limping hen

[jodie33]

so last month i lost a pullet aruacana silkie cross she had a cold and couldnt put any weight on her left leg, she died and i still dont know what she died of my husband thinks it was mareks but the breeder i got her from insists she vaccinates against it . Now one of my 43 week old warren hens is limping on her left leg no ther symptoms and she is eating and drinking fine and laying i am just terrified that she will end up dying and that i have an outbreak of a deisease or something any advice please. When the little arucana/silkie died i scrubbed the hen houses and disinfected the area as they are in an enclosure for the winter they are on shingle so its easy to disinfect the ground.

 

[LynneP]

I doubt the incidents are linked. In younger birds limping is often caused by trauma, or by a need for increased anounts of vitamins. Your hen is older so you will have to decide. As they reach adulthood and the leg bones thicken and the pelvis matures, Vitamin D in particular is on demand as it helps to place calcium in the medullary complex (pelvis and leg bones) that makes eggshells. Older birds can certainly go low on the calcium-Vitamin D combination and it is the stressful time of year. Any molting? But since Vitamins B and E can also be in demand the easiest fix for this is to add a multivitamin to the water. This will assist the entire flock if you choose to do that, or you can segregate this bird, especially if you think she needs a break from the others or could be contagious. Also, check under the foot for signs of bumblefoot.
Some particulars-

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693-sick-hen

(Scroll to Incident 04)

Baby vitamins like polyvisol can be used (no extra iron) or poultry vitamins.

Any sign of trauma? So long as there is no open wound you can use a low dose aspirin in crused and dissolved un 1 qt water and offer either by dropper, in a small poultry waterer, bowl, or in a small cage dispenser like you get for guinea pigs, provided she will use it.

 

[elmo]

I assume you've already checked the bottom of the foot for any signs of injury, infection, etc.? When you say they're on "shingles" do you mean roofing shingles?

 

[jodie33]

no sign of injury or bumble foot etc and i mean very small pebbles / stones but she seems to have improved mobility i was just spooked after what happened before thanks for the advice

 

[LynneP]

If you give the vitamins it takes a while to see results, but when you do it is gratifying and you have fortified the others at the same time...