# Expert advice needed -- hen health prob?



## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Hi Folks -- the minimonkeys here....

We seem to have a new problem with our hen, Persephone. For those who don't know the history, we rescued two babies about a year and a half ago, brother and sister. They are now a mated pair, Prospero and Persephone, and have been quite healthy to date -- (with Feralpigeon's help, we medicated them prophylactically for all the usual feral-pigeon diseases and such.) 

We now have a third pigeon, another hen that we rescued about 6 months ago who had a lame wing with a boil. Feralpigeon diagnosed paratyphoid, and we had the hen on Baytril (and then thrush treatment, too) for over 6 weeks -- the boil finally healed, and she can fly, but not well. We kept her quarantined from the others while ill, but introduced them after she recovered. She bonded with our other two, and seemed miserable separated from them, so we built an indoor aviary and they all live together now. Everyone has seemed fit as a fiddle so far...and were getting along fine

Tonight, I came home and Persephone was on the floor of the aviary. She and Prospero usually occupy the high perch together, with the other hen on a lower perch. ( Occasionally Prospero will get bossy and chase the other hen down to the floor for a while.) I've never seen Persephone on the floor, though...

When she tries to fly up to him, he attacks her, viciously! He gets bossy at times with her, but I've never seen him be this vicious. Then, we noticed that Persephone is favoring one foot very much -- there is no swelling, abrasion or obvious injury, but she won't put weight on it, and it seems limp -- almost paralyzed...?.

Is this an injury from Prospero's pecking attacks?

Could it be that she somehow contracted paratyphoid despite our best efforts to keep the new bird quarantined while ill? Could this be PMV? Any ideas, anyone? 

We have a feral flock that comes by outside the window, and occasionally one will slip in the window for a visit -- we try to minimize contact with the ferals for health reasons (our pigeons' health, not ours!) though. We also have mice in the building (we've tried everything short of killing them to get rid of them, but can't figure out where they are coming from) -- the aviary is enclosed with thin screen mesh, so mice can't get in to it -- but still, I know they can carry diseases....

Oh, very worried! We do have some baytril, so could med her with that if paratyphoid seems a possibility. 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions....


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

It doesn't sound at all like PMV. I know that paratyphoid can recur, but I think it unlikely that she has that. My own opinion is that she hurt her foot trying to reestablish her place on Prospero's perch.

Can you clarify whether Prospero is mating the other hen?

I found one of my oldest hens, Blackie, on the floor when her mate decided he prefered another hen. She was weak and when I wormed her some roundworms came out. Then she got gradually better.

It has taken some time, but she is once again allowed to perch in her mate's area, although it is the other hen that provides the eggs.

Cynthia
.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi mm, 


She may have strained or sprained her Foot or Leg or Thigh, and if so, will hold her Foot up for a week or two, or will favor it...

Sorry to hear those two are fighting.

I get that here too, ( but thankfully, not often..where ) all will have been harmonious for weeks, then a 'new' Pigeon is done with their convelesent cage-time, so I let them out to free fly in here pending release, and there can be squabbles and fights and so on, over nothing! - which of course I choose to break up when I can...and to scold the offending parties.

Two Hens and one Male are sometimes a good formula for fights to happen...the Hens can fight as well as that the Male might also drive off the odd-hen-out...

I have a sweet, adorable Hen here, 'Big Girl', whose Mate 'Big Daddy' ( non-releaseables ) sometimes is a mite flirty with another ( non releaseable ) Hen, and Big Girl will go after that other hen in a really aggressive way if she gets anywhere near him or her!

Even though he ( of course?) is friendly to the 'tresspassing' Hen...so...

Maybe see about getting a fourth Pigeon, another male...and who knows, if there are 'two' mated pairs, things might calm down except for any rivalries about which pair wants which nest spot or high perch or something...

It's a real 'Peyton Place' sometimes...



Good luck..!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I would isolate her and keep her on some good supportive care including probiotics-due to stress, garlic-to help with immune system, and multi-vitamin mineral-and calcium, because she is a hen.

Just keep your eye out and try to keep her off that foot, minimize her mobility, it may dissappear in a day or two. Please keep us updated.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

*thanks Cynthia*

As far as I know, Prospero only mated the other hen once. It was right after they were introduced and all three were out for an afternoon flap in the apartment -- he mated her then, and never again that I know of.
He's been diligent in keeping her from going up on his and Persephone's perch, always chasing her off. He's up there by himself at the moment -- Paloma (the newest hen) is on her usual perch down below.

Persephone isn't showing any other signs of illness -- no swollen joints, no respiratory stuff, she's eating and drinking, etc. -- just the foot. She was putting a little weight on it this morning, but it clearly still hurts her. She's still on the floor 


Boo, hiss, Prospero. I didn't realize Pigeons had marital spats....


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

It usually takes a pretty good smack for them to hurt themselves. Unie once hurt a foot enough that there was some discoloration and she favored the foot for a few days. It was all over before the week was up, though. You'll just have to keep an eye on her for awhile and see if it resolves quickly or not. If not, it's more than likely something worse than you figured like an actual break or a disease process.

Pidgey


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