Should I put her down?

[Ks1063]

Hi everyone,

I have an eight month old jersey giant (sweet as can be). Two weeks ago she started limping. It has progressed so that now she cannot walk at all. We have wormed her, and given antibiotic injection. She is alert, eats, drinks, and doesn't seem to be 'sick' at all. She just can't walk. A few days ago, I thought she was showing signs of improvement. She was raising her breast while sitting on her feet kindof leaning back. Now, she's down again.

I don't know if it's an injury, or disease, but I'm leaving for a week long trip and I know she won't survive without constant care. If anyone has thoughts or ideas please let me know. I have two days to make a decision.

-Kathy

 

[gritsar]

First of all, welcome to the forum. I'm sorry it had to be when an illness hit your bird.
I'm not much good with illnesses. When I read "limping" my first thought was bumblefoot, but the rest doesn't fit. Gonna point someone with more knowledge of poultry illnesses to your thread.
Good luck to you.

 

[dawg53]

Check the bottom of her feet for a round dark in color scab. If you see one, it's bumblefoot and will require minor surgery to remove the infection. It also could possibly be some type of leg injury. She may have jumped down from a high roost or other high place and sprained or pulled a ligament or tendon. If this is the case, keep her caged to prevent her from walking/standing to further aggravate the injury, provide her feed and water. You can add vitamin B complex to her feed for about 5 days and see if there's improvement by letting her out of the cage to see if she can walk. If not, recage her and provide her again with the vitamin B complex for another 5 days, then check again for improvement. If there's no improvement, stop the vitamin B complex.
Leg injuries take time to heal. Sometimes it might take a week, a month, 6 months, or never. It just depends how severe the injury is. To prevent this from happening; lower roosts and eliminate high places birds can jump down from.
I understand that you dont have much time to deal with this. Is it possible a friend or neighbor can chickensit your hen while you're gone? All they would need to do is the basics; ensure she has feed and water, clean the cage 2 or 3 times. If you lived near me, I'd care for her until you got back. Otherwise it might be best to cull. Good luck with your decisions.

 

[Ks1063]

My daughter is keeping my dog. I'll see if she'll keep chicky, too. She already has a 3 and 6 year old, so her hands are full.

Thanks for the advice. I'm giving her water with vitamin B complex now. She's eating some scratch, avocado and raw egg, and spinach from the garden. Any other suggestions?

 

[missnu01]

I had to put down 2 chicks that had lost the ability to move I assumed because of Marek's. All the remaining chickens babies and adults are all fine...There is a point where the life an animal lives is not really living at all. it is hard, but sometimes needs to be done.

 

[Ks1063]

She has no symptoms of being sick. I thought Marek's was in chicks, not 8 month old laying hens? The only thing that seems wrong with her is she can't walk.

 

[Etw321]

@Ks1063, be careful with feeding your chickens avacado! I have heard from many people that avacados are toxic!!!!!

 

[Ks1063]

Oh no. I thought avocado would be good because it was a way of getting fat into her diet. She's lost a lot of weight in the last 2 weeks. She really liked it, gobbling it down.

 

[jak2002003]

Oh no. I thought avocado would be good because it was a way of getting fat into her diet. She's lost a lot of weight in the last 2 weeks. She really liked it, gobbling it down.

Avocado is toxic to birds. Also raw egg is not a good idea either as it many have harmful bacteria growing on it if you leave it any length of time in the cage.

hard boiled egg mashed up with its shell and some chick starter food would be a lot better idea.

 

[Ks1063]

I just found this:

"Ingestion of avocado ( Persea americana ) has been associated with myocardial necrosis in mammals and birds and with sterile mastitis in lactating mammals. Cattle, goats, horses, mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, sheep, budgerigars, canaries, cockatiels, ostriches, chickens, turkeys, and fish are susceptible. Caged birds appear more sensitive to the effects of avocado, while chickens and turkeys appear more resistant. A single case report exists of 2 dogs developing myocardial damage secondary to avocado ingestion."

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/211102.htm