Hen with a stiff leg and toes, help appreciated

[Eggcessive]

There is vitamin B12 and vitamin B complex, the whole group of B vitamins including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B12 and others. There is no B 12 complex. It is preferred to give B complex which covers all of the B’s. Riboflavin (B2)

Yes, the two that passed I took to the state lab for necropsy and it was "probable Marek's" due to the tumors they had inside. Very sad. The roo has shown no other symptoms of it thus far, just the limp. I'm keeping him confined with the B12 complex. He's eating and drinking though not happy about this situation of course. He's a bit hard to handle but I did feel around his legs and feet and while not 100% sure, I didn't feel anything different...I'm really hoping it's a ligament or something strained and that with time and forced rest he'll heal up. Tough to have to play vet using only the internet.

is especially important in chicken leg health.

 

[FNF]

There is vitamin B12 and vitamin B complex, the whole group of B vitamins including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B12 and others. There is no B 12 complex. It is preferred to give B complex which covers all of the B’s. Riboflavin (B2)


is especially important in chicken leg health.

It’s b complex.

 

[C_621]

I lost track of this thread, sorry. I looked at the xray in your newer thread, and I could not see anything, but I am not a vet. Sorry that she is doing worse with her leg.

Don't worry about it, I appreciate the earlier help. I figured it was difficult for any non-vet to see anything since not even the vets could find something, it is what it is

Yes, the two that passed I took to the state lab for necropsy and it was "probable Marek's" due to the tumors they had inside. Very sad. The roo has shown no other symptoms of it thus far, just the limp. I'm keeping him confined with the B12 complex. He's eating and drinking though not happy about this situation of course. He's a bit hard to handle but I did feel around his legs and feet and while not 100% sure, I didn't feel anything different...I'm really hoping it's a ligament or something strained and that with time and forced rest he'll heal up. Tough to have to play vet using only the internet.

Hopefully it's just a sprain, if it Marek's you might not feel anything. There are other illnesses that can cause tumours, but none of them are easy to treat or possible at all to my knowledge, so it doesn't change much. If he's still eating, drinking and fighting back that's not the worst signs. Diagnosing leg issues is very rough with just googling, but I didn't get much more out of taking her to two vets (don't regret it though)

Small update 10: Her feathers are a bit less puffed up today than previous days and she ate a ton of treats, fingers crossed the doubled Chinese Skullcap dose is doing something. Worst case she ate well today

 

[C_621]

Update 11: She got worse the day after my latest message, started breathing heavily and like she had rales. The leg is no better, arguably even worse. The swollen part feels a bit smaller and less hard, but I'm not sure if that's due to it healing, or muscle atrophy. She can still only lift it, but it's getting harder to move around without stumbling and crashing into walls. I worry it might be spreading to the other leg too. Toes are curled up all the time and feel hard and a bit colder than the other foot. She's also getting thinner and lighter, but if it's Marek's it's normal that they waste away.

She's still getting 1000mg of Chinese Skullcap a day across two doses, sadly only with a few hours between. I started feeding her manually with egg porridge to make sure she eats enough, but I don't know how to make her gain weight. She only eats a little by herself, and mostly lies down without moving. I'll try giving her painkillers tomorrow to see if it helps her move around better

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks for the update, but sorry that she has not improved.

 

[FNF]

Update 11: She got worse the day after my latest message, started breathing heavily and like she had rales. The leg is no better, arguably even worse. The swollen part feels a bit smaller and less hard, but I'm not sure if that's due to it healing, or muscle atrophy. She can still only lift it, but it's getting harder to move around without stumbling and crashing into walls. I worry it might be spreading to the other leg too. Toes are curled up all the time and feel hard and a bit colder than the other foot. She's also getting thinner and lighter, but if it's Marek's it's normal that they waste away.

She's still getting 1000mg of Chinese Skullcap a day across two doses, sadly only with a few hours between. I started feeding her manually with egg porridge to make sure she eats enough, but I don't know how to make her gain weight. She only eats a little by herself, and mostly lies down without moving. I'll try giving her painkillers tomorrow to see if it helps her move around better

So sorry. Our rooster is similar, not improving and more lethargic today, not standing or eating like he has been. It’s so sad.

