10 Wk Old w/Bruised Leg and Limping

[scooterward]

My baby girl, Mae C (pronounced Macy), has a bruised leg and is limping. It started last Friday when I saw her limping when they were outside. Upon inspection, I noticed bruising on her leg (she is a Silver Gray Dorking so her legs are light color and the bruise is dark). No swelling, good appetite, wants to be with her friends. Her limp has not improved and I'm not sure what to try next. I tried 'just walking it off' and then keeping her isolated during the day with supervised outings in the evening. Is it just time? Can I do an epsom salt soak? Keep her confined? Let her run around? What about baby asprin? She wants to be with everyone and I try to put her close to them so she doesn't have to go far. She does this hopping, flying thing to move faster. Then she lays down. I try not to let her do that (hence the supervised outings) but sometimes I can't stop her. She does lay down to get off her leg. I put her on the roost at night and take her down in the morning so she doesn't have to fly down herself and land on a bad leg.

Any suggestions of what I should be doing to help her?

 

[Eggcessive]

I think I would put her in a cage for a week or so to let the leg rest. She will probably go nuts at first, them settle down, but she could have a fracture that needs to rest. Give her some vitamins (especially B's) and put her in the coop or run or outside with the gang so she can see them, but rest. If she is still limping and lying down after a week, put her back for a little longer.

 

[scooterward]

Right now she is in a 5x5 space with shavings on the floor and her food and water are accessible to her laying down. Is this ok?

 

[BantamLover21]

Right now she is in a 5x5 space with shavings on the floor and her food and water are accessible to her laying down. Is this ok?

Sounds good to me. Just keep her quiet in a cage for a week or so, and see if her leg heals. Make sure she is eating and drinking well, too, and, like Eggcessive mentioned, give her some vitamins. I hope she recovers!

 

[ernie85017]

Good protein and calcium to heal that bone.

 

[scooterward]

Thanks for the replies!

 

[scooterward]

I've been doing epsom salt soaks after bedtime. It doesn't appear that she's getting better. Am I just being impatient? At what point do I bring her to the vet? I know it's not broken (well, she still uses it but not well) and she still has her appetite and wants O-U-T. Will it get better on it's own eventually?

 

[scooterward]

Well, yesterday I took her to the vet because when I got home the night before, her 'good' leg was swollen twice it's size. The vet said that her muscles aren't forming properly and that it is individual to her and not the flock or the other Dorkings. The vet recommended increasing her protein (worms, mealworms) and letting her be a happy chicken while keeping her safe. We'll see if she makes any progress over the next couple of weeks. She is such a sweet pea so I am hoping she makes it. I'd hate to make that difficult decision but I would have to if she will not have a happy normal chicken life. Praying she gets better!