Poorly Bantam??? Or just broody??

[Catt69]

Hi all.

Could anyone help?

My bantam chicken hurt her leg about 3 months ago. She was hopping around, quite happily. Until a couple of weeks ago.
Her leg has thickened, no feelings in it. Not much i could do about it, at the time she started limping her leg looked healthy other than not wanting to walk on it.

Anyway, these last couple of weeks she's spent more time just sitting. . I thought it may have been down to a recent drop in temperature.
She's been stumbling more now, using wings to balance, bu sometimes ending up on her back!

I bought her in last night, gave her a nice bath, as she was caked in all sorts.

I noticed she wouldn't put her head up, and we had to hold it up in the water. . While snuggled in a towel sh did keep her head up a little and had a quick nibble and drink. . But as soon as the towel was moved she buried her head underneath her again.
Picking her up, and her head stayed down. . She's not making any noises either.

She has been broody once before, but she wasnt like this. So, thats why i got worried.
She keeps her wing out on her lame side at the moment.

Am i being silly, and she's just broody? Or is she poorly??

Thank you all in advance. Xx

 

[LittlePip21]

Definetly not broody, can she stand on it at all? You could put her in a sling, just look up chicken slings on google And you will see what I mean. can you give me more info on the leg? (Lumps, abnormalities, is the bottom of the foot normal? Etc) I would give her some probiotics and fix her up some (yogurt, eggs, tuna, cottage cheese etc) too keep her streangth up, sorry I couldn't be more help. Hope she gets well! Ps can the wing be folded, if not, maybe paralysis?

 

[PD-Riverman]

Does her weight feel right for her size or does she feel real lite?

 

[Eggcessive]

Mareks disease comes to mind as a possibility since she has not been using her leg for some time, along with her wry neck and loss of balance. I would give her water that has some SaveAChick or vitamins in it, and offer her a little bit of chopped egg. If you lose her you may want to get a necropsy to look for the cause of her illness. With her being lame, she also may have become dehydrated and in poor nutrition, which also can cause some neurological symptoms like you are seeing. Leg injuries are very common, and nerve damage could cause paralysis. Where are you located? Most state vets or poultry labs can do a chicken autopsy. Sorry about your little hen.

 

[Catt69]

Hey, thanks for all your replies

At the moment she's leaning against the side of the cat carrier I've popped her in. Having a good old munch.

I had her on my lap with some water that has vitamins in. I put her back in the carrier, on her side, as she didn't want to move, seemed very sleepy. About 5 mins later she had moved and was pecking around for food, so I gave her some feed mashed with a few bits of corn, just to encourage her.
Her head is still a bit 'wonky' but she's having a good go! Lol

The side she is leaning on is her good leg.

She's always been small, bottom of the pecking order. I only have 3.
So, she doesn't feel any lighter, she was already as light as a feather!

Not sure how i could do a sling. Her good leg she can stand on but she is very wobbly. So she is leaning. Would that be satisfactory for now??

Her wing on her bad side is open, but i can fold it in. I assumed its open to help with balance.

Earlier today, i was so worried. She has perked up, i hope it will last. Just boiling up some eggd, so i can give her some.

I'm in th UK, so its not very easy in my area to get a vet who has any idea about chooks.

Could the bad weather recently and the fact she wasnt quick on her feet, made her weak because it was harder to get to food??

Thank you all so much.
What could i do extra?

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[Eggcessive]

Yes, just being lame can make it hard for them to get upright and to the food and water. The nice thing about a sling is that they can reach food and water placed in front of them, and it should keep them cleaner where the droppings could fall away. I will post some sling pictures which are pretty simple to make with things around the home.

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be good for her to get out of the sling often since she is using her good leg. Here are some that BYC members have made, and you can set food and water bowls next to them:

 

[Catt69]

Ok, not quite sure what to use.

Do I do holes for both legs?
And as she is still floppy will she be able to reach food bowls... she is so small..

Thank you c

 

[Eggcessive]

It is only a suggestion to use the sling. You don't have to, or you could try it for short periods. Holes should be for both legs. A sling set up in a wire dog crate would be good so you could hang feeders from the top or the gate. Here are more pics:

 

[Catt69]

Hi.
Thanx for your help.

I've done a little something to keep her up. . She's leaning over to her good side, and not even wanting to sit upright.. so she's still very wonky! Lol

Is there anything i can do to help her lean the other way? She also ends up turning all the way around and facing the wrong way.. Lol

She's almost non stop eating. . Given her some egg and seaweed, with vitamins in her water.

This is betty munching away