Lame Chicken

[Iwantgoats]

Since BYC is under construction, I am posting here.
6 weeks ago I noticed one on my BA ladies was limping. She was holding one of her feet up and hopping one legged. A family member was having serious surgery done during that time and we were short on time and money. So all I did was check the bone for breaks (found none) and rubbed her leg with lineament for a few days. She seemed to be improvising well and was in no pain, eating and drinking normally. :/

I totally forgot about it with all that was going on. Now things have settled and I noticed her today. She seems a lot worse. She moves in a crouch hopping with one foot and leaning on the "elbow" of her lame foot. I examined her and the feathered upper portion of her leg felt limp with no tautness to the tendons or firmness of muscle. The scaled part of her leg was warm and her foot curled into a ball. I separated her with food and water.

I have no clue what to do, or if there is anything to do. I can't really afford any extravagant cure for a chicken, but if there is anything within reason I can do for, I will.

Thanks

 

[Joseph]

this has happened to a number of my chickens, and by the sounds of it, it is the exact same thing! one of my rooster all of a sudden found it hard to walk and started to walk on his elbow. We had to put him down as he never got better but only got worse until he just lay there and wouldn't move, and to top it off the dog attacked him and he was almost dead anyway. apparently it is a symptom of Mareks Disease and there is no cure, i'm sorry, hope I'm wrong

 

[Cynthia12]

Since BYC is under construction, I am posting here.
6 weeks ago I noticed one on my BA ladies was limping. She was holding one of her feet up and hopping one legged. A family member was having serious surgery done during that time and we were short on time and money. So all I did was check the bone for breaks (found none) and rubbed her leg with lineament for a few days. She seemed to be improvising well and was in no pain, eating and drinking normally. :/

I totally forgot about it with all that was going on. Now things have settled and I noticed her today. She seems a lot worse. She moves in a crouch hopping with one foot and leaning on the "elbow" of her lame foot. I examined her and the feathered upper portion of her leg felt limp with no tautness to the tendons or firmness of muscle. The scaled part of her leg was warm and her foot curled into a ball. I separated her with food and water.

I have no clue what to do, or if there is anything to do. I can't really afford any extravagant cure for a chicken, but if there is anything within reason I can do for, I will.

Thanks

Oh oh, sounds like it could be bumble foot. Did you check the bottom of both feet? If she has a swollen foot, a large round bump on the bottom of one of her feet..or both, there are a lot of sites that show you how to treat that. Could be that is all I'm saying, because I had a chicken that I had to treat with bumble foot. You can tell it's painful for them. It could be something else, but check the bottom of the feet. Good luck!

 

[wolftracks]

this has happened to a number of my chickens, and by the sounds of it, it is the exact same thing! one of my rooster all of a sudden found it hard to walk and started to walk on his elbow. We had to put him down as he never got better but only got worse until he just lay there and wouldn't move, and to top it off the dog attacked him and he was almost dead anyway. apparently it is a symptom of Mareks Disease and there is no cure, i'm sorry, hope I'm wrong

Does sound more like Mareks, but not neccessarily. Wish the site was up with symptoms lists.

I've dealt with Bumblefoot and with the sore and swelling there was no way the foot could gripe, let alone curl up in a ball.

Try to keep her warm, see if you can get some food and water into her and hold on till someone can get you some answers here or until BYC is back up.

I really hope it isn't Mareks and is something that can be cured.

 

[kla37]

In the meantime maybe you could try giving some vitamins (without iron) and some mashed up scrambled egg. I hope she hangs in there!

 

[EllieMay]

I recently had a pullet with similar symptoms (not the same) and I gave her vitamin B-12 and she improved within 24 hours.
She was really crippled -face down in the dirt -all the other chickens trampling over her.
After the vitamin B therapy, her limp became a sort of "toy-soldier walk."
Today (about 6 weeks later) she runs around as if nothing had happened.
Now all of my chickens are given vitamins in their water periodically (I never thought of it before).
Can't hurt!

 

[kla37]

I give mine poultry drench a couple times a week, just as insurance.

 

[Iwantgoats]

Thanks everyone for the support. I think I am going to move her inside so I can keep close eye on her, and it is pretty cold out there. I'll see if I can pick up some vitamin B-12

 

[kla37]

I hope it works out OK!

 

[nuts4goats]

If she's hopping on one foot but no other symptoms, I would check her for bumble foot also. Look at the bottom of her foot, and if it is bumble foot, you will see a round "scab" in the sole of her foot. Soak it in warm water to soften it, and then remove it with a pair of tweezers. It will be nasty, and usually a large chunk of flesh comes with the scab. Irrigate the hole very well, and express as much pus as you are able to. Then irrigate it with peroxide, fill the hole with antibiotic cream, and apply a sterile peice of gauze. Then wrap the foot with vet wrap. Reapply dressing and cream daily and keep it clean until it heals up. If it Mareks, usually they present with the "splits". They will lay with one foot on the front and the other towards the back. If she only appears lame, I would really suspect bumble foot unless she's had an injury you aren't aware of.