Limping 3 month old? not bumblefoot.

[Diveks]

so ive just gotten this brahma about a month ago and i didnt notice her limping until the next day when she started laying down a lot. eveyday that passed her limp is getting worse, and now she is not using it at all and hopping on one leg. she had a bad case of mites but the vet has fixed that last week. After her mites were gone she is no longer lethargic. although she is still not using her leg.

She just got back from her second vet visit. Her first one she got some fluids, mite medications, and an antibiotic shot just in case it was an infection. the first vet visit the doctors checked her leg and it was not bumblefoot, nothing swollen, nothing, but she was just dragging it around at this point. She doesn't look like she is in pain other than laying down a lot. she jumps around the place, eating, drinking. I will be spending a lot of money on her i feel. Tomorrow she is getting an x-ray (which is expensive but at this point i can't just let this pullet go). I wanted to know if anyone has had simillar sittuations where chickens just stopped using one of their legs?

 

[MROO]

so ive just gotten this brahma about a month ago and i didnt notice her limping until the next day when she started laying down a lot. eveyday that passed her limp is getting worse, and now she is not using it at all and hopping on one leg. she had a bad case of mites but the vet has fixed that last week. After her mites were gone she is no longer lethargic. although she is still not using her leg.

She just got back from her second vet visit. Her first one she got some fluids, mite medications, and an antibiotic shot just in case it was an infection. the first vet visit the doctors checked her leg and it was not bumblefoot, nothing swollen, nothing, but she was just dragging it around at this point. She doesn't look like she is in pain other than laying down a lot. she jumps around the place, eating, drinking. I will be spending a lot of money on her i feel. Tomorrow she is getting an x-ray (which is expensive but at this point i can't just let this pullet go). I wanted to know if anyone has had simillar sittuations where chickens just stopped using one of their legs?

Does she stretch it out behind her or just lift it up? Does she have feeling in it? As in, does she pull it away when you handle it?
Before you go to the expense of an x-ray, ask your vet about Marek's Disease. There are many strains and some present differently. It's worth asking, to be safe. If it is Marek's, don't panic. There is a lot of good information here on BYC. Here's a good place to start:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-i-learned-to-deal-with-mareks-disease.76944/
Good Luck!

 

[Diveks]

Does she stretch it out behind her or just lift it up? Does she have feeling in it? As in, does she pull it away when you handle it?
Before you go to the expense of an x-ray, ask your vet about Marek's Disease. There are many strains and some present differently. It's worth asking, to be safe. If it is Marek's, don't panic. There is a lot of good information here on BYC. Here's a good place to start:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-i-learned-to-deal-with-mareks-disease.76944/
Good Luck!

she lifts it up. when i hold it it actually calms her, and she will start laying down. she will happily put her feet on me and it does move normally. she uses it to scratch her face normally. her feet can grab onto my hand so im thinking maybe the upper joints are the problem? she doesn't seem weak or anything just walks around like she has been amputated. eats and drinks a lot. no diarrhea no weight loss. She is normally preening herself could this still be mareks?

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you see any swelling, green bruising, or other evidence of a sprain along the leg under those feathers? If she is holding the leg up, it sounds more like a sprain or injury. I would keep watch for more leg mites, since they can be hard to spot in feathered legs. Hopefully, she has just suffered an injury. Do you have any cockerels or were there roosters at her past home who might have hurt her? Rest for the leg for a few weeks could be helpful. That would include no jumping onto or off of roosts, and forcing her to limit activity.

 

[kurby22]

so ive just gotten this brahma about a month ago and i didnt notice her limping until the next day when she started laying down a lot. eveyday that passed her limp is getting worse, and now she is not using it at all and hopping on one leg. she had a bad case of mites but the vet has fixed that last week. After her mites were gone she is no longer lethargic. although she is still not using her leg.

She just got back from her second vet visit. Her first one she got some fluids, mite medications, and an antibiotic shot just in case it was an infection. the first vet visit the doctors checked her leg and it was not bumblefoot, nothing swollen, nothing, but she was just dragging it around at this point. She doesn't look like she is in pain other than laying down a lot. she jumps around the place, eating, drinking. I will be spending a lot of money on her i feel. Tomorrow she is getting an x-ray (which is expensive but at this point i can't just let this pullet go). I wanted to know if anyone has had simillar sittuations where chickens just stopped using one of their legs?

Sort of sounds like one of my quail. Nothing is broken but we think she tore a knee ligament and she just drags it behind her and hops around. She’s completely healthy otherwise, just a bum leg that won’t heal since ligaments don’t have blood flow and I’m not doing an ACL reconstruction haha. I hope that is all it is and nothing more serious!

