How Quickly Does Albendazole Work?

[AngieC]

Hello,

 

I'm looking for help. My favourite and lead hen hobbled out of the coop the other day with a leg that does not appear to work anymore.

 

At first I thought it was broken and as I was at a loss I took her to my local vet - who was completely useless - they don't see chickens in their surgery but she did confirm that the leg was not broken but no advice on what to do next.

 

This started on Thursday and I have been watching her everyday. She came into moult at the same time - loads of feathers everywhere. (I have only been keeping chickens since March and this is my first moult)

 

She carries her 'dead' leg in front of her. She is still eating and drinking and alert. She is still in the coop with her sisters. The leg appears to be paralised.

 

What can I do to help her? Can she recover from this? Could she adapt to one leg?

 

Any advice gratefully received.

[good_egg]

Poor you, it's so frustrating when you don't know what's wrong.

 

My suggestions would be sprain, bumble foot, something pressing on nerve (peritonitis or Mareks - not common but can be brought on by stress such as moult). I would have a good feel of her leg yourself, check for any hot areas or tender areas an look for bruising or cuts. Check the bottom of her foot for bumble or as above. If you don't find anything check if she has feeling in foot by pushing your nail into toes. Also can she carry the leg and grip or is it limp?

 

It might be a sprain in which case she will recover some other options more problematic. Report back on here and im sure there will be people to help. I'm no expert but thought i would try and give you a start!

 

Good luck.

[AngieC]

Hello Good Egg,

 

Thank you for getting back to me.

 

I've checked her foot, it isn't bumble foot - and she has no grip reflex in her foot.

 

No bruises, cuts that I can see and the leg does not seem hot in any paticular area. The vet had a good feel and decided there was no breaks - she also pinched her centre toe and she did not have a reaction - the other toes she did.

 

She can carry her leg - which she holds in front of her.

[mimi5]

Hi there. Have no experience of this myself but it sounds a bit like Marek's. This can be brought on by a heavy moult and there has been a recent thread on the forum about a slow burn variety. (if you search Marek's on the chickens threads, you should find the recent info) Maybe do some research and see if there are any other similarities? It's the leg paralysis that rings a bell with me.

 

My Molly is having another moult at the mo and I am watching her like a hawk. She is my smallest pekin and best layer!!! She has moulted twice already this year!!! Once after raising chicks and then again with the others in the autumn. I have been told that they can be triggered in to another moult by the weather, which is what I think has happened.

 

Hope your hen makes a full recovery, but I've a friend who has a hen with only one leg! She seems to managed ok. Frustrating when vets don't know much regarding chickens!!!

[suebee]

Hello Angie,

 

I do hope your hen recovers, and good_egg's checklist is spot on. I'm sorry your vet was unable to shed light on your girl's problem, and I'm afraid I can't be of much help to you either. The reason I'm replying, (other than to wish your hen well), is that I've just lost one of my girls with a similar problem, and have yet to understand why. The only obvious explanation for her very speedy demise, was that she developed a purple tinge to her comb - usually indicative of blood circulatory problems and/or a heart problem. Up until the purple tinge, she appeared to be simply lame; holding her right leg up, and unable to bear weight on it, and so, hobbling.

 

As good_egg said, something could be pressing on a nerve. In my girl's case, the whole episode lasted two days, from appearing to be perfectly normal, to passing away.

 

Please keep us informed of your girl's progress. I do so hope she has sprained her leg. If so, apparently a vet could possibly prescribe an anti-inflammatory such as metacam (which I don't think is actually licenced for poultry?) Also, some people have used Arnica, in pillule form, for the same purpose. These might be worth looking into, to provide relief for your girl in the event of the leg being sprained and inflamed, possibly higher up, where it's more difficult to feel any swelling or heat.

 

The above suggestions are only the result of my own research, none of which, unfortunately, could have helped my girl. Hopefully someone else may shed more light on your problem.

 

I'll keep everything crossed for you and your girl.

[AngieC]

Hello all,

 

Many thanks for your responses.

 

Dolly is still in the same way - holding her leg out in front of her, but she was keen to eat this morning and her tail us up.

 

This is my first experience of moult - how long do they usually last?

 

Mareks could be a possibility but I have also been reading about mouldy food poisioning - could this explain the condition? Does anyone have experience with this? I have cleaned everything up.

 

I am finding this quite stressful and just want to do what is the best for Dolly - also I would like to try and avoid this in the future for my other girls.

[suebee]

If it was mouldy food, and generally available to the chooks, I would have thought the others would be affected too. Are her poos normal and firm, or runny? Apparently, botulism would cause lameness/paralysis. It's more likely in warm weather though. If you know she's been exposed to mouldy food, and suspect this, I would think a trip back to the vets asap would be in order.

 

I don't know whether or not you've seen this: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/19/botulism

(sorry if the link doesn't work - me and computers). In any event, if she continues in this way, and you can't find a more poultry friendly vet, I would go back to your original vet, with her symptoms, and attempt to get more support.

 

Moulting can take many, many weeks, and varies from chook to chook. Some drop them pretty much all in one go, and grow them back similarly. Others drop them a few at a time, and can seem to take forever over it. Mine started at the beginning of October, and I'm still finding shed feathers! One of mine has a head like a porcupine, the other looks just generally shabby. Ironically, Lizzie - who died - didn't appear to have a heavy moult, and looked pretty much the same throughout. It is a stressful time for the birds though, and their behaviour may change. Mine seem to me, to be more nervous of sights and sounds than they would normally be, and move out of my way when I walk past them... (normally I would have to step over them )

 

As for Mareks, as mimi said, the threads about it on here are very useful. I'm wading through them myself at the moment, trying to find answers for my Lizzie. There's always excellent advice and knowledge from others on here.

 

Good luck with your bird, and let us know how she goes on.

[Redwing]

What breed is the bird?

 

I'd also guess at Mareks, times of stress like a first egg, severe cold, moulting etc... are prime times for it to appear

[The Dogmother]

Hi there. Have no experience of this myself but it sounds a bit like Marek's. This can be brought on by a heavy moult and there has been a recent thread on the forum about a slow burn variety. (if you search Marek's on the chickens threads, you should find the recent info) Maybe do some research and see if there are any other similarities? It's the leg paralysis that rings a bell with me.

 

I think that was my thread. Mimi5 is right; they will usually start to hold the leg up or just avoid using it, then will hold it behind them. The classic Marek's symptoms are much slower to show so it's harder to diagnose.

 

I'd bet on Marek's too; if she looks to be going downhill - the 'slow burn' version seems to keep them going for a while, then they just get worse quite quickly - then you will need to be prepared to despatch her or take her to the vet.

[suebee]

Angie.... How is your girl now?