Lame Welsummer

[insiderart]

Here's the story.. I have a 6 month old welsummer hen who came up lame a couple days ago. She won't really put any weight on her right leg. I have examined the leg and the foot, felt of all the joints (though after speaking to my friend the vet I need to check the joint closest to her body again), and in general given her a good going over. I can't find any external indications of anything wrong with this leg.

I have had her confined for a couple days now. I thought if she was still and quiet she would begin to show improvement by now, but so far she seems the same. She seems to be eating fine, and her poop looks ok.

I did see the rooster trying to mount her.. poor thing, there she was limping around and lying down, and he would see her crouched down and he would keep trying to mate with her. All the while I was shooing him off and trying to get the hospital crate ready. Now it's possible that he may have accidentally injured her, or she may have jumped off a roost and accidentally injured herself. I just can't tell.

Anything else I should look for? Any ideas for me?

Thanks!

 

[insiderart]

Oh and she's stopped booping.... I miss her boop boop boooop...

 

[insiderart]

RIP Hazel... your boop will be missed!

 

[speckledhen]

Oh, no! Did she pass on herself? The rooster could have hurt her himself. Some of those injuries are just too severe to overcome, like my Zane's.

 

[insiderart]

Aww, thanks Cyn. No, I had to put her down. The foot was beginning to curl and atrophy indicating there was severe damage to the nerves. I had kept her still and quiet for over 5 days with absolutely no improvement. I had spoken to my friend and really there wasn't a whole lot more I could have done for her. I suspect either she landed wrong or it was a mating injury, Fudgie is a big boy. Probably just one of those weird accidents.

 

[Wynette]

AWE! I'm so sorry! I didn't see your initial post; wish I would have (not that I knew of anything to do). Is it possible she had Marek's?

 

[speckledhen]

Same thing happened with my friend, Ellie's Buff Orp. She started to improve, but after a couple weeks, was declining. Same thing, one lame leg. You did the right thing, of course, but I know it's hard.

 

[ChickBond 007]

I'm sorry to hear this. My wellies seem to be the ones who jump down from some impossible place on top of the feeder or the water tray or something. Beautiful but klutzy.

 

[insiderart]

Quote:
Hmm, well I guess it's possible. Though she was 7 months old, I don't know if she was vaccinated as I got her as a chick. She didn't have the classical "look" of Marek's paresis as she could lift and retract the leg. She kept it held up in a normal up kind of position unless she lost her balance or tried to hop around. Definitely something to keep an eye on though.

 

[Wynette]

I think you're probably right, it doens't sound like a typical Mareks presentation, and typically for that form of Mareks it presents prior to 6 months, but being 7 months, she was close. It must have been your big boy!! Anyway, sorry for your loss.