Limping...laid an egg on the roost

[KatefromOz]

Thanks so much. She is the sweetest and most friendly girl. The limp was so sudden,it's really got me stumped.

I'm getting there! I was thinking the added calcium for soft shell, too.

Keep us posted! I hope she starts to feel better soon. She's a cutie!

 

[KatefromOz]

We took her outside, put her up in the laying box just to see if she wanted to lay an egg. She wasn't keen. I noticed my broody hen doing to neck stretch and wide mouth opening too so my husband just wormed them in case it happens to be worms (maybe gape worm?). We have her another good look over. Vent seems clean and fine, she is eating heaps, no heat or sign of injury, crop is full, abdomen seems fine, the bumblefoot on her sore leg actually is a bit bigger than I first thought. It's not huge, or red or swollen, but who knows what is underneath. We are going to keep her in the plastic box inside tonight and do the surgery on the sore leg in the morning. Apart from the open mouth thing, and not laying today, there are no other sypmtoms. Fingers crossed it's sore from bumblefoot and she recovers quickly. Oh I will also get some calcium for her!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Good luck. I hope that solves your poor bird's problems.

My birds yawn when they are adjusting their crops. Could there be a crop problem going on, too? I wish I had better answers and more knowledge...

 

[KatefromOz]

Thanks! I hadnt thought about that, quite possibly? I will keep my eye on her and her crop.

Good luck. I hope that solves your poor bird's problems.

My birds yawn when they are adjusting their crops. Could there be a crop problem going on, too? I wish I had better answers and more knowledge...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

There was "wet stuff" (egg contents) on the bottom of the stairs, where the egg obviously landed. ..
Yes I am concerned about her breathing...I'm in Australia so it's summer time. About 29 today (85 Fahrenheit)...but in the last 2 weeks we have had days of 41 (106 Fahrenheit) so its not super hot. She is sort of stretching her neck sort of like yawning a fair bit. Could it just be the bumblefoot?

We took her outside, put her up in the laying box just to see if she wanted to lay an egg. She wasn't keen. I noticed my broody hen doing to neck stretch and wide mouth opening too so my husband just wormed them in case it happens to be worms (maybe gape worm?). We have her another good look over. Vent seems clean and fine, she is eating heaps, no heat or sign of injury, crop is full, abdomen seems fine, the bumblefoot on her sore leg actually is a bit bigger than I first thought. It's not huge, or red or swollen, but who knows what is underneath.

Open mouth breathing is likely heat stress. I would provide the whole flock with electrolytes for a couple of days. I realize it's cooler right now, but heat stress can take it's toll. Many days of 106F weather is very hard on them.

What do you use as a dewormer?

Photos of the bumblefoot would be good, top and bottom of the foot.

Heat can be a stressor and cause soft shelled eggs, but I would watch her closely over the next few days. See that she is drinking well, that the crop is empty in the morning and get calcium into her.

Hope she gets better soon, please keep us posted.

 

[KatefromOz]

Yes they often open their mouths when it's really hot. my ISA brown is so small she doesn't usually do it too often. I am on my way to buy them some electrolytes.
I use kilverm as a dewormer, I actually don't think it's treats gapeworm but hopefully won't hurt them in case there are any other worms hanging around.
So my husband did the bumblefoot "surgery" this morning, I didn't get a before phpto but I took a photo of the plug/scab. We soaked her for about 15 mins in a worm Epsom salt bath, and then my husband used tweezers to just sort of pick the plug right out, it came out easily...that seems too easy? We put a little benadine on a guage and wrapped it. Out her out with her best friend for a little while and she hobbled over to their feeder and ate.
Her crop was empty this morning, a few poops she did overnight looked normal.
One thing I noticed, when we got her out of the warm bath her feathers near the breast bone looked to be missing. Not heaps but it was also a little red, probably from the bath. Could that be related. Thank you so much for all your help!

 

[KatefromOz]

Here is the scab we pulled off. It didn't bleed at all.

 

[Aunt Angus]

How is she doing now?

 

[KatefromOz]

She is really quiet. Eating fine, haven't seen her drink any water. Really just not herself. Still limping fingers crossed a couple of days rest will help.
Thanks for checking in.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hope she gets better soon.