# LAME D'UCCLE HEN



## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*My porcelain hen came up lame a few weeks ago. She is a year old and had just hatched eggs. The day after the hatch she was lame; odd in that she was in a small, bare area with her chicks. I was not concerned figuring it would be fine in time. Now it's past two weeks and the lameness is a bit worse. Below is a picture showing the joint affected-where the thigh and leg meet. The area is inflamed and warm to the touch. She was a dirty mess, as you can see, but is now clean with her nails clipped. When Kimmi gets home we'll remove the scabs and use antibiotic ointment. Any suggestions would be welcome*.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It's possible it's an abscess. Do you have any baby aspirin or low dose? Dissolve one in a quart of water and put that in her waterer. See if you can reduce the heat and maybe the swelling. 

Check to see how fluid that swelling is. Check where her knee bends to make sure there's nothing on the other side.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> It's possible it's an abscess. Do you have any baby aspirin or low dose?*Yes.* Dissolve one in a quart of water and put that in her waterer. *Will do.*See if you can reduce the heat and maybe the swelling.
> 
> Check to see how fluid that swelling is. *It is not. already checked. If it is an infection it is deep. If there is pus I'm hoping again, that it drains when that scab is removed.*Check where her knee bends to make sure there's nothing on the other side.*Did that before and there isn't.*


*Your thoughts on using antibiotics in the drinking water?? This is something that's familiar, but I can't retrieve it. I'm hoping the input will jog things loose. It has been very long since I had an unexplained leg problem with the birds.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It's possible that you could get something out once the scab is removed. It appears to be the hottest spot. Do you have Epsom salts to help soften the scab and for soaking the leg after the scab is removed?

Maybe on the antibiotics. It's going to depend on what you find after cleaning the leg up. If it is pus and you can flush it all out then they shouldn't be needed. Think about bumble is treated, approach this the same way. 

If nothing comes out then a broad spectrum antibiotic might clear it. But if solid pus is still present it won't do the job totally.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

Robin, thank you. We do have Epsom salts. I very much appreciate your input.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Sometimes I have to think hard about stuff like this. Do a point A to point B to C, etc. In other words I have to find my logic. 

I know there's an arthritis that attacks leg joints on chickens and is fatal. But you would see it bilaterally. I think this is from laying against the blank wood for so long.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Or from the dampness from the day after day of rain and heat. The location of the swelling suggests that we are likely right. Those rains came down so hard and fast nothing was dry when it stopped. And the dampness lasted for a long time. I'm surprised the birds came through in such good shape; I expected more heath issues well beyond a sore leg.*


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

Oh my.. I'm no help, but will pray she gets better!


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

Animals45 said:


> Oh my.. I'm no help, but will pray she gets better!


*Thank you.*


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Both leg joints on both leg are now inflamed. Viral arthritis? I have tried to read on this and, today, it is beyond my understanding. I do wish that research/veterinarian papers could be written to be understood and less to impress the reader; so-called educated jargon does not impress me. What does impress me is when a writer can take a difficult subject and make it understandable. I do know that viral arthritis has no cure and the recommendation is euthanasia. Sarah-I wish you were closer as I think you've the patience to work miracles with our feathered friends. She's too wonderful to put down as long as she can hobble around, eat, and drink with some quality of life.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Well, there's the bilateral I mentioned earlier. Yours is the first I've ever known to have it, if she has it. Has aspirin done anything to relieve the heat and swelling? 

The problem you were running into is that the docs are all geared to commercial poultry keeping. They can be awful to translate into English. 

There is some disagreement from some of what I read. Feces contamination with one, another says the reovirus is in house and if it is activated it's due to other physical issues. 

There is no cure. One said it can resolve the rest said no. But this was geared to commercial poultry.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Well, there's the bilateral I mentioned earlier. Yours is the first I've ever known to have it, if she has it. Has aspirin done anything to relieve the heat and swelling?
> 
> The problem you were running into is that the docs are all geared to commercial poultry keeping. They can be awful to translate into English.
> 
> ...





robin416 said:


> Well, there's the bilateral I mentioned earlier. Yours is the first I've ever known to have it, if she has it. Has aspirin done anything to relieve the heat and swelling?
> 
> The problem you were running into is that the docs are all geared to commercial poultry keeping. They can be awful to translate into English.
> 
> ...


*I keep reading and just get more confused; it seems that it is not well understood. I am reading that it may be contagious. This hen was raised here from shipped eggs. There has never been a case like this before in my flock. One place said it could be passed through the egg from the parent. It may be prudent to euthanize her to protect the rest of the birds-your thoughts on this? I really dislike having to put animals down and still upset about having to put Clock down when he started seriously hurting other birds. There's one hen outside that's blind in one eye from the beating she got. Still...

I'll need to watch the roosters that were with her for any leg issues; at least she was not, and never was, free range.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I got the same impression, that they don't fully understand it. And did pick up the possibility of it being transmissible.

I don't know anyone who has ever dealt with it. I only knew about it from some the reading I've done on poultry diseases and a little of it stuck with me. 

If the one article I read was right and that the reovirus is present in birds and is only activated due to a physical issue you might not have to put her down. It might resolve. 

The one thing I've noticed about you, is that you're not quick to throw in the towel. If she is eating and drinking, think about it for a while. This might be a major learning thing for all of us.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Thanks for the input and I'm not about to give up until it has to be.*


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Awww poor baby! I do hope this eases for her. 

Dan I wish the same thing for so many reasons, and this little girl is just one of a long list of reasons it would be better if we were closer- I really hope you don’t have to put her down- and it also begs the question- if it is communicable, wouldn’t it be likely someone else has it already anyway? Just curious.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

Overmountain1 said:


> Awww poor baby! I do hope this eases for her.
> 
> Dan I wish the same thing for so many reasons, and this little girl is just one of a long list of reasons it would be better if we were closer- I really hope you don’t have to put her down- and it also begs the question- if it is communicable, wouldn’t it be likely someone else has it already anyway? Just curious.


*It being a virus, yes, it may spread. She was in a pen with the roosters, but the pen sits along side the poultry yard; virus can be carried in the air-maybe. I just have to wait and see. No euthanasia unless it gets to the point she is unable to have any kind of life or I find it is very contagious-then there's no choice.

Kimmi says, "HI".*


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

Feel so bad, Hope everything just goes back to normal!


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