# Odd gait.



## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I am going to post pictures of my little red hen. I'm not sure what breed she is, but she has developed a very wide gait. I thought she was just getting too fat. She's also the one who had round worms which have been treated and a round of Sulmet. She doesn't act sick, but I've noticed when she is resting tha she breathes heavier with slightly more effort with her beak slightly open. I wish I could post a video because it could be seen better.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I would check her for an impacted egg or egg peritonitis, or water belly.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Red Sex Link .You can to upload to a different site then post the link and it will embed it.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Does she walk slow? Is she eating and drinking normally?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

She's not really acting sick and eating and drinking fine. I've been watching her for 2 or 3 months now and there is no change. I used wazine to worm them and she seemed to improve for a few days. Do you think I should worm her with something stronger? Her poos are thin( nish) no evidence of worms anymore. I think she's still laying, but I can't say for sure.
Dawg, shejust waddles along, but slow.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Sulmet for worms? I must have missed something. Is she fat?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Sulmet is not a wormer. Use Valbazen or Safeguard for goats for 5 days in a row. Wazine is for round worms. But there are other types of worms that love chickens, and IMO would want to treat for all of them unless poop is examined by a vet.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

No , I used Sulmet because I thought a couple of them might have had cocci. Walzine came first to worm them. Should I go ahead and do the valbazen?


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> No , I used Sulmet because I thought a couple of them might have had cocci. Walzine came first to worm them. Should I go ahead and do the valbazen?


Give her 1/2cc valbazen orally and repeat again in 10 days.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Will the valbazen be in with the cattle wormers?


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

Have you looked at the hen's vent? Is it clean? Is it puckered up or pushing outward?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I'll look, but there is nothing on her bum. The outside of her bum is fuzzy and clean. I'll catch her tomorrow and see.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I get valbazen online from jeffers.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> Will the valbazen be in with the cattle wormers?


I thought you had some valbazen on hand. Most of the time it has to be ordered online or calling a place like Jefferslivestock.com to order it.
As an alternative you can buy Safeguard liquid goat wormer 125ml bottle and is available in most feed stores and TSC's. It's cheaper and does a good job eliminating most worms. Dosage for your hen would be 1/2cc orally for 5 days straight. Give it to her before she eats in the mornings. It's a good follow up after using the wazine to get rid of large roundworm larva as well as other types of worms.
In the meantime...do you know when was the last time she laid an egg? I've had Red Stars walk like that and possibly it's an eggbound issue. You can try soaking her in a container of warm water up to her sides for about 20 minutes. While she's soaking in the warm water, gently massage her underside front to rear. 
The warm water soak relaxes the bird and her innards. Gently massaging front to rear helps to move the egg along. Sometimes they even lay the egg in the water lol.
Sometimes they might require one or two more warm water soaks at your discretion. 
You're trying to prevent egg impactation, for which there is no treatment and the end result is death. IF this is the case.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

No, I don't have valbazen. I've only used wazine. I'll check here for the egg bound thing, but it's been long enough that she's been doing this that I think she would have died with infection by now. I'll check closer this afternoon when I get home from work. 
I have seen the valbazen goat wormer at our Stillwater Mills so I'll pick tbat up ,too. Do you think it's better or has more coverage than wazine?


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> No, I don't have valbazen. I've only used wazine. I'll check here for the egg bound thing, but it's been long enough that she's been doing this that I think she would have died with infection by now. I'll check closer this afternoon when I get home from work.
> I have seen the valbazen goat wormer at our Stillwater Mills so I'll pick tbat up ,too. Do you think it's better or has more coverage than wazine?


You're right, if it's been going on for quite awhile she wouldve died by now. Maybe it's just how she walks, just one of those anomaly's that happens on occasion.
It's still best to follow up with another wormer after using the wazine. Actually the product you saw at Stillwater Mills should be "Safeguard" liquid goat wormer. Here's a photo for you: Prices vary, usually not more than $25.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

One of my hens is walking bull-legged.I picked her up and her vent was swollen and squishy.My guess is water belly.She's eating and drinking and feisty.I'm just going to monitor her for now.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Ok, so if its water belly, what's the treatment?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

It may have been Safeguard, I was just wandering around. Is it a good follow up?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> Ok, so if its water belly, what's the treatment?


There's a treatment of drawing fluid with a needle. But you won't cure it. Water belly can be hard or soft abdomen I think.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

nannypattyrn said:


> It may have been Safeguard, I was just wandering around. Is it a good follow up?


Absolutely. I just finished giving a course of it to my birds last week. Then the next time you worm your birds, no need to use the wazine. Just give them the safeguard.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Thx, Dawg!!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Ok, I inspected my little RSL. She has the signs of water belly or ascites. So that said we will most likely cull her. There is no cure just palative treatment like needle aspiration. I don't know if it's just something that happens or if it is damage from the rd. worms. She's a sweet little girl but I don't want her to suffer and I don't have time to do the drainage thing. Thx all, for the tips and suggestions.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

I've had more problems with gold sex links than any other. There are definitely some bad genetics not being addressed by breeders. I am sorry about your hen.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

That is what I decided as well Mike. Maybe its the sex linked chickens. I was looking it up and seemed to see references to the RSL ,too.


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## MikeA_15 (Feb 21, 2016)

nannypattyrn said:


> That is what I decided as well Mike. Maybe its the sex linked chickens. I was looking it up and seemed to see references to the RSL ,too.


I know dawg has mentioned hardiness in regard to Black Sex Links he's had. Maybe he could comment on that.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I've seemed to have similar problems with Red Stars and ended up having to cull. I honestly havnt had that much trouble with Black Stars. I've only had to cull one for being egg impacted. Yet some folks have said the same about Black Stars having problems and not so much with Red Stars. 
For me, I've yet to have a RSL live more than 2 years. I've had BSL's live only up to 6 years at the most. 
Mike has the right answer...bad genetics.
I'm sorry you have to put your hen down Patti.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Thx ,Dawg! I know that it's just a fact of life with whatever animal one is raising, an unpleasant fact.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I'm sorry about your hen. Death is still upsetting. Poor thing.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I culled a hen for water belly last month and now have another.The first one was a Cochin and this one is an EE/Cochin mix.What's best to do?I won't aspirate the fluid and thought I would just monitor her or do you all think I should just cull her.I don't want her to suffer needlessly.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

CQ, from what I've read and the response on this site, water belly is cardiac and liver failure. The only thing that can be done is pallative and not curative. We've opted to cull...


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

How old was she?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Right at 2 years, I think.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I guess that would be called ascites then.


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