Unsure what's wrong with my hen...

[Littlefoxhat]

I started this morning thinking my hen was egg bound - she was ducky walking, tail dropped, and seemed unable or unwilling to stand) but by noon she had made a big (yellow and very stinky) poo and laid an egg. She ran from me when I tried to check her out around lunch time and seemed alert so I thought she might be on the mend. But this evening she is still unable to stand or walk more than a few steps and is laying on her side and when standing keeps low to the ground and is using her wings to hold herself upright. She is eating and drank some electrolyte water (homemade, molases sugar and salt) during the day. Her face is still red and she is alert and making her usual noises, but she won't/can't get up.

I checked her feet and found a weird black mass that looked like a rock between her toes on the underside of her foot. I was able to extract it, the end that was in her foot was soft like earwax but the rest was very hard. Not sure if that's related, wish I took a photo but I was caught up in checking her out. Also, the area of the foot that was underneath this thing was clean and seemed normal color, no pus or blood and really looked as of that thing had never been there.

Unsure if she'll be able to get into the coop tonight...I'm out of ideas. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Turd bird]

I started this morning thinking my hen was egg bound - she was ducky walking, tail dropped, and seemed unable or unwilling to stand) but by noon she had made a big (yellow and very stinky) poo and laid an egg. She ran from me when I tried to check her out around lunch time and seemed alert so I thought she might be on the mend. But this evening she is still unable to stand or walk more than a few steps and is laying on her side and when standing keeps low to the ground and is using her wings to hold herself upright. She is eating and drank some electrolyte water (homemade, molases sugar and salt) during the day. Her face is still red and she is alert and making her usual noises, but she won't/can't get up.

I checked her feet and found a weird black mass that looked like a rock between her toes on the underside of her foot. I was able to extract it, the end that was in her foot was soft like earwax but the rest was very hard. Not sure if that's related, wish I took a photo but I was caught up in checking her out. Also, the area of the foot that was underneath this thing was clean and seemed normal color, no pus or blood and really looked as of that thing had never been there.

Unsure if she'll be able to get into the coop tonight...I'm out of ideas. Any help is appreciated.

It's most likely bumble foot is there a blister in between her toes or anywhere on her foot? If there is when it pops it will go into her bloodstream and kill her

 

[Littlefoxhat]

It's most likely bumble foot is there a blister in between her toes or anywhere on her foot? If there is when it pops it will go into her bloodstream and kill her

I didn't see a blister anywhere, just the mass. She was able to get into the coop tonight, but seemed unstable on the rooting bar.
I will treat it like bumble foot.

If there's no blister, does that mean anything?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I started this morning thinking my hen was egg bound - she was ducky walking, tail dropped, and seemed unable or unwilling to stand) but by noon she had made a big (yellow and very stinky) poo and laid an egg.

this evening she is still unable to stand or walk more than a few steps and is laying on her side and when standing keeps low to the ground and is using her wings to hold herself upright. She is eating and drank some electrolyte water

I checked her feet and found a weird black mass that looked like a rock between her toes on the underside of her foot. I was able to extract it, the end that was in her foot was soft like earwax but the rest was very hard. Not sure if that's related, wish I took a photo but I was caught up in checking her out. Also, the area of the foot that was underneath this thing was clean and seemed normal color, no pus or blood and really looked as of that thing had never been there.

She may be having a hard time expelling another egg or lash material.

I'd get Calcium into her asap. Give her 300mg Calcium Citrate+D3 now, then once daily for a week.

Work on hydration, then offer her normal feed.



It sounds like you removed a poop ball from the foot, usually this is just poop/dirt/debris that has accumulated in the web/crevice of the foot and once removed, the foot should be fine. Check periodically that any buildup is removed.

Did it look something like these?

 

[Littlefoxhat]

She may be having a hard time expelling another egg or lash material.

I'd get Calcium into her asap. Give her 300mg Calcium Citrate+D3 now, then once daily for a week.

Work on hydration, then offer her normal feed.



It sounds like you removed a poop ball from the foot, usually this is just poop/dirt/debris that has accumulated in the web/crevice of the foot and once removed, the foot should be fine. Check periodically that any buildup is removed.

Did it look something like these?
View attachment 4206238

View attachment 4206244

Yes, the thing on the bottom of her foot looked just like that! It was quite hard, but the location and look was the same. There was no redness or blistering or anything like that.

This morning she is still having trouble standing, but she ate some egg and a little wet feed pretty heartily this morning. I gave calcium yesterday morning and it did seem to help her perk up a little. She also seemed more interested in drinking the homemade hen helper I offered her yesterday so I will continue that as well.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes, the thing on the bottom of her foot looked just like that! It was quite hard, but the location and look was the same. There was no redness or blistering or anything like that.

This morning she is still having trouble standing, but she ate some egg and a little wet feed pretty heartily this morning. I gave calcium yesterday morning and it did seem to help her perk up a little. She also seemed more interested in drinking the homemade hen helper I offered her yesterday so I will continue that as well.

I hope she improves.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It's most likely bumble foot is there a blister in between her toes or anywhere on her foot? If there is when it pops it will go into her bloodstream and kill her

Can anybody confirm this? I've never heard of this before.

 

[Littlefoxhat]

Some updates:
Last evening I soaked her with Epsom salts and gave her egg for dinner. She got herself into the coop again at night, but still seemed a little unstable on the bar so I've been letting her sleep in unused nest boxes so she won't fall over.
This morning she seems able to stand for longer periods but is still waddling and stands with her tail dropped - possibly for balance? Gave more calcium with vitamin D this morning. Her poos have turned from yellow to dark green, but she seems in good spirits still. She didn't eat as much egg this morning, but maybe she was stressed about being in the (empty) bathtub away from the other girls while I watched her/got ready. Her crop is emptying at night and her belly doesn't feel watery as far as I can tell.

I suppose she could have eaten something that didn't agree with her, when they are out they tend to hang out in the same general area...the dirt they play in is an old-ish compost pile...could her symptoms be mold toxicity?