The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: velcro on December 14, 2008, 05:18:31 pm
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Help Please - I have a poorly chicken, she can stand but not walk, is eating and drinking ok. I have isolated her from the others.
I have read about a disease called Bumblefoot, could it be this?
I would hate to lose her. Any advice please
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Bumblefoot will cause swelling - it's like an abcess on the foot caused usually by an injury that gets infected. We've got one that has it - I took her to the vet who said we coudl have antibiotics (which he wasn't very confident about) or an operation to drain it. We went for the antibiotics - they didn't really work but the swelling seems to have gone into a callus and she's fine apart from a bit of a limp. She was always mobile though - just had a limp.
I've always isolated poorly chooks and given thema chance - I usually work them just in case and give them some food treats - sardines etc to tempt the appetite. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. You'll know one way or the other within about 48hours.
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She seems a little better, I am making her stand up a couple of times a day and carrying her outside to go to the loo, she seems to know I am trying to help.
Its not bumblefoot, I thought it might be the weather we have had nothing but rain for weeks ( Normandy) and the ground is very wet however I was speaking to a french neighbour today, he has young ones in his basement, about 5-6 months old, and 2 of them have the same symptoms as mine (mine is about 2 years old)
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feel the crop is it hard, undigested food in it, weve had this problem in wet cold weather, try trickling some cooking oil down it until it improves.
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You'll never believe this but I have one with the same symptoms. She's kind of shuffling- obviously not comfortable. I gave her some wormer (always my first port of call) and oil soaked bread today but will try the oil tomorrow morning. I thought she looked abit better at lunchtime but I was on a flying visit from the office so didn't have time for a close look
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Its not the crop problem, that seems fine, but she is not improving, I have had her on antibiotics for 2 days.
I'll give her another couple of days and then make a decision about what to do.
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Mine's dead - so good luck with yours.
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Sorry, Rosemary, not nice to lose any of them.
Velcro - what did the vet say when you got the antibiotics