Slipped Tendon! No cure? What do I do?

I have a young cockerel with a slipped tendon. There is no cure! What do I do? I don't have time to baby him for the rest of his life, and I'm afraid to cull him

His mom died shortly after laying him, so his life story is a sad one. He was then raised alone by a broody (hence the name Solo) and lived his life mostly alone. I don't want him to struggle in life to this point, and just die... I just don't know what to do anymore... He was a strong, sweet boy.

Is there anything I can do?

Maybe there is something here. Pay attention to the link in post #5, looked like there was good info there too.

Im- Good luck

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=267256&p=1

Ugh, Drinking straw ain't gonna fit, He's 8 Months old

Email me and will give you some advise on making a shoe and holder to support the birds leg till it heals
Glenda L Heywood
[email protected]

I read on the internet once a story about someone who made a sling for their hen out of a pair of old shorts, a bungee and a clothes line. I have looked and looked for that article since then and can't find it. It would be like one of those door things you can put a baby in. I have never tried it, it would be hard to make the shorts fit the bird, but you could probably make a sling out of something that would work.

Here is the brace for different ailments
read and apply
it needs a hobble brace for the hip and leg support
it is given here

you might make a shoe for it like DCT's article says try the hobble brace as it will make the chicks leg come down as it is holding it up
THIS DOES WORK

Here is my friend DCTownsend's help on the matter read the one that fits you best
Orthopedics for Poultry Made Easy for Beginners
ORTHOPEDICS FOR POULTRY MADE EASY FOR BEGINNERS
By D.C. Townsend

These treatments have been tested and proven effective. I developed them for peafowl but they
may be used for any poultry. The key to success is to begin treatment promptly. In some cases delay will kill or cripple the chick

HOBBLE BRACE
ACHILLES TENDON OUT OF THE GROOVE
When the Achilles tendon slips out of the groove on the hock joint, a peachick will not be able to
straighten its leg. The problem needs prompt attention because the struggling peachick will put
its weight on the hock joint which will damage the skin and cause swelling in the joint. The tendon
can be pushed back in place with just one finger or a very gentle squeeze between the thumb and index
finger. Sometimes just one treatment will give a complete cure that seems like a miracle. Other
times several treatments are needed. Stubborn cases require advanced treatment that is too difficult to
explain here. I treated both legs of a peachick for two weeks; She grew up to be a healthy peahen.

CROOKED TOES
Sometimes a peachick hatches with toes rolled into a fist. They may straighten out on their own
in the first day of life. If they do not do so, I make a CHICK SHOE (see illustration below) from
black pipe cleaner available in the crafts department at Wal-Mart. I use black ones because
bright colors are more likely to be pecked by other peachicks. One packet of Westrim Crafts Chenille
stems costs 89 cents and will last for years. Any kind of half inch wide tape can be used to attach the CHICK SHOE to the toes, but I prefer Johnson and Johnson First Aid clear tape. I cut a piece a quarter inch long for the middle toe. I cut another piece the same length and split into two quarter inch-wide pieces for the other toes. Eight hours of treatment is usually enough time to end the problem on a day-old peachick.

CHICK SHOE
Not Actual Size
HALF SHOE
Not Actual Size
In the 1995 hatch, I had a number of peachicks with a kink in the outer toe of one or both feet.
They were well past a week old when I decided that I must do something about it. I made HALF SHOES of black pipe cleaner. I tore off a quarter inch-wide stripe of duck tape several inches long and secured
the HALF SHOE to the middle and the outer toe. Several days of treatment were needed. Some of the
HALF SHOES came off and had to be taped on again, but all treated peachicks had straight toes at the
end of the treatment. There is a young peacock that I missed treating. Now it is too late and he will
always have a kink in his outer toe.

STRADDLE LEGS
This problem can occur even if you take the precaution of having quarter inch hardware cloth
under your peachicks. Sometimes it is caused by the struggles of a chick with its toes rolled into
fists. In that case, both problems must be treated at the same time. I cut a piece of tape four or
five inches long and from the HOBBLE BRACE with the legs far enough apart so that the peachick can walk. The tape must go the whole way around and cover its sticky side so that it does not stick to the
peachick's fuzz when it sits down. Usually 24 hours of treatment is sufficient, but sometimes more is
required. CHICK SHOES and the HOBBLE BRACE can be used at the same time.

