# Orpington Limping - and it is getting much worse ... very worrisome!



## Alyssa (Mar 28, 2013)

My Orps are like 2-1/2 months old.

I shot a quick video to show some friends how they were going for the grapes after ignoring grapes as food at all for the first few weeks.

I'd thought a few times prior to this that maybe the splash orp limped, but then I'd watch her and couldnt see anything that I could call a definite limp, and she seemed a little klutzy and her sister is pushy, so wasn';t really sure.

Then watched this video and saw what seemed to be definitely a limp. SO I started REALLY watching her and it has been progressively getting worse.

She and her sister HAVE been vaccinated for Marek's. Trill the roo, we have no idea but I am thinking he has not been (he seems fine, but he and the girls have not yet physically interacted).

Both girls were (and still are a little but they are getting better) a little flighty and werent yet really comfy with being picked up and held ... and the first few times they really squirmed and tried to fly out of our arms and it is possible that we held onto a foot while trying to put them back on the ground before they landed (training technique) by accident and the splash is SO timid that she'd try to fly into a wall to get down at first because she wasnt paying attention ... so its possible that she wrenched a foot, hip, leg, etc.

Same for landing on it wrong.

It bothers me a little because she does have vision problems I feel, she doesn't seem t coordinate her beak and compute spatial distances and depth very well, though she can eat ... she does seem to have some hesitation that her sister obviously does not have as you can see in the first video, lol.

She is also thinner than her sister I feel.

Here are two videos, the first was the one where I realized I caught a slight limp a few times and the second was today and you can see the dramatic difference.

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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

She could have landed wrong, stepped on something, have a thorn on her foot, ect. I don't see any sings of illness in the video, she still seems spunky. I would just let her bed and see if it will heal. Just keep providing fresh water and feed. IF you think the other hen is eating more you could feel them seperatly so the limping one gets a fair share.


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## Alyssa (Mar 28, 2013)

It got even worse to where she is extending her leg out straight in front of her and then bringing it down in a clumsy step and then falling on her hock when she puts her full weight on it .... so I have her now set up in a rubbermaid tub with chicken wire over the top and in the bathroom for forced rest, but not sure what other things I ought to be doing to give her supportive care.


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## Alyssa (Mar 28, 2013)

Well, took her to an avian vet and had xrays taken.

Nothing broken, nothing dislocated. Vet says she is 100% positive that it is not Mareks as they see a lot of Mareks in our area and are very familiar with a variety of presentations.

No injuries, no swelling, no sores, no cuts, she is eating well, poop looked good, no fever, didnt seem like the main tendon to her, but thought it might be a ligament.

Says she looks good and eyes looked okay, no respiratory symptoms, but that she will have the "chicken expert" vet look over and case and weigh in on it even she is back in the clinic next week. However, says if it is this one condition that she thinks the only option is euthanasia. We did get Metacam - an anti-inflammatory pain med for her so hoping that will help her too.

But thinking maybe it's just something like a torn ligament and that maybe she needs to be put into traction or something for an extended time for the leg to have time to heal ... not sure.

Hoping to find other chicken owners that have had the same thing happen and had a chicken pull through and what they found to be helpful or work for them ... if so, I sure could use the advice!


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