Our golden comet, Sweetie Pie, cannot walk or stand. This first happened at the same time that she was attacked by the other girls. My husband went in the coop in the morning and she was on the floor being pecked and stomped to nearly death. He put her in the infirmary. She couldn't walk or stand the first day. Gradually she could stand up on one leg, eventually she could walk. I could never find anything that felt broken or out of place, and no manipulation of the leg caused her any distress. As of this morning, she was getting around fine, still limping, but "gallumping" along very well. She has been in the infirmary with Little Red Hen, who's recovering from impacted crop, for almost two months (I think they both are going to be permanent "retirement home" hens... neither can get up and down from the coop or roost anymore.) Tonight, my husband let the other girls out to forage while we had dinner, and Sweetie Pie got out of the barn and got attacked again. I found her pushed up against the raspberry fencing on her side. I picked her up, carried her somewhere safe, put her on her feet. Collapse. We're back to square one. This time it's the other leg, I think. I didn't realize that at the time, but will check in the morning. She won't put any weight on it.
Can anyone help? How can I determine if it's broken or dislocated? Wouldn't she show distress if I moved an injured leg? I felt all along the bone and didn't feel any movement like something broken. I have no idea how to tell if it's a dislocation. How would I examine for that and what would it feel like?
Thank you!
Can anyone help? How can I determine if it's broken or dislocated? Wouldn't she show distress if I moved an injured leg? I felt all along the bone and didn't feel any movement like something broken. I have no idea how to tell if it's a dislocation. How would I examine for that and what would it feel like?
Thank you!