debikm
Chirping
One of my barred rock pullets I got back in February was completely normal until a month or so back when I saw her walking lame on her right foot. I caught her, it looked like early bumblefoot (small scab on the sole of her foot, with a soft spot). I found no wounds or pain anywhere in either limb. I lanced the swelling with a sterile 18 gauge needle, got a little bloody serum/pus out, applied triple antibiotic and aloe and wrapped it with gauze, telfa and bandage tape. The bandage came off overnight and she seemed better. Her lameness improved and I continued to check it daily and her foot looked fine. A few days later she seemed lame on her left foot this time. I found nothing that looked wrong with that foot, but I applied some aloe and let her go. A few days after that she seemed lame on both feet. Her gait is stilted, like she's walking on her tiptoes and she walks placing her feet in a straight line, like she's walking a tightrope and she frequently rests back on her hocks. Her appetite, weight, water consumption are all normal and no others in the flock are showing any symptoms. I pick her up every few days and check her, her feet look normal, I can't elicit any pain anywhere along her legs and feet, all her joints flex normally. The only thing I can think of is maybe she caught a frog or skink that was toxic and she now has some neurological issues. She can hurry if she wants or needs to and she has laid a few times since these symptoms showed up, though this time of year I'm only getting an egg or two a day, if that, from six hens total. I'm stumped. Anyone have any ideas?
