Pullet Limping, hurt leg and drooping wing

[Amateur-chicken-mama]

I have a pullet named Zoe of about 8 months old. She has not started laying yet. A few weeks ago we had a raccoon/cat attack that killed one chicken. Ever since, Zoe has been walking strangely, and having one wing droop. It has gotten worse lately, with her constantly tripping and not putting much weight on one leg. Her poop is solid or runny, I’ve seen either. She still eats and drinks. She sits a lot, including while eating, I do not think she has mareks because she is not in the chicken splits position. I have separated her from the other chickens. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Amateur-chicken-mama]

Also, I do not know for sure if the predator attack is the cause of this, but it might be.

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be hard to know for sure if she was injured and possibly has some nerve damage. I have heard of a big stress such as an attack, can cause Mareks to show up, but that was from a person on BYC that has dealt with Mareks for several years. You have probably looked over her leg for any swelling, green bruising, swollen joint, or bumblefoot scabs on feet.

Sometimes a video of the chicken walking around can help pinpoint a problem. Videos need to be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo with a link posted here. Some signs of the neural for Mareks are weakness of one or both legs, sometimes the toes can curl under on the one foot, drooping wings or using a wing to balance, imbalance, and more rarely, wry neck. The eye form can cause changes in the eye color or a small irregular pupil.

I would continue to observe her and make sure that no one bullies her, and that she can reach her food and water. If her flock is not bothering her, I would let her be in the coop or run with them, but keep her from roosting.

 

[Amateur-chicken-mama]

Okay, thank you for the tips, all of my chickens are vaccinated for Mareks, could she still have it?

 

[Amateur-chicken-mama]

I will try to get a video soon

 

[Eggcessive]

It is possible to get Mareks even when vaccinated. First it takes 2 weeks without exposure for the vaccine to become effective. If exposed to a carrier, they can still get it, but may not suffer from the tumors. And, then some chicks may be missed when vaccines are given. Hopefully, though this is not Mareks, but an injury as you think. Did the predator get into the coop? Do you have a rooster who could have her her back?

 

[Amateur-chicken-mama]

So my setup is I have a secure fence covered with poultry netting on the top, and an open coop inside that the chickens can choose to sleep in but they choose to perch on the top instead. Lately though the injured chicken has been sleeping on the floor of the coop. Something got in through a small gap in the top and left one chicken dead inside and then got away. I have gone over the top and closed every single gap so they are safe now. There are no roosters with them.

 

[Amateur-chicken-mama]

the only other symptom of mareks any of my other chickens have developed is two have not been laying for a few days, but those two are kept in a separate area from them that shares one side of a fence, and they are healthy otherwise.

 

[Amateur-chicken-mama]

here’s the video

 

[Amateur-chicken-mama]

Actually my brother just reminded me that while I was away a couple weeks ago one of the chickens got her leg stuck in a feeder. I wasn’t there so I can’t know the specific details, but it sounds like that might have been the cause. I am about to do a more in depth check for bruising and swelling. He said it was one of two chickens that look like her but it sounds like it was probably the injured one.