One of my girls is noticeably limping. I checked out her foot, and then again with a magnifying glass, but I didn't see anything. It feels warmer than her other foot. She doesn't exhibit any pain when I gently pushed on it and manipulated it, and she's eating and acting normally otherwise. Is this how bumblefoot starts? Too early to tell? Am I missing something?
How old is she? If she is under 12 months, then the lameness may be due to Marek's disease which is caused by a very widespread and extremely contagious virus. Lameness was the first symptom I noticed in my flock. At first I thought it must be an injury, but then when another one and then another one went lame, I realised it was too much of a coincidence and by then the first one was really ill. Hope I'm wrong and it's something else, but worth reading up on and start checking her weight and condition as Marek's causes them to waste away even though they appear to eat well. Good luck with her and really hope it's something more benign.
Oh gosh. She's 7 months. She is small, but not alarmingly so. Her sore foot seems much warmer than her other foot ... that's why I thought maybe she had an infection. I'll read up on Marek's. I'm sick just thinking of it. Thanks for your response.
