~Limping hen~

[1mommahen]

I have a 6 month old BLRW, not laying yet and healthy in every other way, that is limping today. Puts minimum weight on leg. See no injuries. I picked her up and she looks fine. Should I intervene in anyway?

Here's a pic of her from Sunday. Of course she has to be the one that DH helped out of the shell and we are very fond of!

 

[chicknmania]

Who knows what it is for sure but yes you should treat it. Start her on vitamins, preferably poultry vitamins like aviacharge, but if nothing else you can use baby vitamins, somewhere on the website is the dosage if you search. Sometimes they have this weird neurological thing, maybe it's an inability to absorb nutrients, and it results in increasing debilitation, and that's what it starts out with is a limp, and usually around that age. Hopefully that's not what it is, but you can't afford to wait to see. Sometimes you can turn it around if you start treatment early enough. Marek's can start the same way, but you would treat that the same way, with vitamins. If it gets worse, try crushing up a Tum's tablet in her food, once a day, for extra calcium. You can also treat with baby aspirin, a couple crushed up in her food per day. Start with the aspirin and vitamins, first, only try the Tums if she gets a lot worse. Maybe it's just a sprain that happens too. And, it is ALWAYS the favorites this happens to! Why is that!!? Good luck, keep us posted.

If you mix a lot of meds in with their food or water, of course they won't drink it, so you have to watch it, for example, don't do tums and aspirin at the same time. If you use aviacharge, you might have to start with a smaller dose than is recommended; ours wouldn't drink aviacharge at first til they got used to the taste. You can also mix a little yogurt or cottage cheese or applesauce in her food, to make it more appetizing.

 

[1mommahen]

Thanks chicknmania, I guess I'm off to TSC! She gets oyster shell in feed so I feel like it must be injury or Marek beginnings. Never had an injury before. They also get ACV in their water.

 

[chicknmania]

I'm not sure you can find poultry vitamins at TSC; I know Murray's hatchery carries aviacharge, that's where I got ours, www.firststatevetsupply.com has poultry vitamins, too, and I'm sure the other hatcheries like Ideal carry i. I've never seen any at TSC except for the high powered feed for show birds. Don't automatically think it's Marek's; it may not be, there are other neurological conditions, like the one I described, that they can get. (I know from experience)....

 

[1mommahen]

She got up on the roost tonight and ate like a pig and drank all day so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[cposz]

We had a pullet who suddenly started limping one day. Went on for a couple of days - then she was fine. Never a problem with her since.

 

[chicknmania]

Good, I hope she's ok, but keep an eye on her b/c even if it is just a sprain, she would do better if she could rest it a day or two; we had one with an injured leg or foot once too, she rested it for a few weeks, in a pen, but that was all it took for her. never could see where the injury was on her, either. Maybe your pullet has a glass sliver or something in her foot. Also, we once had a hen who dislocated her hip, we never would have guessed it was her hip, from the way she was limping. We only knew b/c we took her to the vet (that was a long time ago); a lot of good it did, as we think the vet broke her leg, trying to put the hip back WE think her over-enthusiastic rooster did it.... But, when you pick her up next, see if you can feel around up there to see if both hips feel the same, (if she's still limping that is). Hope she's ok.

 

[chookchick]

I also had one that was limping one day, then the next day she was fine. Take a good look at her, and if nothing is obvious, let her be and check on her in the morning. Keep us posted on her progress.....

 

[1mommahen]

Went to the coop early and lifted her off the roost so she wouldn't jump. She is still limping but very alert. Will go out later with yogurt and aspirin. It's like having a new baby, I worried all night!

 

[purpledonna]

I too have a limping hen.

Tonight I spotted a small black mark on her limping foot.... bumblefoot? There doesn't appear to be any swelling. She is eating fine and still being bossy! I have been putting acv in the drinking water, gave her garlic with rice and a dose of aspirin.

Tomorrow I am going to try soaking it..... in salt water or epsom salts?

Maybe this will help you too....

My plan is to soak it and then bandage it to help keep it clean.

Good luck