chickinboy Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Hi all, Got up this morning to find our big fat bluebelle Beryl is barely able to walk. Her tail is right down to the floor, and everytime she takes more than a few steps, she flings her left wing out to the floor - looks like she's trying to stop herself falling over. she's been sitting in the corner most of the day. I've examined her feet - she's always had feet litterally twice the size of our other hybrids, and I can't decide if the pads under her feet seem to be swollen - you know how you don't notice these things 'til there's something wrong, and then you can't remember if it was there before?! So, not really sure what to do, other than wait. At least I can now monitor her feet and see if there are any changes. I read somewhere about bumblefoot...or frostbite in her feet? She's totally miserable.... Stress..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 I'd bring her in to keep her warm and so you can observe her. We've had a few with similar symptons so someone will be along in a minute. Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=9929&g2_serialNumber=3 This is what bumblefoot looks like. Could she have sprained something do you think? Have you examined her legs carefully o for any hotspots, redness, swelling, or creaking? I'd put her in a cat box in the warm, so that she doesn't do herself any more damage. If she seems worse tomorrow, I'd take her to the vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickinboy Posted February 10, 2010 Author Share Posted February 10, 2010 thanks for getting back to me. Oh dear......I think this is it. Not sure I saw a scabby bit, but I didn't know what I was looking for at the time. Will check in the morning. Apparently I can make a small cut, and squeeze the puss out? then presumably I'd need to wash it all out. Only thing is - I haven't got any purple spray. I've got anti-peck spray that has iodine in it - could I spray that on after? I don't really want to do it myself to be honest, but we haven't been able to find a vet in oxfordshire that will deal with chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickinboy Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 update for you - on closer inspection in daylight, I'm not sure Beryl has bumblefoot. Being a bluebelle she has black feet, so it's a little difficult to see if there are any scabs etc, but I can't see anything. As I said in my original post, her feet and pads are always so large that I'm not sure they're any different. Will keep checking to make sure they're not changing - I guess they would keep getting bigger? She's moved into the conservatory, with apple cider vinegar in her water, and limestone flour on her food, with a little cod liver oil to make it stick. We've soaked her feet in salt water and cleaned away all the muck, so we'll see what happens. She does often have a very large crop that swings about, and it does feel hard today - and the skin has gone a bit wrinkled (we can see this 'cos she's bald there at the moment due to a pecking issue. not sure if this is coincidence or if she might be struggling to walk if she's blocked up. will give some yoghurt and check this in the morning before she has chance to eat. Noticed that the box and makeshift run were completely free from poop this morning, until mid-morning when she did the most almighty poo. it was part normal, part white, and part curry sauce. the smell was awful and filled the room, but I can't say if that's normal as I don't usually sniff her poo indoors! immediately after, her tail lifted - I started to dance round the room thinking she was cured...and the a couple of minutes later it dropped to the floor. I'm really hoping she's just got a sprain, and maybe just needs a bit of time away from the others with some tummy rubs. Hang in there Bezza! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I'm in Oxfordshire ( Abingdon) and have found a fantastic vet who was wonderful with my flock when we had a few problems. It's the new Boundary vets in Abingdon on Oxford Rd ( they are on the internet) but there is also an avian specialist in Reading I think. I always forget his name - Bruce??? Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickinboy Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 Thanks Tricia! We're in Witney so not far - we've been turned down from all the vets we've tried round here, so this is good to know! Beryl is doing okay - she laid a very stange egg this morning, and is still limping around, but looking a bit more perky today so hopefully she's on the mend. She keeps doing curry poos in the conservatory though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickinboy Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 Beryl is cured! She's back in with her sisters now, and just about back to normal. Adding everything up, along with some scabs on her comb, I think she was beaten up - poor lady. We've got a white star who has it in for both Beryl and Margaret. Good thing is that re-introducing Beryl after five days indoors, seems to have given Beryl a new confidence in fighting of the bully....we'll see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 sounds like she she was a tad egg bunged up ar backed up. it might have been pressing on a nerve. great news, such a relief isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickinboy Posted February 16, 2010 Author Share Posted February 16, 2010 quite possibly. She was laying when she was off colour, but they were tiny little bullet shaped eggs - probably smaller than their first. Someone though, quite possibly her has layed the biggest egg I've ever seen in my life today - very thin shell, with lots of wiggly bits that had obviously been very painful to squeeze out! It was so thin that I broke it trying to weight it (I'm desperate to get on the leaderboard)...and it was a double-yoker. The look of relief on her face when she came out of the nest box was a picture.... I slept so much better last night knowing she was on the mend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
