Pullet resting on hocks/Walking Funny

[MrsFitzDarcy]

One of my barred Plymouth Rocks is sitting on her hocks, getting up and walking around like an egret in deep water. Could she have an egg working its way out? It would be her first.

 

[BantamLover21]

How long has her behavior been going on? Egg binding doesn't usually cause symptoms like she's displaying. Two more likely things that come to mind are Marek's disease or a vitamin deficiency. Do you know if she was vaccinated for Marek's as a chick? Even vaccinated birds can get the disease, but knowing whether she was could still help us determine the problem better.

If not Marek's, a vitamin deficiency is possible. I'd isolate her from the rest of your flock and start giving her vitamins in her water or polyvisol infant vitamins (2-3 drops per day). Improvement may take a few days, or a few weeks.

Good luck with her!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

It sounds like Infectious Synovitis. Check the feet to see if the hocks, shanks, and feet are swollen. If so, she definitely has it. There isn't very many effective treatments to this. Some that help are: adding aureomycin or terramycin to the water or giving them an injection of streptomycin. Hope she gets well soon!

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

I've seen her sitting on her hocks before, but not walking funny. The high-walking thing is new. I will ask the lady I got her from if she was vaccinated.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

If she has Infectious Synovitis, the swelling could have not been as extreme before, so she wouldn't have been resting on her hocks. Could you take a picture of her legs, maybe?

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

How long has her behavior been going on? Egg binding doesn't usually cause symptoms like she's displaying. Two more likely things that come to mind are Marek's disease or a vitamin deficiency. Do you know if she was vaccinated for Marek's as a chick? Even vaccinated birds can get the disease, but knowing whether she was could still help us determine the problem better.

If not Marek's, a vitamin deficiency is possible. I'd isolate her from the rest of your flock and start giving her vitamins in her water or polyvisol infant vitamins (2-3 drops per day). Improvement may take a few days, or a few weeks.

Good luck with her!

The lady I got her from thought it might be Marek's. She put her head in on another thread. If it ends up that, should I just keep her comfy as long as possible. I've never killed a chicken ... don't know if I could do it.

BTW- I love bunnies. We got our first around Xmas this year-two brothers, black non-registered Holland Lops. So sweet and cute.