any questions email me

It is extemely swollen. I can't even find the tendon

YOU NEED TO GET THE LEG AND FOOT SUPPORT ON SO THE SWELLING WILL GO DOWN
OTHER WISE IS IS TIME TO PUT THE BIRD DOWN
some times neccesary things are not the easy way out
you be the judge
and if neccesary get some one else to help put him out of his misery

Hi there I am in New Zealand and just came across your post whilst looking for some information to try help our bird. We have a pukeko (NZ swamp bird) we have had her since a chick and she has somehow hurt her leg. It appears it is to do with her knee joint, looks big and cant straighten leg out so wont spread her toes. I have spoken to the vets who suggest to leave her if she is still happy as in NZ these birds are considered pests. However we would like to try help her so she can walk around properly again. Does this sound like a slipped tendon? I can email pic if you like

Thank you in advance
Claire

Hello All!
I'm a long-time reader/fan of BYC - and read with particular gusto when my 10 month old Delaware - named Eva - began limping heavily this April. (I think a stray cat got into my yard while my girls were out "helping me with the garden")

Anyway - after comparing her symptoms with those described in various threads - I am quite sure she had a slipped tendon. I did my best to treat it with optimal out-come and pulled her out of the coop into the house in a large rubbermaid tote turned chicken-bed to recuperate. She was clearly in a lot of pain - she mostly laid down and her injured leg shook/trembled when she stood/moved about. I talked to a few friends who are vets, PT's etc. (but don't live anywhere near me) - and started carefully trying to ice Eva's injured leg (tricky), and even gave her a little "water-therapy" in the kitchen sink. I also gave her half a baby-aspirin once a day for the pain ... these things really seemed to help her be more comfortable. She seemed to know that these things were for her good.

Eva was a terrified, anxious chick that seemed to have every possible problem - who then grew to be my biggest hen and "top dog" so to speak. She'd become less scared and more willing to interact with me - so I really didn't want to get rid of her just because she was injured - but I also didn't want to permanently add to my schedule all the chores that come with keeping a house-chicken clean and fresh smelling ... life's a little hectic for that. Also - Eva seemed a little lonely.

After about 10 days in her little rubbermaid tote - she started standing most of the time - was curious about the goings-on in the house. I would let her "watch movies" from her little tote-bed with me and my cat and dog (who were wonderful with Eva) - and she'd even purr and nap with us. SUPER cute.

I also started letting her limp around the yard with her old flock-mates while I worked in my garden. At first she avoided them and stayed with me or my dog. But eventually she tried to rejoin the flock.

5 weeks after her injury - and after about a week of her walking into the coop (I let the chickens out to free-range around my yard (but only when either I or my dog are out there with them now) and seemingly longing to be with her buddies again - I put her in the coop with the other 4 birds one evening - just after dusk. All the birds were nestled down for the night - but Eva seemed too scared - so I brought her back in.

Over the next 3 nights - a little earlier each successive night - I'd take her out to the coop again - and each night she seemed a little more comfortable. The last night - she seemed pretty comfortable - so I walked into the garden for a moment - when I came back she'd made herself a little nest - so I let her sleep out there.

The next two days the rest of the flock picked on her a little bit - but not awfully. She hung out by the door a bit - I think she was understandably confused. Also - I added two more waterers and two more feeding-areas - to minimize crowding/pressure when the girls to go eat or drink - which they seem invariably to want to do together - communally. I also modified the ramp into the coop - made it less steep.

Eva's been back with the flock in the coop and run for a month now - and seems to enjoy life as much as ever. She goes in and out of the coop and moves about the run pretty well. She still limps. She'll always limp I'm sure at this point. Sometimes her foot still trembles - so I'm inclined to think that she has some intermittent pain. But in spite of that she loves coming to me for treats as much as the other chickens - loves hanging out in the coop and run with the rest of the flock and is as happy a chicken as she's ever been.

Sorry this is so long - but I just wanted to give you all hope that there can be a happy life for your chickens if one of them should suffer a similar injury. I've learned my lesson the hard way and will no longer allow my flock to free-range without me or my border-collie being out there to protect them. Here are a couple of pictures of Eva during her recovery.



Eva - laying down and resting her injured left leg in my rubbermaid tote


Eva - enjoying her "water therapy" while watching the rest of her flock through the kitchen window



Eva - standing in her tote - about 4 weeks after her injury - "watching" Finding Nemo ... right before this picture - she was laying down - groggily purring. Pretty darn cute.