Hi, all! Longtime lurker, first time poster. Have really appreciated all the things I've learned here, but I have a specific problem. I have my very first flock, all of whom are eight months old.
One of my buff Orpingtons has been limping pretty noticeably since yesterday. I palpated her leg and didn't notice anything, and there was no sign of bumblefoot, so I put her back with the flock. Today her limp is worse, and she had a poopy butt (though her vent wasn't covered.) Otherwise she's acting normal--active, bright eyes, good color, etc. I palpated her leg again as well as her abdomen, and didn't notice any abnormalities, so I put her in the barn while I did my morning chores. She was passing mostly normal stool; there was a very small trail of something that might have been a bit of loose stool, but that was in addition to three perfectly good ones.
I gave her a bath up at the house (she was remarkably well-behaved, if confused), and also did an internal examination but didn't feel an egg in her oviduct. So now she's hanging out (and complaining occasionally) in the old brood box at the house while she finished drying off and so I can continue monitoring her stools. I haven't seen her drink or eat yet, and her crop is empty, so if she hasn't had water by tonight I'll syringe her. I may also add some low dose aspirin to the water to see if that helps with her pain. I'm wondering if she strained a muscle and the pain is making it hard for her to clean herself?
So I'm stumped. At this point other than the limp and poopy butt she's normal (that and not drinking/eating). I'm really lucky in that one of my landmates here is a retired veterinarian with a lot of bird experience, but she won't be here til tomorrow. Until then, any ideas as to what might be going on with my chook? Thanks in advance!
One of my buff Orpingtons has been limping pretty noticeably since yesterday. I palpated her leg and didn't notice anything, and there was no sign of bumblefoot, so I put her back with the flock. Today her limp is worse, and she had a poopy butt (though her vent wasn't covered.) Otherwise she's acting normal--active, bright eyes, good color, etc. I palpated her leg again as well as her abdomen, and didn't notice any abnormalities, so I put her in the barn while I did my morning chores. She was passing mostly normal stool; there was a very small trail of something that might have been a bit of loose stool, but that was in addition to three perfectly good ones.
I gave her a bath up at the house (she was remarkably well-behaved, if confused), and also did an internal examination but didn't feel an egg in her oviduct. So now she's hanging out (and complaining occasionally) in the old brood box at the house while she finished drying off and so I can continue monitoring her stools. I haven't seen her drink or eat yet, and her crop is empty, so if she hasn't had water by tonight I'll syringe her. I may also add some low dose aspirin to the water to see if that helps with her pain. I'm wondering if she strained a muscle and the pain is making it hard for her to clean herself?
So I'm stumped. At this point other than the limp and poopy butt she's normal (that and not drinking/eating). I'm really lucky in that one of my landmates here is a retired veterinarian with a lot of bird experience, but she won't be here til tomorrow. Until then, any ideas as to what might be going on with my chook? Thanks in advance!