 

[Diveks]

Can you see any swelling, green bruising, or other evidence of a sprain along the leg under those feathers? If she is holding the leg up, it sounds more like a sprain or injury. I would keep watch for more leg mites, since they can be hard to spot in feathered legs. Hopefully, she has just suffered an injury. Do you have any cockerels or were there roosters at her past home who might have hurt her? Rest for the leg for a few weeks could be helpful. That would include no jumping onto or off of roosts, and forcing her to limit activity.

she is using it as a crutch right now, but other than touching the ground to help walk and preen herself she is not using it and its always hovering. what is unusual is she sleeps sideways, so im guessing she might have pain somewhere causing her to not want to sit down correctly.

nothing, even the vets cant see any swelling, the vet tried checking if there are hotter spots too but nothing yet. she had severe mites EVERYWHERE, including the feathers on her feet but the legs didn't have any raised scales or anything. She is currently living alone, she had another brahma with her when they were in qt but i seperated them as she was being pushed around too much.

She lived in a small brooder with i think 2 or 3 more chickens and they were terrified of people (now she is a sweetheart who loves pats, guessing started from the mites being itchy) and they all would run to one corner and pile themselves there. i wanna know what the wing paralysis in mareks look like since she sometimes droops her wings on me when im petting her or when she is eating. she can still move it and stretch it but i think she uses it almost like a crutch. (and i always avoid cross contaminations of the chickens even though i am holding her a lot just in case)
Pic of sideways sleeping, sometimes she sleeps normally but wont put any pressure on the leg.

Sort of sounds like one of my quail. Nothing is broken but we think she tore a knee ligament and she just drags it behind her and hops around. She’s completely healthy otherwise, just a bum leg that won’t heal since ligaments don’t have blood flow and I’m not doing an ACL reconstruction haha. I hope that is all it is and nothing more serious!

hoping it is! Did yours avoid sleeping on the foot? Or was everything else normal?

 

[kurby22]

she is using it as a crutch right now, but other than touching the ground to help walk and preen herself she is not using it and its always hovering. what is unusual is she sleeps sideways, so im guessing she might have pain somewhere causing her to not want to sit down correctly.

nothing, even the vets cant see any swelling, the vet tried checking if there are hotter spots too but nothing yet. she had severe mites EVERYWHERE, including the feathers on her feet but the legs didn't have any raised scales or anything. She is currently living alone, she had another brahma with her when they were in qt but i seperated them as she was being pushed around too much.

She lived in a small brooder with i think 2 or 3 more chickens and they were terrified of people (now she is a sweetheart who loves pats, guessing started from the mites being itchy) and they all would run to one corner and pile themselves there. i wanna know what the wing paralysis in mareks look like since she sometimes droops her wings on me when im petting her or when she is eating. she can still move it and stretch it but i think she uses it almost like a crutch. (and i always avoid cross contaminations of the chickens even though i am holding her a lot just in case)
Pic of sideways sleeping, sometimes she sleeps normally but wont put any pressure on the leg.
View attachment 2874269


hoping it is! Did yours avoid sleeping on the foot? Or was everything else normal?

Yes, she slept on her side for a bit. She’s been this way for about 1.5 months and gets around ok and sleeps more normally but chooses to lay around a lot. She’s a tough little bird, there was like yours, no inflammation, no hot areas, no sign of injury, just not using it. The vet determined it had to be a ligament due to the loose way her leg moved but still allowed her to push on my finger when pressed down (this was a test they did when I tore my ACL too). The only thing that is an issue with her injury is that the toes of the lame foot can easily collect wet poop on the toes and then if not caught early turn into giant hardened poop balls on her toes. I have to constantly watch for the beginnings of the poop balls and she is so very patient but HATES it. It really doesn’t sound like Merck’s but it is a nasty thing so I don’t blame you for worrying!!

 

[Diveks]

Yes, she slept on her side for a bit. She’s been this way for about 1.5 months and gets around ok and sleeps more normally but chooses to lay around a lot. She’s a tough little bird, there was like yours, no inflammation, no hot areas, no sign of injury, just not using it. The vet determined it had to be a ligament due to the loose way her leg moved but still allowed her to push on my finger when pressed down (this was a test they did when I tore my ACL too). The only thing that is an issue with her injury is that the toes of the lame foot can easily collect wet poop on the toes and then if not caught early turn into giant hardened poop balls on her toes. I have to constantly watch for the beginnings of the poop balls and she is so very patient but HATES it. It really doesn’t sound like Merck’s but it is a nasty thing so I don’t blame you for worrying!!

you were right wasn't mereks. we went through with the xray and she had a previously broken bone that was healing weirdly and the vet recommended me to go to a vet that dealed with these cases. will be updating soon!

 

[kurby22]

you were right wasn't mereks. we went through with the xray and she had a previously broken bone that was healing weirdly and the vet recommended me to go to a vet that dealed with these cases. will be updating soon!

That’s great! I hope things get squared away beneficially for your baby without costing you a fortune! She’s very lucky to have you!

 

[Eggcessive]

So glad that you got the xray to figure out what the problem was with her leg.