Solving Omlet Smart Auto Door Timing Issues with Alexa Routines

[SilverC]

My three girls all laid fine this morning, and were as happy as larry. Went out for a few hours, came home and Loretta was sitting beneath the tree while the others mooched about. This is where something isn't right - if I go within 6 feet of the girls,they are scrabbling at the gate all together, but no, Loretta continued to sit beneath her tree. Tried to get her up, nothing.

 

So, picked her up, and examined her and can't see anything wrong. However, when I put her back down, her left leg seemed to just collapse under her, and she tries to steady herself with her wing, but still just sits down with no attempt to walk. I took th water to her, as I have no idea how long she'd been like that (had been out for about 3 hours) and she drank loads.

 

Other than not walking, she is eating fine and her eyes and feather are bright, and she is pooing.

 

ANy ideas? Is a lame hen a sign of something else, or could it be the obvious in that she has actually pulled or strained her leg in some way?

 

Very worried, she's my favourite bord, such a sweetie (I know you shouldn't have favourites but she's mine).

Edited May 2, 2010 by Guest

[Christian]

I would bring her indoors and make her comfy. A box lined with bedding, food and water.

 

Has she laid an egg today? Sometimes a large egg on the way can affect their legs. A soft shelled egg generally make them appear under the weather and hunched.

 

Feel both legs for any hot spots, abnormalities and she how she reacts to her legs being touched. If she is no better tomorrow, then I would take her to a vet for a check up.

 

It might just be a sprain and rest will help her.

 

All the best

[SilverC]

Hi

 

Thanks for replying. We took her to the vets. Vet found her temp was high, and there was blood in her vent. Although she did lay this morning, my finger did go through one of the eggs, so it could well have been her that laid a softie.

 

Anyway, the vet thinks she is either eggbound or has shell in there from the soft egg. She's had an antibiotic injection, and anti imflammatory and a calcium injection.

 

She still won't stand for long, and has made no attempt to walk, but vet said that being eggbound can cause temporary paralysis. She did also say she could have fallen or flapped into something, so the anti imflams will help will help with that, if its the case.

 

She's just sat in the bottom of the indoor part of the run at the moment, and is within beak reach of water and food. The other two are going made as I've closed the door so they can't wind her up, but they can all see each other. Going to bring her in tonight, when the others go to bed, so she can sleep in a lined box in the dining room.

 

She's got to go back on Monday at 11am whether there is an improvement or not.

 

Poor Loretta, she was such a good girl at the vets, I hope she's ok in the morning

[SilverC]

Well, she's made it through the night. We corned her up and gave her water before bed, then brought her in the house (she slept in our bedroom in a cardboard box).

 

She has poo'd through the night, but no egg. Put her out with the others this morning after her calcium meds, and she still isn't walking, though she did take two steps for some mealworms we offered, but then flopped to the ground.

 

Have put her in the nesting box for npw, but have had to lock her in as it's up steps so don't want to risk her trying to stumble out, and her falling.

 

She is perky in herself and eating and drinking fine, she just won't walk and keeps flopping the one wing down. She has to go back to the vets tomorrow at 11am.

 

Keeping everything crossed for her, she's been such a good patient

[ezzie]

She sounds like our Ezzie 6 months ago. We found her soaked to the skin in the hedgerow. She was shivering, couldn't walk and had a huge clump of something that resembled concrete hanging from her vent feathers. We wrapped her in towels and kept her warm inside not thinking she'd make it through the night.

 

For months although she had an appetite she couldn't walk although she learned to get about a little using her wings. Her comb was faded and her little legs were both swollen. As it got warmer we started to bring her outside into the sunshine and little by little she improved.

 

There's still a long way to go but they really are little fighters ... Ezzie has spent today free ranging, dust bathing and sunbathing all day ... her little shoe doesn't stop her running for sultanas either keeping everything crossed for you and Loretta

 

More about Ezzie here: http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=62294 ~x~

[Plum]

Hope she picks up on the medication. Thoughts are with you.

[chick wiggle]

Aww, Bless her, Hope she pulls through and gets better.

[SilverC]

Hi Everyone

 

Well, she seemed a whole lot better by Monday. She still stayed in with us at night, but could stand a lot better without wobbling and falling over, and actually walked a few steps.

 

Took her back to the vets who said her temp was normal and there was no heat or swelling anywhere, but given that she was still laying, she concluded she had sustained some kind of trauma to her wing and leg that had really badly bruised her inside. This was possibly in combination with a slight calcium deficiency.

 

Anyway, she is on Metacam (anti inflammatory) for the next 5 days, and last night she stayed in with her sisters for the first time, and is moving about much better, there is just a very slight limp.

 

I think the meds are making her a bit tired, as she put herself to bed at about 6 o'clock, while their 'normal' time at the moment is about 8.

 

So...thanks to all those who kept their fingers crossed for her. So glad we didn't take our lovely neighbours advice of 'cricking her neck' all for the sake of a bit if bruising and a bit of a twisted leg

 

I can thoroughly recommend Lynne at Rose Cottage vets in Sutton Weaver for treating our feathered friends. She really knew her stuff.

[Plum]

That's great, well done vet

[vickichicky]

Thats good news

I had a Black sussex called Peggy - who developed a bad limp within days of buying her. After resting her for a few days and minimising her activity for a month there was still no improvement. The vets suggested a fracture and x-rays to which I agreed, but despite taking numerous shots they couldn't find any injury to the leg or hip. So it was concluded that she had a Kidney problem - which can affect the leg nerve apparently. The vets were great, really supportive, but sadly she died about 2 weeks later after going downhill very rapidly.

I'm not putting this to worry you - as it seems you have certainly turned the corner with her , but in case anyone else reads your post and doesn't know about the limp/kidney relation.

Best wishes,

Vicki