Possible vitamin deficiency?? Please Help!

[sneal79]

I noticed the other day that one of my red sex links was limping. I picked her up to make sure she didn't have bumble foot. Nothing. I felt around on her leg for any signs of dislocation...I'm not a vet and couldn't really tell if the leg was dislocated or not. Now today, I come home from work and my husband tells me that she is in our old rabbit hutch completely unable to walk or stand. I sort of freaked out worried that she has mareks...but after reading about the symptoms, I really dont think that is her problem. I was reading some other threads on here about vitamin deficiencies. How on earth am I supposed to get vitamins in her? She is eating just fine and perks up as normal. I also read that a vitamin B deficiency can result in loss of use for the legs...but there are several vitamin B's out there and not certain which one to use. Where can I get these vitamins? Any advise that can be offered would be great! I don't think she is dying (I've witnessed one of my old barred rocks pass a few months ago).

Thank You!
Stephanie

 

[dawg53]

She mightve jumped down from a high roost or other high location and sprained or pulled a tendon or ligament. Keep her in a cage isolated, provide her feed and water. You dont want her walking around possibly making the injury worse, she needs rest and relaxation. Leg injuries take time to heal; sometimes a week, a month, several months or never depending on the severity of the injury. You can purchase vitamin B complex tablets at a pharmacy. Crush a few into powder and sprinkle it on top of her feed to eat. The vitamin B complex might possibly help speed up the healing/recovery process. Do this for 5 days while she's caged, then on the 6th day release her and see if there's improvement. If not, recage her and continue the vitamin B complex treatment for another 5 days. Then release her again and check her out, hopefully there'll be improvement. If not, it'll be a quality of life issue for your hen.
I had a Black Star hen that limped around on one leg for a year, I had to keep her seperated from the others because they wanted her eliminated. I put her in a quarantine pen by herself and she did just fine hobbling around on one leg, she even laid eggs. However, after a year of hobbling on one leg...too much pressure and weight on her good leg, she collapsed. I had to put her down.
Lower roosts and get rid of any other high places your birds can jump down from. Good luck.

 

[sneal79]

Thank you Dawg53! I am willing to do anything to save my girls. I have lost too many (4 to raccoons, 1 to old age) to give up on her. I will go tomorrow to buy some vitamins and keep her isolated. Have you ever dealt with mareks? Does this sound like a symptom? I will also have my husband install a lower roost for this reason. Our roosts are up high due to the amount of raccoons we have in the area. Thank you for your help!

 

[dawg53]

I've never dealt with marek's. But from what I've read about marek's, I dont think your hen has it.

 

[sneal79]

So...I crushed up some vitamin B tabs and put it in my girls food...separated her from the others and she is doing great! She started limping again just a little bit, but I have come to the conclusion that it is has to be from jumping off of the roost in their coop. I am going to work on building a lower roost in hopes it will help.