The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Mel on January 04, 2012, 12:43:29 pm
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Hi,I have just arrived home and one of my largest girls-Sal whom is a pure breed Black French Maran-she weighs about 10lbs was just sitting in the middle of the field,I went up to her and she is having problems walking,she seems very unbalanced and staggering,almost as if she has either hurt her legs or is very uncomfortable.she is 4-5 years of age,has not laid since the summer-which is the norm with all of the black Marans.when I try to stand her up,her wings drop so she can get her balance.
I had thought Mareks,but surely more than one would be affected and at her age? I have seen hens with Mareks,twisted necks and paralysed legs and she is not like this at all.Shall take a quick clip if it helps.
she seems to be alert but is sitting down.I had wondered if she has an egg stuck-her bottom area does feel proud but I cannot feel an egg-though need to investigate further.Any one any ideas please? I have never had this occur before.
Mel
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I'm suer there is a thread on here about being egg bound if that is the problem - sitting the hen in a bowl of warm water was one solution I think. Sorry, don't know enough about hen ailments to help - Rosemary where are you?
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Yes, sit her in a bowl of warm water, this may relax her muscles enough to let the egg pass. You can also, very gently smear some oil around and just inside the vent. be careful not to break the egg. Hope she's o.k. :)
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Could be an abdominal infection as well, so she needs to be in for observation. Or the onset of something like Mareks or Lymphoid Lucosis. Usual checks -poos, crop, red mite in coop. Hope it is egg bound and she is well soon -presumably at that weight she is top hen.
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Mel, one of my Marans did the same thing back in the summer I thought my Chihuahua had got hold of her, she was walking only just but looked drunk as she would put her head down she would struggle to keep her balance, I always keep a big calf drinker by my feed shed to soak barley and wheat and I did catch her just laying in it, none of the other hens showed any signs of it that lasted about 48 hours then she was right as rain again. I does sound like she might have a egg stuck. If you have room in your coop perhaps fill a bucket tonight with warm water and see if she will get in it or you put her in it and see.
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Hi Barret,This is just how she is,head down and struggling to keep her balance.she was in the bath for 45 minutes and no egg.!! What is odd is that she has done one poop in the last-3 hours! no liquid coming out either,her vent is moving around quick time so to speak.she is now sitting in front of the fire,no interest in fluids of food,just standing there-which at least she is standing now,but she looks knock knee'd.
I am going to give her some fluids by syringe to keep her going,her face is bright and her eyes are fine-as writing she is now sitting in front of the fire-warming her tail end!
Chrismahon,funnily she is no longer top girl,she has two sisters almost identical,Sal,Val and Beryl,though I cross bred their eggs with a large cockerel and they are all huge birds. I have a Bluebelle whom thinks she is a cockerel,she is top girl at the moment!
Sylvia,Doganjo,I done as you suggested,no egg yet. though I have just notice under investigation she has nothing in her crop-and feel like sour crop...
I don't think that gives the same symptoms does it?
Mel
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And here she is now,sitting in front of the fire-she looks quite happy but is very quiet-for Sal she is!
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Bad breath comes with sour crop. She won't eat if her abdomen is too full, we have a Black Rock who keeps getting abdominal infections and then she only drinks. Presumably poo was normal which then still points to egg bound.
Can't go wrong with tlc and fluids as a start -wish we had a fire in the kitchen.
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If she's eggbound and straining she's depleting her muscles of the calcium required for muscle contraction.
If I suspect one of my hens to be eggbound I immediately give her a boost of calcium (liquid or a calcium/Vit D tablet crushed) mixed with watered down live yoghourt. It could be she is dehydrated so four times a day with sugared water mix for that same day and repeat the calcium/yoghourt cocktail then yoghourt water mix the 2nd and 3rd day.( If she has a crop problem the yoghourt will help).
If you can get some electrolyte/vitamin mix from the USA to keep in your emergency aid box - it is ideal for a situation like this and keeps forever if kept dry.
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Mel, how is Sal today, my girl got better and better as the days went on, very strange.
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Hi, just wondering how Sal is and looking for update, let us know, hope she is improved. :wave:
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Hi :wave: Thanks for asking :)
Sal is-sitting on the chair,not moving around much at all,still unstable on her legs,eating now and then but only very tiny amounts,she is reasonably talkative when she is awake.Still only tiny amounts of droppings.
She has garlic and ACV in her water,some mixed corn,egg mashed with calcium / mineral powder and a little olive oil. As you can see,her eyes are bright and sparkly.
Still no egg though heaps of vent movement.She is not straining,if you stand her up and try to push her to go forward she loses balance and sits down again,this is all very odd to me. ???
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Hi Leghorn. I've just looked up egg peritonitus which has similar symptoms to egg bound but is rather more serious. But no mention of vent movements, so perhaps she still is egg bound or abdominal infection. Has a vet seen her yet or have you given antibiotics?
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Hi,
well no,I have had one with this before and looks like the hen in the picture of the link below.her poops are fine-very healthy really,the right consistency and colour just very little as she is not eating a lot,as you can see,she does not look at all miserable.Her tummy is not hard,I cannot feel any egg inside,usually with the Peritonitis they poop some egg out,or it is hanging from their vents.
I have an odd feeling that she may have slipped and done the splits or something odd like that,she is uncomfortable on her legs but like I said,she is chatty,she does not have any poorly symptoms-head or wings drooping.
I do not use vets any more,the last one misdiagnosed my dog,the one beforehand did not know what I was talking about regards medication in birds so I get by the best I can.
http://poultrykeeper.com/common-articles-to-all-poultry/health/egg-peritonitis.html (http://poultrykeeper.com/common-articles-to-all-poultry/health/egg-peritonitis.html)
Mel
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Hi Leghorn :wave:
....as you say Sal does look nice and perky and is certainly receiving excellent care.
I hope she gets back on her feet very soon.
Tilly
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Beware! She's going to get used to the good life and I can see a "house hen" emerging ;D ;D
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I Think you are right Sylvia,
Still no change,she is not moving about much as usual,not eating too much either but is happy sitting on the chair all day and is still chatting away,little poops here and there. One odd thing I noticed,to get her to eat,I have to massage the side of her neck,then she pecks away quite voraciously,this is all very odd I must say!
I sometimes have a nap on the sofa on an afternoon and she gets up on the arm of the chair next to me head,talks and then falls asleep next to me!
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Love the piccies! Comfy chick.
Hope she's ok. One of my RIR's was a bit under the weather (not as under as yours, however,) and was egg-bound then had a huge prolapse. YUK! Had to massage it back in, then put on Prep. H. Keep us posted!
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I sometimes have a nap on the sofa on an afternoon and she gets up on the arm of the chair next to me head,talks and then falls asleep next to me!
;D
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:wave:
Sal Update: Yes,as you can see,she has been helping herself to the Yoghurt again,she had quite a lot to eat today but is still there on the chair,she will not venture over the arm.At the moment she sounds like she is snoring-or purring quite happily,but there again,it is toastie in here with the open fire.
I think she is getting use to the good life like Sylvia says! ;D
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Poor little thing. She must be loving this treatment. You will miss her when she goes back outside.