Leg issue/hen/ won't stand on it

[Lucysmom002]

My hen "Dixie" won't stand on her right leg today. She was on the roost and I went to pick her up and pet her, when I put her back down she couldn't get the roost and fell to the ground. I had no idea that she couldn't stand on her right leg.
I have her separated with food and water close by. She's been laying outside on the ground since her molt a week ago but she was going back in at night to roost. Now today she is laying on the ground in heavy shavings. She has her toes curled up and under herself. When I straighten them and make her stand on it she just lets her wing come out to balance and lays back down.
Her appetite is good, she is 17 months old. Buff Orpington that stopped laying recently.


Any ideas what this could be?? What should I do??

 

[Lucysmom002]

I should add that this chicken was bought as a chick last year in March with her BR buddy "Diamond". I recently got 27 from Mc Murray and had them vaccinated for Marek's. I did just bring home (July 31) 6 chickens from the 4H kids at fair. No one else is acting like this

 

[Lucysmom002]

anyone? I checked her feet for bumblefoot, I looked at pics on here, it doesn't appear to be the problem. I think she may have sprained it??

 

[savingpurple]

wish I could help, but am new and going through a somewhat similiar situation. wish you well, and hopefully someone with more experience will come on and guide you.

Good luck !!

 

[PoultryPedia]

Chicks that are vaccinated for Marek's can sometimes spread the disease to other chicks that have not been vaccinated. I don't know if they can get adults sick or not.

There is some info on treating leg problems on my site linked in my sig below.

The only other things that come to mind right away regarding her:
--Vitamin B may possibly be helpful.
--Do you think her leg might have gotten dislocated or broken?

I hope you are able to figure out some ways to keep helping her.

 

[Lucysmom002]

thank you
She is still resting today. Her leg seems a little stronger and her toes aren't curled up now. She's eating and drinking and was standing this morning for a short time. I hope it's a sprain. I can't see anything like a break or dislocation. I moved it around gently and she doesn't mind.

 

[Lucysmom002]

I checked her over better and she is actually thin. She also made a very runny diarrhea poop when I was out there. What should I do for her?
I felt the top part of her leg and she is holding it sideways and she got irritated by me touching it. I can not tell if it's broken

 

[Lucysmom002]

Can anyone offer advice? She isn't interested in her food. She did eat some bread and a few bites of grapes and blueberries soaked in yogurt. I just gave her a bowl of acv water and she drank that. She can hobble on her leg but chooses to just lay down all day. Her crop feels mushy.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Does anyone have more ideas on how to help this hen???

 

[Lucysmom002]

Thank you for the bump.
For now I'm just hand feeding her and keeping her separated through chicken wire in the coop. She can still see her friends. She ate bread again and a few bites of grapes. She doesn't want her regular feed. I offered cat food and sunflower seeds and bird seed. I'm trying to give her anything she will eat to get some energy.
She does walk only a few steps and she limps. I placed her by the water and food, she takes what she wants and moves to go lay down. She seems to like the ACV water and drank that very well.

The good news today is she had a little more color in her comb and she talked a little bit. She has been very very quiet.

I feel bad because I didn't catch this sooner (whatever it is). She had been laying down a lot outside but I was assuming it was because she just molted and quit laying eggs. Now I'm wondering what was going on.