Leg injury or egg bound?

[BLElford]

Hoping for some insight from anyone with more experience. I have a 5mo old Brahma Pullet. Noticed her having trouble walking 3 days ago. She falls to one side. I’ve examined and don’t see any signs of wounds, swelling, tenderness etc. on the first day her right foot seemed limp, but she is now stretching it out normally. She can stand fully extended for a few minutes and walk a step or two to get feed (I have her isolated in a crate). But then she sinks down. Her energy seems good and she’s not seeming to get worse, but no major signs of improvement.

I realize Brahamas are usually slow to mature, but we have noticed just this week that our roosters have started mounting them. I also noticed she has the most red in her waddles of the group. And we did find one soft shell egg last week.

So my question. Is it possible that she could be egg bound? Could this be an injury from the rooster being too big and aggressive for her? Or something else I’m missing.

She’s eating, drinking and pooping normal.

Do egg bound hens still poop?

If it is an injury but I can’t see the location is there anything aside from rest I can do to help her?

Appreciate any insight.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hard to know what's going on with her.

If you found a soft shelled egg and suspect it may have come from your pullet, then give her 1 Calcium Citrate+D3 tablet once daily for 5 days.
Limping can be from a number of things. Possible it's "roosters" (are they cockerels the same age as the pullets? How many of these "roosters" are there vs. pullets?

I'd see that she's staying hydrated and eating. Do provide oyster shell free choice for your birds.

She may also benefit from 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily for leg support.

To answer your other question - hens that are truly "egg bound" will not be able to poop, because the egg is actually blocking the vent.

 

[BLElford]

Hard to know what's going on with her.

If you found a soft shelled egg and suspect it may have come from your pullet, then give her 1 Calcium Citrate+D3 tablet once daily for 5 days.
Limping can be from a number of things. Possible it's "roosters" (are they cockerels the same age as the pullets? How many of these "roosters" are there vs. pullets?

I'd see that she's staying hydrated and eating. Do provide oyster shell free choice for your birds.

She may also benefit from 1/4 tablet B-Complex daily for leg support.

To answer your other question - hens that are truly "egg bound" will not be able to poop, because the egg is actually blocking the vent.

Thanks for your reply.

I am leaning more toward injury. Her demeanor and energy is still great. In our flock we have full grown Brahma roosters (they’re big boys) with our laying hens. The pullets share the run and coop and up until this week the roosters ignored them. But we have seen a few of them being mounted. But who knows she could have taken a tumble off a higher perch or one of the feed barrels.
I’ve got her crated with her own feed and water and giving her liver and egg yolk supplements for B vitamins. Fingers crossed she just needs a little rehab time.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for your reply.

I am leaning more toward injury. Her demeanor and energy is still great. In our flock we have full grown Brahma roosters (they’re big boys) with our laying hens. The pullets share the run and coop and up until this week the roosters ignored them. But we have seen a few of them being mounted. But who knows she could have taken a tumble off a higher perch or one of the feed barrels.
I’ve got her crated with her own feed and water and giving her liver and egg yolk supplements for B vitamins. Fingers crossed she just needs a little rehab time.

Could be injury then. Hopefully with limiting her activity, it will heal quickly.