Lame foot? Walking with foot curled up, on ankle

[mikesweeney3000]

Just noticed yesterday one of our 34 wk. old Barred Rock pullets is limping. She's walking on the affected ankle with the foot curled up underneath it. Occasionally, the foot will extend, but she doesn't appear to have complete of control over the foot. When I pick her up and examine it, there is no apparent injury, no sores or spots that look like bumblefoot pics I've seen. When I extend the toes on that foot they just kind of flop back down, almost like that foot is possibly paralyzed in some way. She is eating and drinking, from what I've observed. She was able to get up on a perch last night, but that leg hung down behind her and she was balancing on the one good foot and stabilizing herself with the wing on the good side. She does have her tail feathers down a bit, and she's just kind of laying around in the run, but will get up some. She's kind of quiet, too.

 

[iwiw60]

Did you just recently notice this? Perhaps she has injured her foot in some way. I've never seen anything like this .. hopefully someone will be along soon that can better help you...

 

[crazy bird]

Hi there I have one of my girls(Cream legbar) has exactly the same symptoms. I put her in a separate run and coop within a bigger run so she could see all her friends and has been in there for 1 week now but she's really struggling to get around! shes eating and drinking well but is sitting back on her hocks fluffed up! im really worried about her! any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Curled toe paralysis can be a symptom of riboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiency, but sometimes Mareks disease can present that way, although I would not get upset about that just yet. Put her on a good poultry vitamin that contains riboflavin (not Poultry Nutri-Drench however.) Feed stores sell many brands to put in the water, or you can give the human vitamins. You can use a ground up or dissolved B Complex tablet given in her food daily, or even PolyVisol without iron baby vitamins 3 drops daily. The soon you treat this, the more likely it will be successful if it is a deficiency. Here are some links to read:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/vitamin_deficiencies_in_poultry.html
http://www.poultrynews.com/New/Diseases/Merks/207026.htm

 

[mikesweeney3000]

From the Merck manual link: As eggs become deficient in riboflavin, the egg albumen loses its characteristic yellow color. In fact, albumen color score has been used to assess riboflavin status of birds.

Come to think of it, I noticed an egg with a very pale yellow center yesterday. So hopefully, this will be what it is.

I have a 400mg Riboflavin tablet. I wonder how I would administer this and at what rate?

 

[Eggcessive]

This is from the MerckManual link above:

Most diets contain up to 10 mg riboflavin/kg. Treatment can be given as two 100 μg doses for chicks or poults, followed by an adequate amount of riboflavin in feed.

The adult B2 supplements I have seen are 50mg and 100mg , up to 500mg, and all say to take 1 daily. I would at least divide your tablet into 4, and only give that to her. Riboflavin and other B vitamins are water soluble, and cannot be overdosed since the excess is just excreted in the urine. I would get some poultry vitamins soon, since she probably would get some benefit from them. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b2-riboflavin
http://www.vitamin-mineral-info.com/vitamin-b2-riboflavin-daily-requirement-dietary-sources.php

 

[crazy bird]

Thank you soooooo much for your advice, I will be straight to the shops in the morning. I really hope she recovers she's such a lovely girl . I'll let you know how she gets on and thank you again this is the first time I've posted any thing as not very computer capable!!! But it's great ! Thanku

 

[crazy bird]

Hi there just have an update on my girl, the day I wrote my last post one of her legs became outstretched to the front and the other leg slightly behind but still underneath her, things still remain the same! She's really bright in herself she's eating and drinking well her poos are normal she's still loving her cuddles and is very alert! Does anyone know if there'll be any chance of her recovering enough to get around? Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Eggcessive]

Hi there just have an update on my girl, the day I wrote my last post one of her legs became outstretched to the front and the other leg slightly behind but still underneath her, things still remain the same! She's really bright in herself she's eating and drinking well her poos are normal she's still loving her cuddles and is very alert! Does anyone know if there'll be any chance of her recovering enough to get around? Any help would be greatly appreciated

Oh my. That could possibly be a sign of Mareks disease, but I hope that it's not that. Does she have any weakness or paralysis in either leg? Below are some good links for you to read about Mareks disease, and please look at the pictures in the Partners link:
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/#/disease/Marek's_Disease
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[elizzy253]

Oh my.  That could possibly be a sign of Mareks disease, but I hope that it's not that.  Does she have any weakness or paralysis in either leg?  Below are some good links for you to read about Mareks disease, and please look at the pictures in the Partners link:
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/#/disease/Marek's_Disease
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

I'm new to this site and just seeing if anyone has advice about my hen. She's experiencing the symptoms mikesweeney3000 and crazybird posted. My girl can't get on her perch because she can't grip or move her left foot whatsoever. She also isn't laying eggs yet so I wouldn't be able to look for egg color. I don't know what I should do! My other hens aren't picking on her but if she has something maybe she needs to be quarantined..