Please help - Approx 6 month Hen off her legs with curled toes

[pamela1000cc]

Hi there,
I hope someone can help. I have a hen approx 6 months old that was fine one morning when I let her out and when I came home from work later that day she was huddled under the chicken coop almost unable to walk. Her toes are curled and she seems to walk on her elbows as it were. Nothing appears to be wounded or broken and she seems in fine fettle bar this. Comb is healthy, eyes are clear, poo normal etc. I have upped her grit thinking that it could possibly be a calcium deficiency and have her on poultry spice, some syrupy drink and have put her back on growers. She has never really started to lay but the few eggs we did get since this were rubbery. She has been like it for about 4 weeks now. She can get about but slowly. She seems to put her wings out when she walks - not sure if there is a balance issue too or if it is just from the way she walks. I am guessing you are all going to suggest the unmentionable but I thought I would ask just incase there is something I can do to help her!! She's such a nice hen I would love to be able to save her. She is a Cuckoo Marans. Very appreciative of any help you can give! Thank you.

 

[Lacrystol]

She's been like this for 4 weeks?? Not good, feel under her belly is she all skins and bones? Check her eyes, put her in a dark room and shine the light on it. Do they dilate? Is she sneezy or breathing strange, or any other signs. Give her some oyster shells for calcium. Possibly Mareks, but that's a possiblilty. Do you have any other chickens showing any strange signs? Could be a vitamin defincient try given her some Polivisol or Poultry drench. Why did you wait 4 weeks to ask?

Check her vent any scabs or swelling, check the inside of her mouth, smell it for any odors. is she eating a lot or very little, is she drinking at all?

could be something internally, perhaps maybe she got some poison? Spider or plant etc.

 

[pamela1000cc]

My partner thinks she has lost a bit of weight but she isn't too bad. Not sneezy or breathing funny and no other signs. Hasn't been separated much and the rest are all 100% healthy. Did read up re Mareks but we don't think it is that. We thought a calcium deficiency perhaps? I've got her on mixed grit is that ok? She is on poultry spice and poultry drink from Pets at Home. Possibly not the best stuff? I've literally just come across this site and joined tonight to ask the question! She's drinking and eating a pretty fair amount. Where would I get Polivisol please? Thank you.

 

[ChickieG'ma]

Polyvisol you get at the drugstore or supermarket in the vitamin or infant section. It is infant vitamins. You want the NON iron formula.

 

[Lacrystol]

My partner thinks she has lost a bit of weight but she isn't too bad. Not sneezy or breathing funny and no other signs. Hasn't been separated much and the rest are all 100% healthy. Did read up re Mareks but we don't think it is that. We thought a calcium deficiency perhaps? I've got her on mixed grit is that ok? She is on poultry spice and poultry drink from Pets at Home. Possibly not the best stuff? I've literally just come across this site and joined tonight to ask the question! She's drinking and eating a pretty fair amount. Where would I get Polivisol please? Thank you.

Depends on what kind of grit you are giving her, it's is Insoluble grit or Soluble? Polivisol is sold anywhere walmart, walgreens, it's baby vitamins, theres one with iron and one without iron, you want the one without iron. it's about $10.00.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you are in the UK, you just need to find whatever brand of infant liquid vitamins without iron that you can, or a vitamin suppliment for chickens, and use it daily.

 

[Lacrystol]

When you use the poultry spice, do you mix it with the food? Do you wet the food at all? if not I would damp the food just a little, no need to soak it, then sprinkle the poultry spice on it so that it sticks to the food so when she eats she has NO choice but to eat some of it. Otherwise it will just go to the bottom of the food dish..

 

[Lacrystol]

the Poultry Spice does have a great deal of calcium in it, so it should be OK..You just have to make sure she is eating it...

 

[Lacrystol]

If the only signs she is showing is her curled up toes and weakness in the legs, give her some Vitamin B complete. Put a pill in her water and just let it melt on its own..

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency

I second trying vitamin b! See link above and this one too:
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/vitamin_deficiencies_in_poultry.html
scroll down to riboflavin (curly toe paralysis)

They sell poultry packs for poultry at the feed store, and some BYC'ers use poly vi sol without iron for their chickens. Yogurt and scrambled or boiled eggs are also good sources of riboflavin.