Hi, I have posted a long time ago about this particular hen....she is a hen belonging to a dear friend of mine who found her on a horse trail and kept her. She started having leg weakness and falling over. You BYC'ers said that it was a nutritional problem, so for several months my friend has kept her in a rabbit hutch (so the other chickens don't beat her up, and to give her extra food and vitamins in her water) but all to no avail. The little hen has progressively gotten worse. I thought that she wasn't getting enough food, or that the lay mash provided by her owner was not good for her. (She has NEVER laid an egg.)
The little hen has come to live at my house now, supposedly because I'm the chicken expert who will find a way to make her all better. *sigh* She has been here for a week on a very high protein diet (game bird feed mixed with chick gro all wetted down) and vitamins in her water and scrambled eggs. As of today, she can't weight bear on her legs at all and can only move around by flailing and can barely sit up even on her hocks. I think over time her leg muscles have atrophied somewhat, and her right foot looks curled most of the time.
She is NO better, perhaps even worse. So it's the last chance for little "El Pico." Next step is to have the horse vet "put her down" the next time he's out. What more can be done? What in the heck is wrong? I know most of you will say to just have her put down; the problem is--- she is the treasured pet of a little girl named Kristin who believes that El Pico can get better. If you have any ideas for me, please don't hesitate.
Oh, and she does eat and drink, and poops, and looks bright.
The little hen has come to live at my house now, supposedly because I'm the chicken expert who will find a way to make her all better. *sigh* She has been here for a week on a very high protein diet (game bird feed mixed with chick gro all wetted down) and vitamins in her water and scrambled eggs. As of today, she can't weight bear on her legs at all and can only move around by flailing and can barely sit up even on her hocks. I think over time her leg muscles have atrophied somewhat, and her right foot looks curled most of the time.
She is NO better, perhaps even worse. So it's the last chance for little "El Pico." Next step is to have the horse vet "put her down" the next time he's out. What more can be done? What in the heck is wrong? I know most of you will say to just have her put down; the problem is--- she is the treasured pet of a little girl named Kristin who believes that El Pico can get better. If you have any ideas for me, please don't hesitate.
Oh, and she does eat and drink, and poops, and looks bright.
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