Multiple Hens Limping

[Bigfishbobby]

We are having a heck of a time with losing chickens. In a year, we have probably lost 6-8 for various ailments, all of which were old enough to be outside. We are at a loss for what is happening, but this is the first time it seems as though something is running through our flock. See answers below. Thank you for any help.

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.) currently, one speckled Sussex a few months old, one Delaware a few months old, and one Wyandotte about a year old. Only the Wyandotte has laid, but I am not sure if she has stopped or not.
2) What is the behavior, exactly. They start out limping. Delaware is now sitting on her hocks.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? All have started within the past week.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? Yes, 3 as stated above. We have 14 total chickens.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. None
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. Nothing
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. They all eat and drink fine. We had them on rural king crumbles but switched to Nutrena 22% recently because we felt that maybe some of our problems were attributed to vitamins or nutrition deficiencies.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. Nothing abnormal noticed.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Brought the Sussex and Delaware inside. Today the Wyandotte started limping so now I don’t know what to do. We are running out of space to quarantine birds.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? We are on our own.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. No pics. Just limping currently and one sitting on her hocks. The Sussex has wing drooping too but the others don’t.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use. Coop and run outside. It’s been a rough winter here in East TN but nothing they shouldn’t be able to handle with the protection they have. We use straw inside the coop, and the run is dirt. I added some ash/top soil/sand mix two days ago to freshen it up.

 

[FowlProtector]

Do you have any pictures that would be helpful?
Tag @Eggcessive

 

[FowlProtector]

What you explained While you wait for others to respond, I might have a few suggestions for you to follow.
I'm very sorry to read that many of your hens are exhibiting signs like limping, sitting on their hocks, and wing drooping; it seems like you're having a difficult time with them. Determining the cause might be challenging, but there are a few plausible causes, including a dietary problem, an illness, or even cold-related stress.
If there were inadequacies before switching to Nutrena 22%, it may take some time for the birds to recover. To help with their strength and mobility, you might wish to add a vitamin supplement that contains calcium and B vitamins. A bacterial or viral illness, such as Marek's disease, which might have the same symptoms, is another option. Getting a fecal sample examined by the veterinarian, if you can, may help identify whether something similar is occurring.
Additionally, given the harsh winter, the birds may be under stress from the cold and wet weather, which might increase their vulnerability to issues like joint stiffness or weakness. Since more than one bird is afflicted, it would likely be beneficial to speak with a veterinarian, even if only over the phone, to rule out more serious disorders like Marek's. Keeping the afflicted birds indoors, where it's warmer and less stressful, should assist in the interim. To give them a little boost, try giving them some additional protein, such as mealworms or scrambled eggs, and make sure they're still eating and drinking properly.

 

[Bigfishbobby]

What you explained While you wait for others to respond, I might have a few suggestions for you to follow.
I'm very sorry to read that many of your hens are exhibiting signs like limping, sitting on their hocks, and wing drooping; it seems like you're having a difficult time with them. Determining the cause might be challenging, but there are a few plausible causes, including a dietary problem, an illness, or even cold-related stress.
If there were inadequacies before switching to Nutrena 22%, it may take some time for the birds to recover. To help with their strength and mobility, you might wish to add a vitamin supplement that contains calcium and B vitamins. A bacterial or viral illness, such as Marek's disease, which might have the same symptoms, is another option. Getting a fecal sample examined by the veterinarian, if you can, may help identify whether something similar is occurring.
Additionally, given the harsh winter, the birds may be under stress from the cold and wet weather, which might increase their vulnerability to issues like joint stiffness or weakness. Since more than one bird is afflicted, it would likely be beneficial to speak with a veterinarian, even if only over the phone, to rule out more serious disorders like Marek's. Keeping the afflicted birds indoors, where it's warmer and less stressful, should assist in the interim. To give them a little boost, try giving them some additional protein, such as mealworms or scrambled eggs, and make sure they're still eating and drinking properly.

Thank you. I did not mention that we started giving B complex, calcium, and vitamin e last night in scrambled eggs to the 2 inside. Since we started with 2 younger birds, one with droopy wing and the other a limp, I was hopeful that this was two separate issues. Now that we have a third one that is limping, I doubt that is the case. I did check the Delaware’s feet for bumble and they looked normal. The birds haven’t free ranged much because of a hawk issue recently and we have been mindful of bird flu as well just in case.

 

[FowlProtector]

You are to be making every effort to keep your birds healthy by giving them vitamins. If additional hens are exhibiting the same symptoms, though, it may be a sign of a larger problem that affects the entire flock rather than a few isolated instances.
The Wyandotte are also exhibiting symptoms, which suggests that there may be an underlying medical condition or environmental component at work.

Hawks may increase stress, especially if the birds are already agitated. This stress may weaken their immune systems, making them more susceptible to various issues, such as potential malnourishment.

It's important to monitor your flock for any new or worsening symptoms. If you see a spread of symptoms, it could be prudent to consult a veterinarian. Isolation can also help the affected birds recover since it provides a more controlled environment with access to food, water, and warmth. By looking out for the wellbeing of your birds, you're doing the right thing!

 

[Closing Time]

@Bigfishbobby OMgosh. I am sorry to hear there's more health drama in your flock. Are these hens presenting like your first hen? Did you end up sending her out for necropsy?

It sounds like something is moving through your girls that may be unrelated to the nutritional deficiency. But if it is that, and you've caught it now so supplementation can begin earlier, maybe dosing like you did previously may turn it around for these three. I understand your frustration and just want to send my virtual support.

 

[Bigfishbobby]

@Bigfishbobby OMgosh. I am sorry to hear there's more health drama in your flock. Are these hens presenting like your first hen? Did you end up sending her out for necropsy?

It sounds like something is moving through your girls that may be unrelated to the nutritional deficiency. But if it is that, and you've caught it now so supplementation can begin earlier, maybe dosing like you did previously may turn it around for these three. I understand your frustration and just want to send my virtual support.

Thanks. We didn’t send her for a necropsy. This presentation is different. No staggering or drunkenness. It’s just a limp. I think we are going to try some sort of mite treatment since we don’t have much else we feel like we can do.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would stop the calcium since 2 of the birds are 3 months old and not laying. Calcium may help the one that has laid if you think that she could be egg bound. But it should not be given more than 7 days. Was the previous feed a chick starter grower feed, a layer feed, or all flock feed? They should be only on a starter grower feed until 20 weeks of age or laying. Layer has 4 times the calcium needed, and can cause kidney disease or gout if given too young. Human B complex that has riboflavin is what I would use, and give each chicken 1/4 to 1/2 tablet daily in some food. Riboflavin deficiency can cause curled under toes and walking on hocks, and lead to paralysis. Mareks disease also can cause those symptoms sometimes. Do you have any roosters? Are you roosts very high off the ground? Is there any swelling or anything abnormal about their legs and feet?

 

[Bigfishbobby]

I would stop the calcium since 2 of the birds are 3 months old and not laying. Calcium may help the one that has laid if you think that she could be egg bound. But it should not be given more than 7 days. Was the previous feed a chick starter grower feed, a layer feed, or all flock feed? They should be only on a starter grower feed until 20 weeks of age or laying. Layer has 4 times the calcium needed, and can cause kidney disease or gout if given too young. Human B complex that has riboflavin is what I would use, and give each chicken 1/4 to 1/2 tablet daily in some food. Riboflavin deficiency can cause curled under toes and walking on hocks, and lead to paralysis. Mareks disease also can cause those symptoms sometimes. Do you have any roosters? Are you roosts very high off the ground? Is there any swelling or anything abnormal about their legs and feet?

Thank you. We have only fed starter feed until they go outside, around 8-10 weeks of age. At that point they have joined the flock and have been changed over to layer crumbles. We did recently change over to Nutrena 22% from the Rural King 16% because of all of the crazy illnesses we have dealt with. That changeover is still occurring since we decided to mix the feeds in hopes of not shocking them with something completely new. We will heed your advice and stop the calcium supplement. We do have 1 silkie rooster. Our roost is only about 2-3 foot high since the coop area isn’t tall to start with. Only a few of the chickens even use it since they seem content to huddle on the floor instead. I looked at the Delaware’s feet yesterday and they looked normal to me. My wife seems to think they have a green hue to them, but I don’t see it. I’ll add a pic if I can get it. The Wyandotte is still outside since she just started exhibiting symptoms so I don’t have great access to her at the moment like the ones inside. Of note, the Sussex seems WAY worse today but never had the limp so I’m not sure her illness is related. The Delaware seems to be normal aside from the leg issue.

 

[Bigfishbobby]