Lame & Limping 2 Year Old Hen

[RebeccaC83]

Good Morning Everyone -

I have a 2 year old Easter Egger named Speckles who has been heavily limping for the last week. I initially considered bumblefoot and started soaking in Epsom salts and tea tree oil and applying Neosporin/Vetricyn and vet wrap. I didn't see much improvement so then I considered scaley leg mites and did a gas dip + vaseline. I've moved her to a brooder and have continued soaks, but am worried I'm reaching a point where I need to make a decision about quantity vs. quality of life. She has also completely stopped laying. I only have 4 girls in a small backyard flock, so she is definitely a pet. Looking for any advice and or input.

THANK YOU in advance!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hi! She may have a sprain, limit her movement, sometimes they take awhile to heal.

 

[coach723]

I don't see obvious signs of scaly mites, nor bumblefoot. Sprains and strains are not uncommon, some resolve quickly, some take longer. Can be as simple as landing wrong while jumping down from something. A wire crate in the run with the others will restrict her movement to allow rest, but be less stressful as she can see and be seen by the others. As long as everything else seems ok, that's what I would do and give her some time.

 

[RebeccaC83]

Thank you to you both. I'm suspicious of Marek's and do believe I'm going to have to cull her Then, start the difficult task of deep cleaning my coop and run in our ever persistent winter here in WI. My birds were vaccinated against Mareks, so I am hoping my other three are stronger - although I know this virus lays latent for a long, long time. A sad start to our spring, indeed.

 

[coach723]

Have you lost other birds with the same symptoms? Have you ever had Marek's confirmed in your flock? If it's only been a week, and it's only a limp, then I would not jump to a Marek's conclusion unless you've had it confirmed in your flock, just yet. There are other things that can mimic Marek's symptoms, from simple injury, to vitamin deficiencies, to other diseases. What you do is up to you, but unless you've got confirmed Marek's I would give her some time to heal, and start her on a B complex or super B complex tablet or capsule daily for a couple of weeks. See if you get any improvement. If she doesn't improve or gets worse, then you can always cull. If you cull, I would recommend that you send her for necropsy to confirm or rule out Marek's as a cause. With Marek's it's better to know for sure than it is to guess.
Necropsy sources by state:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf

 

[RebeccaC83]

Hi There - thank you so much for this reply. I am not seeing symptoms in my other birds. I only have 3 others. Their temperament, appetite, droppings and laying habits are all normal.

My affected girl's limp/lameness has progressed to little or no walking. When she is moving forward, she is using her wings to stilt herself. When she is laying her wings are sometimes out from her body. I do have her in the basement (as it has been in the single digits at night) so it could be a way for her to manage her temperature. Legs aren't really splayed.

I've given calcium, Poultry Cell 3x now and just crushed up a B-complex tab in some cucumber. Her appetite is definitely decreased and I am only able to get water into her by putting it into a syringe and then into my palm. Outside of that, she has refused scrambled eggs but is eating green leaf lettuce and some grains/flax I've provided.

I appreciate the necroscopy list, as I'd definitely like to know what I'm dealing with. The birds are vaccinated for it, but as I'm reading more, I'm understanding this isn't total protection

 

[coach723]

You can use a chicken sling for periods, she might be more comfortable that way. Some examples below. Are her droppings normal? There are many possibilities, sometimes it's impossible to know without necropsy. We try the obvious and doable things, and then it's out of our hands. Lameness can be hard to identify, tumors that press on nerves, a large hard to pass egg can press on nerves, disease, injury, vitamin deficiencies.

 

[SmiYa0126]

I thought Marek's usually affected younger chickens, less than a year old . Can you try to feel around her hips and legs to see if you feel any inflammation?

 

[Eggcessive]

Canyou get a close up of the tops of her feet and legs?

 

[texsuze]

Testing for Marek's doesn't require necropsy, but depending upon what bodily tissue or fluid is tested, it can lead to different degrees of information. Confusing? Yes. Here is one possible link to some info:

https://www.randyschickenblog.com/h...-8-answers-plus-the-scoop-on-home-vaccination

MS (one of those wonderful Mycoplasmas....) can also present with lameness/limping. You can have your hen tested for MG & MS without necropsy. Fay, my special needs hen, developed lameness and after several months became non-ambulatory. Up until she was humanely euthanized, she was otherwise "normal" with appetite, drinking, alertness, poops, talking, etc. Her two sisters assisted me with caregiving and would remain close to her during the day. So many diseases...