Chick with limp wing

[Animalian]

Here's the story.
I have a first time broody hen with three chicks, one is bold, one is crazy-flighty, one is mellow.
They are four weeks old, and living in a large rabbit cage as their 'broody coop', it has a wire floor but sits on the ground.

My mum decided to move the broody coop today, by lifting one end and dragging it, she said "they all flapped around and made noise."

I checked everyone and sure enough "crazy flighty" has panicked so much she has hurt herself, her left wing drags on the ground, theres no resistance when I hold it, her wing bones feel fine it's the shoulder joint that seems odd. She's still eating and screaming and being her usual crazy self.

I wrapped the wing and hoisted it up for support, wrapping around her body to keep it close. She then she managed to flip upside down with her feet stuck in it, so then I tried just wrapping the injured wing, and looping around the good wing to try and support it without risking her getting her feet stuck. Then she kept falling over because shes the kind of chick that 'flaps everywhere' not just walks. So she was putting herself off balance by only flapping one wing.

Now I've tried strapping the other wing down too, still using the good wing to support the bad. Like she has a little bandage backpack. She's still with her mum and siblings and went under her to sleep ok tonight.

Is this the right thing to do? Will she be ok for three days like this? I hope it's just a sprain and I've seem chickens get better from much worse. I have a holiday booked and am laving tomorrow! (bad timing!!)

Any chance this could be something more sinister?

 

[ChicKat]

I will hope to hear that it was a slight injury that heals fast.

My 17-18 week old pullet was drooping a wing, and it turned out that she had Marek's. I sure hope this doesn't happen to you. Keep a close eye on her for any other things that look like it could be a paralysis instead of an injury. I've heard that cranberries (do y'all have them in Australia?) can help fight the virus, but it is very contageous.

Most likely the flapping during the move was the problem, but....... be watchful and if anything else looks not quite right isolate that one while you research what the problem is.

Good luck!

 

[Animalian]

Wrapping the wing like that was a bad idea. Came home to the bad wing twisted round on itself. Took her to the vet and she gave her an anti-inflammatory/pain killer, trimmed her wing feathers and bent the wing round right. Chick acted normal after that.

This morning she's wobbly walking around though... All the rest are fine.

 

[ChicKat]

Hope to hear that your chick makes a full and complete 'recovery'. Post back when she lays her first egg. ;O)

 

[Animalian]

so much for that.Turn out he's hit his head HARD and lost it's sense of direction and balance the next day. Couldn't feed himself/follow its mum. Had to have it put down.