Need ideas on what to do about two hens with leg and foot pain

[azygous]

I'm out of ideas. I have one Welsummer hen, around age three, who has been having leg problems for months. She can walk but it's obvious it's painful so she sits most of the time. (No, it's not Marek's.) I've been giving her Vitamin B and Poultry Nutri-drench. No apparent improvement after several weeks of this treatment.

The other hen is around age six. She's a Speckled Sussex and she doesn't want to put weight on her left foot. Here's the curious thing, though. Her right foot does show some signs of swelling on the rear toe, but she doesn't mind putting all her weight on that foot. The left foot, which obviously is giving her a lot of pain, doesn't show any sign of a wound, swelling, or abrasion. Talons appear intact. She's getting an antibiotic because I've tried everything else - soaking in Epsom salts and baby aspirin.

Photos would show perfectly normal feet and legs in both girls so I haven't bothered. All four feet are warm and show no signs of bad circulation.

The one thing these two hens have in common is they carry the lymphotic leucosis virus. If tumors are causing these leg and foot problems, there's nothing I can do. But if anyone has any other ideas about what might be behind these problems, please lets hear it.

 

[sourland]

I wonder if they might not be arthritic. I can vouch for the fact that can make life painful at times.

Rimadyl is great for arthritic dogs, but I have no idea what it would do to a chicken.

 

[azygous]

You may have nailed it. But the SS foot pain came on all of a sudden last week. I guess that happens. I, too, know all about arthritis. Been shoveling snow and discovered some new ones.

I may start treating them both for arthritis and see what happens.