Backyard Poultry Forum

Age: approx 3 months
Breed: frizzle pekin
Sex: pullet

Your Location- country, state (different areas/climates have different problems)
ANSWER: blue mountains new australia

What is wrong? What symptoms have you noted? - As much detail as possible please.
ANSWER: she started with a limp. I checked leg and she had a lu.p on the top of her foot about the diameter of a 5c piece. Lump was pink and some small scabs on it. 2 days later she couldn't walk or get up at all. Took to get. She's now on day 3 of antibiotics (amoxyl and clav acid) and had electrolytes syringe fed for 2 days. No improvement. Still eating if directly in front of her.

What are you feeding? - Please list everything you're feeding to your birds, including type of basic feed, free ranging, scraps, extras, etc. If possible give approximate percentages.
ANSWER: grower crumble with a small amount of free range scratch and a few mealworms each day. Occasionally scraps e.g. spinach or watermelon.


Full droppings description.- colour, consistency, frequency, offensive smell.
ANSWER: appear normal

Respiratory Changes?- eg. breathing sounds, discharge, laboured breathing, facial swelling
ANSWER: no

Digestive Changes?- eg. eating, drinking, crop filling & emptying
ANSWER: no

Condition Changes?- eg. Weight, comb/wattle colour, skin, feathering
ANSWER: loss of condition

Behavioural Changes?- inc. socialising, laying, crowing, broodiness
ANSWER: still sweet and placid

Agility Changes? - eg. any lameness, favouring, energy levels
ANSWER: lame, can flap wings but can't stand or get up.

Describe your usual worming routine and products. [If none, say so and skip the next 3 worming questions.] Do you have a cycle that you use eg. every 3 months, or every six months?
ANSWER: she was last worked a few weeks ago when I got her off the breeder. Tablet. Didn't ask what it was exactly.

1. When was the bird last wormed??- approximate date. 
ANSWER: 4 weeks ago approx

2. What product was used to worm the bird, and how was it given? ? eg. in the drinking water, on the skin, by injection?
ANSWER: tablet

3. Was a follow up dose given? (eg. 10-14 days later)
ANSWER: no

Any other recent medications?- antibiotics, coccidiosis meds, herbal remedies, etc
ANSWER: as above

Other changes? – additions to the flock, diet, housing, extreme weather
ANSWER: she is new along with another pekin.

I'll take photos tomorrow. She's my son's little pet. His last one died too, a few months ago. Similar symptoms but she wasn't lame to start with and no visible leg deformity.

Can you describe the position of her legs (pic?)
Push against her feet - is there resistance in both legs?

Mareks is a possibility.

Usually 1 leg is stuck out in front of her. The leg with the injury the toes are curled. I'll get a photo tomorrow and see if there is resistance. Thanks for your reply. The vet has no idea what it is.

Ah shoot. That's what she looks like. Thanks. Is this 100% fatal? Should I just get her put to sleep or persevere? I know antibiotics won't help a virus but is there a chance she can recover?

I'll still post photos tomorrow.

Oh and given we've had a couple with these similar symptoms, should I be concerned about the day of my flock?

If it's Mareks she won't recover.
It is contagious but they are most vulnerable as chicks and it generally shows up between 12 weeks and pre lay, although older birds can get it, it's less common so it's not necessarily all bad news.
I had a bad run of it when I first started out but with a closed flock mine seem to have acquired a natural resistance - at least to the local strain.
You can have birds vaccinated but it has to be done when they hatch and is still not a guarantee (because there are so many strains of the virus).