Prednisolone & my hurt chicken

[Kalthia]

So - it's been weeks now and my hen was finally diagnosed with sciatica - and was placed on prednisolone for a few weeks.
She finally came off - and is still not walking right, but she is getting along.. okay. I am on the fence about it still - but right now she is okay and with the flock. She is eating and drinking but most of the day she is sitting. She came off about a week ago and has had a decline meaning she was not able to get into the coop last night. The ramp seems to intimidate her in her current state. Her pain may have returned... we are not sure.

I have two questions , first how many days past stopping prednisolone can I start eating her eggs again?
Second, our coop has an under run area - and I am thinking about putting a nesting box there for a place for her to go at night if she can't get into the coop. It is just a thought - to make her more comfortable and avoid the ramp situation. She is not roosting, she just sits in a nesting box in the coop when she does make it in.

I am on the fence about culling her, I don't want her to suffer. I am sure you all have been there with one pet or another...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry she's having a hard time.

Your vet should be able to give you the withdrawal period for the Prednisolone.

If your run area is secure from predators and she will be protected from the elements, you can try placing a box for her under there to see if that helps.

When I have one this is unable to roost, I just go out at night and make sure they have safely made it inside with the others. They usually have chosen an area of the coop that they are most comfortable and at home (usually a corner). That chosen spot, I keep tidy and cleaned and add extra bedding for comfort.

 

[fat brown hen]

How was your vet able to diagnose a hen with sciatica?
In humans, sciatica will often resolve by itself in a few weeks... maybe she just needs rest.

 

[Kalthia]

How was your vet able to diagnose a hen with sciatica?
In humans, sciatica will often resolve by itself in a few weeks... maybe she just needs rest.

This has been going on for weeks, she isn't getting better. And as soon as she started laying again, it started again. I understand some hens can have pain related to laying, and she lays the biggest eggs I have had.

Her right leg is weak - and she struggles to walk. It seems painful, for awhile she wouldn't even put it down and she kept curling her toes. She was laying until we started the medication. We gave her rest inside for about a week. She is still eating and drinking and no other problems are presenting. It really was a process of elimination to get to that.

 

[fat brown hen]

This has been going on for weeks, she isn't getting better. And as soon as she started laying again, it started again. I understand some hens can have pain related to laying, and she lays the biggest eggs I have had.

Her right leg is weak - and she struggles to walk. It seems painful, for awhile she wouldn't even put it down and she kept curling her toes. She was laying until we started the medication. We gave her rest inside for about a week. She is still eating and drinking and no other problems are presenting. It really was a process of elimination to get to that.

Did the vet rule out marek's disease? Marek's affects the sciatic nerve and is common in hens who just begin to lay.