Lame RIR pullet with video (probably malnutrition)

[Sonya9]

Long story short.....I am a new chicken person and have acquired birds from two NPIP breeders.

One "pullet" turned out to be a roo which left me short of standard hens. Called the local breeder and told him I needed a couple of pullets or hens 12 weeks or older, also told him I would be happy to take older hens or "special needs" chickens.

So he called me and told me he had a couple of RIR pullets the same age as mine (3 months or so) and when they were put in with the other RIR's they were picked on and the flock will kill them, they became lame. I told him I would get them. Come to find out they were likely kept in cages with wire floors too long, when they were put in with the flock the others wouldn't let them eat or drink.

I took one of the pullets (the other appeared to be dying), she can't stand, her legs are mostly paralyzed. She is VERY VERY skinny, feathers and bone. I have kept her separate and she eats like a little horse, she is very talkative and is doing better (able to sort of stand now, better than 2 days ago).

She is put out in a separate pen during the day to dust bathe and get mental stimulation near the other chickens, at night I bring her inside. Please see video below, she just had a bath so her feathers look a bit wet. Should I hobble her legs or just let her gain more strength??? I think she will in fact live, she is feisty and talkative and such. She is eating purina flock raiser and gets hard boiled egg. I ordered some Nekton S Bird Vitamins which will arrive today.

Advice please! She was NOT born this way, the fact she is so incredibly bony makes me think the flock was starving her.

 

[Sonya9]

Update -- I got the vitamin powder. Just mixed it in with a couple of tablespoons of cooked rice and some raw egg, she ate most of it.

Also when I said she tries to "stand" I mean she stands up on her hocks now and struggles to balance (can't even begin to walk but seems stronger) which is more than she could do 2 days ago.

Anyone ever seen this before? Any advice?

 

[Sonya9]

Update. Friday I took her to my vet to get his opinion and double check to make sure none of her bones were actually broken and that this wasn't neurological. She made a little progress in four days but not nearly as much as I hoped; still couldn't even come close to standing and legs would end up forward and backward with no control.

He said she is severely malnourished and has very severe muscle atrophy (due to being kept in a brooder until nearly 3 months old and then put into a flock that would not allow her to eat most likely).

He told me to pack her full of as much fat/carbs/protein as possible. He also said he is not sure if she will ever walk again. Now I am binding her legs with vet wrap and also making her high calorie "shakes" (a little flock feed, lots of egg, a spoon full of Science Diet A/D, dab of yogurt, scoop of vitamin powder, calcium and some type 2 collagen powder).

Finally seeing some real improvement, binding the legs seems to help a lot as she is now able to sit up consistently and even stand briefly. Praying she will be able to make a full recovery.

I am crossing my fingers and hoping she can walk one day!

 

[sbhkma]

You're doing an amazing job with her! It makes me feel good to know there's folks like you who go to such measures to help save birds that others might give up on. She's looking better. Please keep us updated.

 

[beegirl4]

You're doing an amazing job with her! It makes me feel good to know there's folks like you who go to such measures to help save birds that others might give up on. She's looking better. Please keep us updated.

Ditto!! You're awesome!!

 

[Sonya9]

Thanks for the kind words. I ain't no saint but I do love my animals.

Video taken today, she IS looking better right??? Seriously the progress is so slow I need to get an outside opinion. I put her in the covered chicken pen for a few hours....

 

[sbhkma]

She's looking much steadier on her legs, yes. I would definitely say there's progress!

 

[Sonya9]

Yeah but I got to say the progress is INCREDIBLY slow. Yesterday I started thinking about what my vet said, that there is a good chance she will never walk.

I ordered some Rooster Booster liquid B12 which should arrive to day, I am hoping that may help, it is used to increase strength and stamina in show birds, racing pigeons, and also sadly a big thing in cock fighting circles, it is actually banned in a couple of states because of that. On the upside those birds are often extremely valuable so they would demand safe supplements.

She is still very thin but slowly gaining weight, I hope maybe things will improve in the next week or so. Ugh.

 

[sbhkma]

B12 should help yes. I used to use that for my show horses too. You need to remember.. it took her a long time to get this way, getting back will take even longer. She's slowly gaining weight which is a great sign. Encourage her to walk. She needs to strengthen her leg muscles. See... when an animal is starving the body starts using up fat deposits. When those are gone it starts using up muscle. Her body used up most of her muscles just to keep her alive. It takes time to build that back up. You're doing an amazing job with that poor girl. It could take a couple of months yet for her to recover, but keep hoping.

 

[casportpony]

Beware that it's possible that she has Marek's.

-Kathy