CackleShack
Songster
On Monday one of our 3 mo. old chicks took a fall out of the coop about 1.5 - 2 ft, and broke her leg. That same day, having not known exactly what happened yet, I brought her inside for quarantine. Her left leg was very swollen and totally limp. I knew something was wrong but it wasn’t until last night that I could tell it was more than likely broken. She couldn't/wouldn't stand at all. She is still eating, drinking, and pooping like normal though.
I believe it’s around the tib-fib/femur joint maybe just below it. It’s so hard to tell due to the swelling, and I didn’t want to move it too much for risk of doing more damage. Her leg rotates outwards in a way that it shouldn't. By changing my grasp above & below the joints I feel like the tip-fib is not intact somewhere. I’ve attached a photo of the area in which I believe the break is. Attaching a photo of her won't do any good; there's nothing outwardly obvious to see & her feathers hide the swelling.
Last night I tried to splint it and she was a perfect angel just laying there, but it’s so high up, swollen, and drawn in that, by myself, I couldn’t get it in the correct position & to stay secure.
Just now I tried checking on it again, and she is able to move it and pull it in towards her body a tiny bit. Very minimal, but still improvement!
Any opinions on whether you think it may be able to heal on its own without intervention? Definitely get a splint on it? Or if you think that with a break so high up on the leg she should just be culled?
I’ll have my husband try to help with splinting it this evening.
The vet isn’t an option. I don’t want to cull her if she hasn’t given up yet; I want to give her a chance.
I believe it’s around the tib-fib/femur joint maybe just below it. It’s so hard to tell due to the swelling, and I didn’t want to move it too much for risk of doing more damage. Her leg rotates outwards in a way that it shouldn't. By changing my grasp above & below the joints I feel like the tip-fib is not intact somewhere. I’ve attached a photo of the area in which I believe the break is. Attaching a photo of her won't do any good; there's nothing outwardly obvious to see & her feathers hide the swelling.
Last night I tried to splint it and she was a perfect angel just laying there, but it’s so high up, swollen, and drawn in that, by myself, I couldn’t get it in the correct position & to stay secure.
Just now I tried checking on it again, and she is able to move it and pull it in towards her body a tiny bit. Very minimal, but still improvement!
Any opinions on whether you think it may be able to heal on its own without intervention? Definitely get a splint on it? Or if you think that with a break so high up on the leg she should just be culled?
I’ll have my husband try to help with splinting it this evening.
The vet isn’t an option. I don’t want to cull her if she hasn’t given up yet; I want to give her a chance.
