Please can you help / offer advice regarding my hen

[LAM2011]

hi everyone,

I have joined today hoping you may be able to help or offer some advice regarding one of my hens. I am really upset about her and my agricultural vet is in the area on the 26th and hoping she will take a look then (if its not too late).

She is a black rock hybrid and incredibly friendly - unfortunately last Monday (10/10/11) she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and my jack russel and my other cross breed had a bit of catch and chase game with her and by the time we got to her she was lying on the ground with her beak open panting. Within minutes she had calmed down but her legs appeared paraylsed. There was no wound / blood or missing feathers so we put her in her nesting box.

Through the week she is now stretching her legs out beneath her and can claw her fingers around my hand, she is still very chatty and still has good colour, She is eating layers pellets (although not laying), corn, wet bread, ham and if I put her out on grass she pecks along with the other 2 chickens to eat and drink. I am keeping her in the box and just taking her out for some sun / fresh air. She seems well in herself but if I place her down she just flops over as though there is no strength in her legs to hold herself up. She will span her wings and flap them a bit as though for exercise and has learnt to move herself around in the box by using her wings.

Do you think she will make a full recovery?

Thank you for reading.

 

[artsyrobin]

work with her, she may be bruised, quiet and unstressed, she may recover- give her the benefit of a doubt- here is a link to my miracle girl- she came to me in a similar situation, took about 3 months, but she made a full recovery- we kept her quiet for a bit, outside in a cage when the weather was nice, would sit with her when she sunned herself, and one day she flopped hopped across the pasture- she wanted to be healthy and we gave her the chance, they are very resilient and yours isn't a lost cause...

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o155/rgortonart/Jewel- Miracle Hen/
http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/...iracle Hen/?action=view&current=jewelwalk.mp4

 

[LAM2011]

Thank you Artsyrobin - for sharing - my hen will lay down in the same position. Today she is trying to use one of the legs and her wings to manoevre her way around (only inches). I will def perservere with her - I just worry as our weather is getting colder now - last year we had snow in November so hoping she will be better by then.

 

[greenegglover]

Sounds like shes very stressed/shocked. Try some vitamin electrolyte powder in her water for a couple of weeks. Scrambled eggs / yogurt treats and keep feeding regular feed. IMO she probably just needs to relax for a few weeks then will be back to normal.

 

[LAM2011]

Thanks Greenegglover. I do hope so. I just have another question - I have seen that people recommend a warm bath - how do you dry them after - just leave them to dry on their own? Will this cause her more shock. Sorry if it seems a silly question but my dogs I wash and dry with hairdryer - I dont want to cause her more stress.

 

[artsyrobin]

Use a blow dryer, also, i would have her in the house, better way to monitor her too- thats what i did with Jewell, on a sheet with food and water available or in a dog carrier

 

[Animalian]

if her legs don't feel broken perhaps you could do some physiotherapy with her? like gently hold her foot and move it as if she were riding a bike. If she's not freaked out by water (or even in the bath) you could put her in some up to her chest and see if she'll try to walk through it (lure her with treats), the water will support most of her weight encouraging her to just move.

Maybe even some massage? I've heard that does wonders for dodgy legs. Increases circulations which will help speed healing

 

[LAM2011]

Just wanted to say thanks for the encouragement. Today she is able to bring her legs under her but not stand up - she just topples again so perhaps something was broken / fractured. I have not managed to bath her yet as I work full time and its cold first and last thing but my mum has been taking her out during the day and sitting outside with her. She does seem to have lost weight even though she is eating but I am hopeful that she is going to recover. Monday it will have been 2 weeks.

Thanks again.

 

[artsyrobin]

Quote:
that sounds alot like what my jewell would do, see if you can hold her up, so she can get her legs under her, you support her weight, and gently ease her down so she can put a little weight on her legs- she probably has some bruising- give her time and extra treats