 

[Kiki]

Update 11: She got worse the day after my latest message, started breathing heavily and like she had rales. The leg is no better, arguably even worse. The swollen part feels a bit smaller and less hard, but I'm not sure if that's due to it healing, or muscle atrophy. She can still only lift it, but it's getting harder to move around without stumbling and crashing into walls. I worry it might be spreading to the other leg too. Toes are curled up all the time and feel hard and a bit colder than the other foot. She's also getting thinner and lighter, but if it's Marek's it's normal that they waste away.

She's still getting 1000mg of Chinese Skullcap a day across two doses, sadly only with a few hours between. I started feeding her manually with egg porridge to make sure she eats enough, but I don't know how to make her gain weight. She only eats a little by herself, and mostly lies down without moving. I'll try giving her painkillers tomorrow to see if it helps her move around better

Sorry she isn't doing any better.
I didn't read the whole thread but wanted to say the first thing that came to mind after seeing the very first video you posted of her limp was Marek's disease.
If you are in the US please call your state lab and ask for a testing price so you know how to move forward if she passes:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...testing-state-labs-info.1236884/post-19849025

 

[C_621]

So sorry. Our rooster is similar, not improving and more lethargic today, not standing or eating like he has been. It’s so sad.

Are you able to feed him with a syringe in the beak or similar? You have to know what you're doing, but if done correctly it can help them eat even if they don't want to. If it really is Marek's chances of recovery are extremely slim to nonexistent, but it's something to try. Egg and cornmeal porridge makes mine perk up a bit, even as she keeps getting worse

Sorry she isn't doing any better.
I didn't read the whole thread but wanted to say the first thing that came to mind after seeing the very first video you posted of her limp was Marek's disease.
If you are in the US please call your state lab and ask for a testing price so you know how to move forward if she passes:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/➡-necropsy-disease-testing-state-labs-info.1236884/post-19849025

I'm sadly not in the US, but I'm treating it as Marek's because there's no better diagnosis available. I'm pretty certain I've had it in the flock before, but she's separated from all but one bird and nobody else is showing symptoms at the moment. I hope the rest are somewhat resistant by now, but not counting on that

 

[C_621]

Final update: She passed away in my arms this evening. She was doing well on Sunday, ate a ton of different treats and acted more alert, feathers looked nicer and she moved around a bunch to eat and bask in the warm cage. I almost dared hope the Chinese Skullcap was working and she could get better after all.

The next day she had lost most of her appetite, but she ate and drank normally in the morning. After work she was breathing heavily with rales, and I could barely give her a third of the daily Chinese Skullcap dose, some cough syrup and a bit of corn porridge, she had no appetite at all. She felt cold and thin, and wouldn't support on her good leg anymore. I held her in my arms for maybe an hour until she couldn't breathe anymore and passed. Yet another sad Marek's story

I don't regret trying what I did to treat her, even if nothing helped in the end. It will be difficult to get over the loss of my favourite bird, she won't suffer anymore but I'll always wonder if I couldn't have done more, or did something wrong. Thanks to everyone who tried to help in this thread, I appreciate all the attempts to identify or treat her ailment

 

[Kiki]

Final update: She passed away in my arms this evening. She was doing well on Sunday, ate a ton of different treats and acted more alert, feathers looked nicer and she moved around a bunch to eat and bask in the warm cage. I almost dared hope the Chinese Skullcap was working and she could get better after all.

The next day she had lost most of her appetite, but she ate and drank normally in the morning. After work she was breathing heavily with rales, and I could barely give her a third of the daily Chinese Skullcap dose, some cough syrup and a bit of corn porridge, she had no appetite at all. She felt cold and thin, and wouldn't support on her good leg anymore. I held her in my arms for maybe an hour until she couldn't breathe anymore and passed. Yet another sad Marek's story

I don't regret trying what I did to treat her, even if nothing helped in the end. It will be difficult to get over the loss of my favourite bird, she won't suffer anymore but I'll always wonder if I couldn't have done more, or did something wrong. Thanks to everyone who tried to help in this thread, I appreciate all the attempts to identify or treat her ailment

Sorry for your loss.