Limping hen

[tobit]

Hi. How old is she and was she vaccinated for Marek's Disease when she hatched? Marek's is an extremely common virus in chickens which often shows initially as lameness or wing paralysis. It is a herpes type virus and outbreaks are often triggered by stress.... at this time of year it can be persistent attention from a rooster or just the hormone changes as they come into lay. It affects mostly birds under a year old. There are many other symptoms and some chickens die suddenly and without showing any real sign of illness, whilst others start with asymmetric paralysis of limbs or neck. Keeping them calm, happy, well fed and stress free is the best treatment in my experience.... as there is currently no accepted medical treatment. The bird may improve or even completely recover, but may succumb to a second or even third attack. It is a heart breaking disease and some forms are much more virulent than others. Thankfully my flock has a less aggressive strain but I have still lost a few birds to it..

Other possibilities are vitamin deficiency and it certainly can't do any harm to give her a vitamin supplement.

Good luck with her and the rest of your flock.

Also, where would you recommend to buy vitamin supplements (seeing as you're in the UK too)?

 

[tobit]

She seems to be limping slightly more this morning, although I could just be imagining that.. I went out early and lifted her down from the roost so she wouldn't have to jump down. I think I will have to separate her into a small resting area if she continues like this as she just stands on one leg with the other (her right leg) tucked up to her body when she isn't moving, she still looks healthy and inquisitive apart from her limp...

 

[Hholly]

Fingers crossed that it's just a sprain. Sounds like like you have a good plan of action.

 

[tobit]

So I made her a little separate area in a tiny coop we have in the run, but when i put her in her area she ate for a few minutes and then just paced the entrance (she can see the other chickens from inside) until i let her out again... Hrmph. Another observation is that sometimes she her steps are nearly normal, but on other occasions she "jumps" as soon as she puts pressure on her poorly leg/foot - as if she is in pain maybe?

 

[rebrascora]

If she is pacing in the small coup, put her back in where she is happiest. Pacing means she is stressed and if it is Marek's that will make her worse, If it is a sprain, the pacing will also aggravate it, so sounds like she may be best back in with her flock mates. You have to figure out what works best in your situation and set up.

I have to say, I am hopeful it may not be Marek's if she appears to be in pain. That's the only good thing about the disease.... they get frustrated with their inability to control their bodies but they never really seem to be in pain.

I can't advise on vitamins I'm afraid as I've never used them because I'm not convinced they work for Mareks and it's pretty clear that's what I have. If you want to try human vitamins get ones without iron. But feeding foods like scrambled eggs, fish and yoghurt will provide many essential vitamins and minerals as well as protein to support them through their illness.

 

[tobit]

If she is pacing in the small coup, put her back in where she is happiest. Pacing means she is stressed and if it is Marek's that will make her worse, If it is a sprain, the pacing will also aggravate it, so sounds like she may be best back in with her flock mates. You have to figure out what works best in your situation and set up.

I have to say, I am hopeful it may not be Marek's if she appears to be in pain. That's the only good thing about the disease.... they get frustrated with their inability to control their bodies but they never really seem to be in pain.

I can't advise on vitamins I'm afraid as I've never used them because I'm not convinced they work for Mareks and it's pretty clear that's what I have. If you want to try human vitamins get ones without iron. But feeding foods like scrambled eggs, fish and yoghurt will provide many essential vitamins and minerals as well as protein to support them through their illness.

Yes that's precisely what I've done, she's back in with her flock. Well I'll keep a close eye on her and see if there are any changes. Ah okay, I'll see what I can do find!

 

[tobit]

No change this morning. When should I think about taking her to the vet?

 

[rebrascora]

My view is that most vets don't know as much about chickens as some of the more experienced people on this forum, so I'm loath to shell out serious money on advice/treatment that at best may be as good as info I can find here. If it is Marek's there is nothing they can do and taking her to the vets will stress her and make it worse. If it's a sprain, it will heal itself in time. If you feel that she is in pain, you could give her a quarter of an asprin.

Much as I love my chickens (some of them especially) I have nearly 50 and I couldn't justify spending £50-£100 every time one of them was sick. Small animal vets grossly over charge people in my opinion (I can only assume it's because people are emotionally attached to their pets.... to me there's an element of extortion in their pricing) and farm and horse vets are not interested in individual chickens.

Good to hear she is no worse and also hasn't suddenly improved. That also points towards it being mechanical damage to the leg rather than neurological. Keeping fingers crossed for her making a slow and steady recovery.

 

[tobit]

My view is that most vets don't know as much about chickens as some of the more experienced people on this forum, so I'm loath to shell out serious money on advice/treatment that at best may be as good as info I can find here. If it is Marek's there is nothing they can do and taking her to the vets will stress her and make it worse. If it's a sprain, it will heal itself in time. If you feel that she is in pain, you could give her a quarter of an asprin.

Much as I love my chickens (some of them especially) I have nearly 50 and I couldn't justify spending £50-£100 every time one of them was sick. Small animal vets grossly over charge people in my opinion (I can only assume it's because people are emotionally attached to their pets.... to me there's an element of extortion in their pricing) and farm and horse vets are not interested in individual chickens.

Good to hear she is no worse and also hasn't suddenly improved. That also points towards it being mechanical damage to the leg rather than neurological. Keeping fingers crossed for her making a slow and steady recovery.

Yes I don't think I could take a chicken to the vet every single time one became ill, they're more livestock than pets. Okay I think we will just keep an eye on her unless she worsens. You said that marek's causes lameness/paralysis, if this is the case, wouldn't you expect her leg movements to be less controlled, or her leg to drag on the ground etc? Because she seems to be able to fully control it when she walks and when she pulls it up under her body... Her wings aren't sagging by the looks of it - they're horizontal and she still flies 5 feet up onto the roost using them so they don't seem to be lame. I've seen her sitting down from time to time in the day, is this just because she isn't used to so much weight on the single leg so she gets tired? Her comb is also looking maybe a tad pinker than a few days ago, but that could just be my imagination.

 

[Hholly]

It sounds like an injury. Hopefully it will heal with time.