mr Mullet. He's not the prettiest roo around but he's a great fella: rarely crows, calls out to the girls when he finds food and drops it to them, never forces himself onto them, warns them when he spots a potential threat, doesn't attack me when I get in the run. It's unfortunate that roos are so underrated as they provide so much care and security for the flock. Annoying that they are so demonized in urban backyards when undisciplined barking dogs can be far annoying. As such I'm sad and sorry to hear about your dear roo but I think he couldn't have had a better carer than you and you should be proud of it.

Thank you. I also think roos are unnecessarily demonized. It took me years to convince my husband that they're more than just annoying noise-makers who will make our neighbors hate us. Between the neighbors on one side with their big loud dogs and the ones on the other side with their constant construction crews at all hours of the day, I didn't think we were being discourteous, especially with the 3-5 acre plots in this neighborhood. Both the one I lost and the 2 I have left are all really sweet. They've never been aggressive towards people, even my kids, they find food for the hens, and one of them even helps me herd in wayward hens that wander around instead of going into the run in the morning. I don't find the crowing to be annoying at all, except when they do it at 4 in the morning, but that's why I'm glad the coop is a ways from the house.

Good luck reigning in Mr. Mullet. You could try clipping his wings and see if that helps. That's what I do with the chickens that repeatedly flee the run (although one roo always seems to get out anyway; don't know how he does it).

 

[ChookieG]

Thank you. I also think roos are unnecessarily demonized. It took me years to convince my husband that they're more than just annoying noise-makers who will make our neighbors hate us. Between the neighbors on one side with their big loud dogs and the ones on the other side with their constant construction crews at all hours of the day, I didn't think we were being discourteous, especially with the 3-5 acre plots in this neighborhood. Both the one I lost and the 2 I have left are all really sweet. They've never been aggressive towards people, even my kids, they find food for the hens, and one of them even helps me herd in wayward hens that wander around instead of going into the run in the morning. I don't find the crowing to be annoying at all, except when they do it at 4 in the morning, but that's why I'm glad the coop is a ways from the house.

Good luck reigning in Mr. Mullet. You could try clipping his wings and see if that helps. That's what I do with the chickens that repeatedly flee the run (although one roo always seems to get out anyway; don't know how he does it).

Thanks Tilhana. I'm gonna try to pollard my elm tree to below the overhead wire to see whether that will help. Last night I had to lure the chooks into the coop with some scratch grains slightly early than their bedtime to try and get Mr Mullet in. But had to chase him in the end as he was too cautious to go in by himself. He's a funny one.. there was a hint of him being zealous for heights as the breeder did mention he always roosts at the very top of the coop.