Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[alih]

I have noticed quite a few posts about limping chickens over Xmas, mine being one of them and am just wondering how they are all getting on?

 

Custard is still limping but apart from not laying is fine in every other way. She responded for about a day to the anti-inflams but was soon back limping again. I cannot find anything else wrong with her.

 

Have given her a calcium boost but am now keeping an eye...what have others done??

 

Hope they are all ok

[smokiechicken1969]

Hi there, glad your girl is still with you.

 

sadly i lost my little cream legbar last weekend. the vet put her to sleep as she wasnt responding to the treatment.

 

they gave her baytril to start with and then a different anti biotic a week later which was marbocyl. they also prescribed metacam which is an anitinflammatory used for cats and dogs.

 

they worked on the notion that if it was inside that was causing the problem then the anitbiotics would help and if it was outside then the metacam would help.

 

i spoke to the vet today and he was as sure as he could be that it was not a disease that had taken her off her feet but an injury.

 

i am at a loss as to how that could have happened. all i know is that i found her on her side when it was snowing so whether or not she slipped or the cockerel tried to tread her and she resisted i dont know. can chickens slip over and strain a leg? i guess its possible?

 

do you have any idea how yours has hurt herself?

 

the difficulty is knowing whether its disease or injury. the advice given on here was very good and the same as the vet gave. i.e if its a sprain, keep them in somewhere warm and try not to let them move around too much until it gets better. if its disease, the quicker they can get treament from a vet the better.

 

if she's still up and pecking around and eating then thats a really good sign. i hope she makes a full recovery.

 

i am punishing myself everyday wondering how coco could have hurt herself so badly...

 

the vet i saw today really praised forums like this, he said it gives the average (how dare he call us average ) keeper the knowledge and confidence to act fast and recognise signs and symptoms etc.

 

well done omlet and hope your lovely girl is better soon.

[alih]

Oh am really sorry to hear your news.

 

It sounds as though you gave her every chance.

 

I am very curious about this though. Custard was in a kind of nesting position in the earth when I came down the morning she began limping. I thought she must have injured herself but the vet could find no evidence of this.

 

He did say that limping was a symptom of Marek's disease and that it would gradually get worse ifit was this and there was no cure.

 

Custard is limping a lot less and in fine fettle otherwise so I am guessing maybe she sprained her leg and is recovering all by herself.

 

They are such a worry aren't they? Hope your little flock is ok.