One of my one-year-old hybrid hens is limping. Her right foot seems to be turning in slightly. I have had to isolate her from the other hens as they have started picking on her. When I examined her legs, there appeared to be no signs of injury or bumblefoot which I researched on the internet.

Victoria Roberts says: The best case scenario is that your limping hen has strained her leg in some way. Feel the hip joints on both sides to see if they feel equal. If she has torn a ligament, this will take ages to heal, even with anti-inflammatory medication.

The worst case scenario is that she is beginning to show signs of Marek’s disease for which there is no cure and against which she should have been vaccinated, but no vaccine is 100% effective; we are usually happy with 99.9%. Take her to your vet for a clinical examination and then follow their advice.

Image(s) provided by: