Backyard Brahmas!!

[speckledhen]

I checked her feet and they look good. I think it might be her hip or knee? She limps much worse after she's been laying down for a while, but while it is a little better with use, it's still very pronounced.
The best guess I can make is she pulled something while running from one of the big girls. They've been integrated with my 5 adult hens for about 3weeks. For the most part, everything is peaceful, but my head hen, a barred rock sometimes gets a burr up her butt and patactically stalks them. I have lots of little hidey holes for them, and I don't think that she actually got caught since there are no actual marks on her.

Sounds like a leg/hock strain to me. The limping more right after she stands up is why I say that. I have elderly hen with severe arthritis in one hock joint and after they've been laying down for awhile, they limp badly for a bit after they stand up. Legs can easily be injured in chicks running for their lives. Also, if the hock juts/bends out to the side oddly, it can be a slipped tendon. That is something I've never been able to fix on the rare occasion it showed up in a chick, but sounds like yours just pulled something. At least, that's my guess from the way it's presenting.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Sounds like a leg/hock strain to me. The limping more right after she stands up is why I say that. I have elderly hen with severe arthritis in one hock joint and after they've been laying down for awhile, they limp badly for a bit after they stand up. Legs can easily be injured in chicks running for their lives. Also, if the hock juts/bends out to the side oddly, it can be a slipped tendon. That is something I've never been able to fix on the rare occasion it showed up in a chick, but sounds like yours just pulled something. At least, that's my guess from the way it's presenting.

I agree with speckled hen. I think some time away from the group, perhaps with a friend, is the best option. I usually try not to isolate one bird because reintroduction can be harder and plus who doesn't want company?

 

[zookeepersgirl]

Does anyone know what color Brahma you would get if you combine Buff with a Light? I am going to start breeding brahmas and I am looking to create a color that is not around where I live to sell at a higher price. That and it's really cool to see what cool colors you can make by mixing them up. TIA

 

[RachaelR32]

I put 6 light brahma eggs under my broody brahma but only 1 hatched. He's got some barnyard mix friends though so he's not alone.

 

[speckledhen]

I put 6 light brahma eggs under my broody brahma but only 1 hatched. He's got some barnyard mix friends though so he's not alone.

Awwwww! What an adorable chick! Nice photo, too.

 

[eleaserek]

Sounds like a leg/hock strain to me. The limping more right after she stands up is why I say that. I have elderly hen with severe arthritis in one hock joint and after they've been laying down for awhile, they limp badly for a bit after they stand up. Legs can easily be injured in chicks running for their lives. Also, if the hock juts/bends out to the side oddly, it can be a slipped tendon. That is something I've never been able to fix on the rare occasion it showed up in a chick, but sounds like yours just pulled something. At least, that's my guess from the way it's presenting.

Thankfully it's not bending out to the side or anything like that. So do you think just some r&r? She is just the sweetest chick ever, I feel terrible that she got hurt in the fist place.
Thank you to everyone who chimed in!

 

[speckledhen]

Thankfully it's not bending out to the side or anything like that. So do you think just some r&r? She is just the sweetest chick ever, I feel terrible that she got hurt in the fist place.
Thank you to everyone who chimed in!

Leg injuries require you to limit their movement by keeping them corralled in a cage or something other than a big pen. You can give her a baby aspriin every couple of days

 

[newmarch2014]

My hen that has a bum leg from being herded down the steep hill too ambitiously a year ago appreciates a boost down from the roost every morning. She dutifully waits for quite awhile to be lowered gently unless someone is just ridiculously late getting out to the coop in the morning. I never actually separated mine since she was the biggest hen and nobody would be chasing her around to re injure her if kept in the coop away from the guard dog. I make her life easier by giving her plenty of transitional perches to keep her from having any long jumps on hard surfaces and lots of cushy straw to land on. However for one that will be inclined to run from scary things a week or so in a dog crate with a friend for company is a good relaxation as well as a good warm soak in epsom salts as long as they are kept somewhere warm with no draft to dry (my hospital crate is kept in the mud room of the house so they can be warm and watched. I just line the bottom with paper for easy clean up).

 

[speckledhen]

My hen that has a bum leg from being herded down the steep hill too ambitiously a year ago appreciates a boost down from the roost every morning. She dutifully waits for quite awhile to be lowered gently unless someone is just ridiculously late getting out to the coop in the morning. I never actually separated mine since she was the biggest hen and nobody would be chasing her around to re injure her if kept in the coop away from the guard dog. I make her life easier by giving her plenty of transitional perches to keep her from having any long jumps on hard surfaces and lots of cushy straw to land on. However for one that will be inclined to run from scary things a week or so in a dog crate with a friend for company is a good relaxation as well as a good warm soak in epsom salts as long as they are kept somewhere warm with no draft to dry (my hospital crate is kept in the mud room of the house so they can be warm and watched. I just line the bottom with paper for easy clean up).

Yep, my going on ten yr old Brahma, Caroline, does that. Her big old swinging crop gets in her way and she's got arthritis in one hock so she waits for her lift down every morning. Sometimes, though, she sleeps on the floor next to BR, Amanda, who is just two months younger than Caroline, but completely has no use of one leg from long-term arthritis on that joint so Amanda must sleep on the floor. I think Caroline has a hard time getting up on the roost at times, too.

 

[Sjisty]

We have a separate coop/run for the old ones. They deserve to not be bothered by the Roos. They don't roost, but they do go up in a dog house at night.