[Henbane]

Hello, has anyone any idea or knowledge of what is the cause of  curled up feet/toes in our bantam (hen). She cannot walk, she tries to but falls over, we are looking after her, she is feeding ok. She has been like this for a week now.
             I gently striaghtened out her toes and shes stands up and then they end up all curled again. All the other hens and bantams are unaffected, they are free range. :?
Thanks in anticipation

[Bodger]

How old is she ?

It sounds like some form of Mareks disease to me. It manifests itelf in a number of ways and paralysis is one of the main ones. Having said that a lame foot or a dropped wing is the form that I'm more familiar with

[Aunt Sally]

Were the vaccinated as day olds.

Does it look anything like this :



This is caused by Marek's disease.

[Henbane]

hi Bodger & Aunt Sally,

Thanks for info.

I think this must be the cause, we took 5 of these bantams in at about 6 months old cos the owner was going to wring their necks, it was around the time of a bird flue scare so they not that old, i cant remember the name of the breed, they are black with white spots/flecks on wing ends, very pretty and they lay quite huge white eggs considering their small size.

      Is Mareks disease connected with the hen being vaccinated?  I think they would have been vaccinated because previous owner does show his birds.

       Is their any cure?

[Aunt Sally]

If the breeder breeds only a few birds then is very unlikely that he would have taken the trouble and expense to have vaccinated them (Bodger will correct me if I'm wrong).

Marek's disease is caused by a herpesvirus so there is no treatment available  

The hen sould be isolated from your other birds until you have decided if that is the cause of the illness  :!:

[chickenjohnok]

I think you are right Aunt Sally, isolate and cleanup all the old droppings in the run and the Hen House. Is her droppings white and very watery.
( An easy way to clean out the run is to dig it overwith the spade  

[Bodger]

I'm sure its been said on here before, but to be effective the innoculation must be given within the first 24 hours of life.

The last time that I looked into it, dose size really only catered for large numbers of chicks.

Some people including myself think that the long term strategy of only breeding from birds and strains that are resistant to the disease is the best one to adopt.

Certain breeds are very susceptable to it, one of these being silkies. I don't know what people can do if they keep these particular breeds.

[Henbane]

I think you are right Aunt Sally, isolate and cleanup all the old droppings in the run and the Hen House. Is her droppings white and very watery.
( An easy way to clean out the run is to dig it overwith the spade  

Her droppings are normal and solid, she is 2.5 or so years old.

[Aunt Sally]

As she is 2.5 years old I would think it's no very likely to be Marek's as chickens develop an age-related resistance..  Without seeing the hen It's difficult to suggest anything else.  Injury, rheumatics, ligament problem - could be many things  :?

[Bodger]

Chickens can have Mareks and not show signs or symptoms for a number of years. They can manifest themsevles at anytime, quite often at times of stress brought about by even something as simple as change.

[Henbane]

:?  Hmm, i too abit confused! We have kept hens for many years and this is the first time we have encountered this ailment or whatever it be.

          It is interesting to read that Mareks can be brought on by stress because 2 weeks ago a dog took 2 of our hens, the dog was lose on its own and ran up our field, it is fortunate that our neighbour happened to see it, they also lost a hen, it was right after this i noticed our bantam cowering under a bush, she normally very friendly but wouldnt come out and then the curled toes started to appear so it does seem to all follow a pattern now.

         She is still very perky and feeding well, she stands up but cannot walk, her eyes are normal reddy/orange iris.

[Aunt Sally]

Is her foot or leg injured perhaps.  Does she flinch or resist if you try to move it about (carefully)  :?:

[Henbane]

Is her foot or leg injured perhaps.  Does she flinch or resist if you try to move it about (carefully)  :?:

No, she doesnt flinch or resist, yesterday morning i carefully washed her feet in warm water and then gently rubbed in to legs and feet neem tincture and she didnt mind, her feet are very pliable and the clawy bits are not rigid.

    My brother who is a homoeopath has found a website www.vethomopath.com  that has a poultry section, i am trying her with some remedies tomorrow, i must like a challenge!

   I will let you know how it all goes.

[Aunt Sally]

I'm sorry Henbane, I have absolutly no faith in homeopathy.  It's just water or sugar pills to me.  But if the hen has an injury problem it will get better in about 3 weeks or so with or without treatment.    Leg strains are quite common in chooks and hens don't make much fuss about pain  :!: