Lame foot? Walking with foot curled up, on ankle

[elizzy253]

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..

 

[crazy bird]

Hi there I would defiantly quarantine her! I'm at a loss as to what to do with my girl she really carny get around at all! I've read lots now about vit B2 deficiency and the dreaded mareks and both pics luk the same! She has no other symptoms bar one leg compleat ly paralysed n stretched to the front and other leg has some movement but not useful to her. All the others she was in with are all fit and well! Ahhh what to do!,

 

[crazy bird]

Hi again I've read so much about mareks and if it is what my girl has I don't know how she would have got it as all my coops were made new this year(only got into chi hens in the spring! I bought my first 4 ( she's never been anywhere near theses birds)and the rest I hatched myself 30 in all! The older girls are in a separate pen with a duck pen(9 Indian runners ) in between! The land there on has never been used by chickens! She is 1 of 12 hatched at home and the others are all fit and well! Could she still of contracted markes?

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are a couple of threads to look at about the discussions going on about Mareks being everywhere in the environment. You may want to start at the end and go backwards to get to the latest info. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/741957/not-an-emergency-mareks-in-the-flock
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/894589/moving-forward-breeding-for-resistance-to-mareks-disease

 

[mikesweeney3000]

Our Henley seems to be improving with the vitamin supplements. We gave two initial boosts of the riboflavin from that tablet I had and then have given multivitamins in the water. She extends the foot more deliberately now and puts weight on it. She still limps a bit, but I think that the fact that she is improving and not deteriorating would certainly lean away from Marek's. Since the other day, I have come across two other eggs in my refrigerator from the week or two before that had very pale centers, which must have been hers.

 

[crazy bird]

im so glad that shes on the mend! I wish I could say the same for my girl there's been no improvement at all and now have a second young bird with a limp so ive segregated her to, im so worried, if she gets worse that will confirm my worst fear!absolutely devastated!!!

 

[mikesweeney3000]

So sorry to hear that, crazy bird. I hope very few of your birds will be affected.

 

[Eggcessive]

Elizzy and Crazybird, sorry about your chickens. You might want to check into getting your chickens tested for Mareks. A local vet can draw the blood and send it off to Texas A and M or another center for testing. Also, you can request Mareks testing in a necropsy by your state vet if you lose your chicken or chose to euthanize. Best of luck.

 

[crazy bird]

hey there me again thanku for all your advice n thoughts. the second pullet that was limping as the following day was fine although I hav still kept her quarantined just in case and will take your advice and get the vet to take bloods! just to know one way or the other for sure! none of the other 30 have shown any signs but im keeping a very close eye on them all! thanks again for all your help.

 

[hockeypoc]

I see it has been 6 years since the last post on this. I have a hen with the exact same symptom. Seems just fine except one foot is curled up and seemingly paralyzed. I fear Mareks. Did your whole flock end up getting sick?