Trauma / Injury / Marek's / Bumblefoot??

[erinrstrain]

Hi, chicken friends. I am on the ailing chicken google spiral. Cookie is 25 weeks old. She's bottom of the pecking order. I have to verify that she goes inside the coop each night because she's been known to stay outside. Thursday afternoon during free-range time she was fine. That night she was sleeping on the floor of the run when I locked up. I did not let them out Friday because of terrible rain. Saturday morning I found her on the ground in the run, drenched and mud caked. The other girls were circling her starting to peck. I'm afraid she was out there over night in the rain. She wouldn't open her eyes. I bathed her and put her in front of the heater. Had to dropper feed her some water and yolk. She had one poop and it was green. Today she is eating and drinking up a storm. One eye seems to be injured so I'm cleaning it with drops and she's opening it more. Poop is back to normal. The issue is that she won't walk. She will stand but topples over if she tries to take a step. I have gone down the Marek's spiral. She balances with her wing. It's on the same side as the injured eye. I noticed this spot on the bottom of her foot - could it be early bumblefoot? She is the sweetest, chattiest little girl and I hate to lose her.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you not lock your chickens in the coop at night? That is best, so they don’t get attacked by a predator in the run, or stay out in rain or snow. What is the run made of—chicken wire, fence wire, or hardware cloth? Raccoons have hands that can reach through chicken wire and pull a chicken apart. It sounds more like she may be afraid of the others inside the coop, and they have bullied her Does she have any swelling, green bruising or marks on her bad leg? The red spot on the footpad could be irritation that might lead to eventual bumblefoot. Can you post any pictures of her and her face and eyes? I would try to get her eating and drinking every 2-3 hours. A chicken sling might come in handy if she would tolerate it, and food and water can be attached to the front.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are some examples of chicken slings and chairs, especially post 5 and 11-14:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[erinrstrain]

Do you not lock your chickens in the coop at night? That is best, so they don’t get attacked by a predator in the run, or stay out in rain or snow. What is the run made of—chicken wire, fence wire, or hardware cloth? Raccoons have hands that can reach through chicken wire and pull a chicken apart. It sounds more like she may be afraid of the others inside the coop, and they have bullied her Does she have any swelling, green bruising or marks on her bad leg? The red spot on the footpad could be irritation that might lead to eventual bumblefoot. Can you post any pictures of her and her face and eyes? I would try to get her eating and drinking every 2-3 hours. A chicken sling might come in handy if she would tolerate it, and food and water can be attached to the front.

Yes, they are locked in at night and I have an automatic from the run to the coop. They free-range when I get home from work and I close the coop door at 9pm. this is when she will go elsewhere and I have to verify that she went in with the rest. The run is hardware cloth. In this case, I do not believe a predator was involved. My fear is Marek's if that redness doesn't indicate early bumblefoot. The leg looks fine - no marks, bruises, etc. She did screech at me after I palpated it a little longer than usual. Once she's balanced, she will stand to eat and drink but then lies down. The sore leg and sore eye are on the same side.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some good info on the 4 kinds of Mareks symptoms and the disease:
https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/vdl/colorado-avian-health-program/mareks-disease/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[AGeese]

Her foot looks pristine compared with my girls and mine are fine. Sounds like bullying that might have gotten her stressed and from there it's a spiral. How many chickens do you have? What breeds/sizes? and how much space is there in the coop and run?

 

[erinrstrain]

Yes, they are locked in at night and I have an automatic from the run to the coop. They free-range when I get home from work and I close the coop door at 9pm. this is when she will go elsewhere and I have to verify that she went in with the rest. The run is hardware cloth. In this case, I do not believe a predator was involved. My fear is Marek's if that redness doesn't indicate early bumblefoot. The leg looks fine - no marks, bruises, etc. She did screech at me after I palpated it a little longer than usual. Once she's balanced, she will stand to eat and drink but then lies down. The sore leg and sore eye are on the same side.

 

[erinrstrain]

10 hens of varying breeds. The largest is a barred rock. 3 are bantams. Coop is 15x15. Run is 15x30. They free range every day from 4 until sundown. This is the eye she is leaving mostly closed. I’m putting drops on it. It sounds like y’all are leaning towards injured leg? I’ve read everything on Marek’s and yes some of her issues are there but they could snap be due to injury. I’ve tried to attach a video of her trying to stand but it won’t load.

 

[Eggcessive]

The eye looks sealed closed due to drainage. I would drip some saline or use a warm wet washcloth on it for a few minutes to get it open. Terramycin eye ointment or plain Neosporin can be put into the eye twice a day. I really hope it is an injury and not Mareks, but hard to know for sure at this stage.

 

[erinrstrain]

The eye looks sealed closed due to drainage. I would drip some saline or use a warm wet washcloth on it for a few minutes to get it open. Terramycin eye ointment or plain Neosporin can be put into the eye twice a day. I really hope it is an injury and not Mareks, but hard to know for sure at this stage.

Thank you. She won’t stand this morning. Flops over and spreads her wing.