My chicken broke its foot now it's swollen.

[jessprather]

One of my 12 week RIR chickens has a broken foot. I accidentally stepped on it and it broke. I can feel the bone is broke clean in half. I feel so bad about it. It happened Friday evening. Now it swollen, deep pink almost purple and they are like fluid filled blisters between the toes. I had it splinted but got scared it was too tight so I took it off yesterday but today it is even more swollen. I don't know what to do and I don't want my chicken to suffer. Do you think he will die? Should I put him down? He is separated in a cage from the others and he is eating and drinking.

 

[goosiesnougs]

I fixed a broken chicken leg once (same thing, my son had stepped on it). I laid the chicken down, put the leg in the correct position, wrapped it with some gauze, splinted it with two pieces of "kinex" one on each side, then wrapped it with another layer of gauze, then duct taped it! I was careful not to make it so tight that it was constricting. She gradually started using it and in a couple of weeks she was walking on it again. I changed the bandage one time after about a week, and took it off at about three weeks. It healed perfectly! I did this the day it got broken- so that may be why it healed so well... but just thought it was a good story to share




This was a post I got from an old thread... Hope it helps and your chicken is ok!!

 

[Leigti]

See if putting the foot in icewater Will help the swelling go down. Then splint it.

 

[goosiesnougs]

Aspirin is absolutely fine for chickens, I have used it on the advice of my avian vet as well.

You want to treat at a rate of 25 mg. per lb of body weight. Or approx. 1 baby aspirin per 3 lb's. I crush them between two spoons, add a couple cc's of buttermilk and suck it all up into a needless syringe and dose the bird that way. The buttermilk also helps buffer the aspirin.

 

[Wonderwend]

Aspirin is a good anti-inflammatory but it is also a strong anticoagulant so be very careful to watch out for bleeding if you do use it. I'm not sure if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Personally I would splint it, but if the bird is weight-bearing on it then I'd leave it be. Keep it isolated to reduce its movements. Nice high protein food to help with healing

 

[jessprather]

The swelling has gone down a bit today. Looks like he is going to be ok.

 

[Wonderwend]

That's great news

 

[goosiesnougs]

That is GREAT NEWS!!