The Poultry Keeper

Nisi · Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 164 Location: Yorkshire

One of my hens has had a problem standing for a few days now. I thought she was improving but today she just stayed on the floor when I went into the run. I lifted her to stand her up but she just sunk down again. I moved the food and water in front of her and she ate and drank straight away. She seems perky enough in herself, it just seems to be a leg or foot problem. I can't see anything obvious and she doesn't limp. When she was out in the garden yesterday she was happy to peck at things but didn't do that foot scraping thing.

Has anyone any suggestions as to what this could be ?

Sad

Nellie · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 6:26 pm Post subject:

I had the same problem with a light Sussex hen she suddenly went off her feet and had the same symptoms as it seems yours does, I was told it was Marek's and after some serious reading up, it panicked me like mad Surprised

- but then another gentleman turned up who said it was very possible she just pulled a ligament like we do, sure enough after 3 days of TLC she was back up on her feet and running around, she is still with me a year later and laying eggs everyday - so maybe with what you are doing - placing water and feed in front of her this is her best bet Laughing

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Hope it's just a pulled ligament, nisi. One of my girls had a limp at one time, only for a couple of days. I never knew what caused it but she was soon good as new. Maybe add some apple cider vinegar to the water for a week and maybe use some poultry spice to help her recover from whatever caused it.
Let us know how she gets on.

CP · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2006 1:57 am Post subject:

So sorry to hear you hen is not well Nisi. Sad

One of our hens was like this a while ago. Never did find out what was wrong with her, but we brought her in to keep her warm & just gave her some TLC. Next day she was back to her old self again. Confused

Hopefully it is just an 'off' day & she will be OK again tomorrow.

Nisi · Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 164 Location: Yorkshire

Maud seems to be a lot better today. She is walking well but still not scratching. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is just a pulled ligament as you suggest. I think I will avoid reading up on Mareks until I have to !
My electric fence is due to be delivered tomorrow so I will be able to watch her walking about more easily.
Thanks for your replies.

Nellie · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:02 am Post subject:

OH Nisi

thats brilliant news about Maud Very Happy

If she is up and walking around then you can certainly rule out Mareks, as she wouldnt have evn made the effort to stand, let alone walk.
Just a little more time and she will be right as rain I am sure . . . . . if only chickens could talk Very Happy

Lisa · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:59 am Post subject:

So glad to hear Maud is on the mend Razz

CP · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:45 pm Post subject:

I hope that Maud continues to improve. Smile

Nisi · Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 164 Location: Yorkshire

Maud is walking quite well today and has been helping me with the electric fence - that's another story !
Later I went out to the run and she was part way up the ramp and decided to jump down, obviously forgetting her bad leg/legs and landed in a heap on the floor with both her wings out. But she managed to stand up again and later walked up the ramp so I think she will be OK and the cause of the problem will remain a mystery.

Smile

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

Nisi
When I had my "drunk" chook, it looked like it might be mareks - but after a time in the kitchen to build her strength back up and a couple of weeks wobbling about once she could at least compete with the others, she is now right as rain!
Never found out what it was - but she has become one of the prettiest girls I have.
Good luck with Maud - hope she continues to do good.
Debs

Fee · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 6

I took one of my hens to the vet yesterday because she had this problem. She went to bed fine but could not stand or walk in the morning but layed an egg, ate and drank.

The vet ,who keeps chickens, said it may be Mareks but thought she may have a calcium deficiancy because I have been feeding a lot of sunflower hearts which contain phosphorus that depleates calcium. My hens are still laying so use a lot of calcium. I fed her more oyster shell and replaced the seeds with layers meal and she seems fine today.

Good Luck!

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

Fee!

That is something I didn't know. Thank you for the tip.

Debs

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

I hadn't realised that either Fee, thanks for the information

nigel · Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 7:51 am Post subject:

The calcium - phosphorous ratio is something David Bland talks a lot about. Here's a quote from one of his articles "Getting Started with Poultry" which he wrote in Smallholder Magazine

It's quite startling stuff since it flies in the face of conventional wisdom about providing oyster shell

Nisi · Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 164 Location: Yorkshire

I have always had grit (with shell) freely available and they go through it really quickly, picking out the shell first of all. Perhaps I will ration them now as they have layers available all the time as well.
Maud (the one the thread was originally about) still has a problem. She is quite good first thing in the morning and keeps up with the others unless they run off, but later she sits down and watches them. She puts her wings out quite a lot to keep her balance. I'm just hoping that whatever she has done will heal eventually as she is still perky and doesn't seem ill. However, I think she is the one responsible for the partly soft/very thin shell eggs I have been getting. They are often graduated in bands of colour and very very fragile.