4 month old splash hen 'funny' walking help

[Bossmode]

Got around to take some better pictures of her straight ahead/back. She does have X legs.

I did check both her thighs and legs and they look fine, no visable injuries.
I also read one can try to do gentle leg stretches, she hated that and started screaming even tho I was really gentle... she must be in pain.

Hopefully the vitamin supplements in the water I started to add for them today will help her? Anything else I can try to do for her, or will her legs always be this way?

 

[Eggcessive]

It does seem like she may have valgus deformity in both legs, with her knock kneed appearance. There is no use to try and do exercises, since there is no treatment for that. I would just keep watching her for any other symptoms, in case I am wrong about the deformity. Vitamins, especially human vitamin B complex might be good to feed her—1/4 tablet daily crushed into food might help some. I would not breed her, but she may be able to live a perfectly normal life as a layer.

 

[Bossmode]

Thanks again for the reply.

I did notice holding her on her back, her legs X pretty badly poor thing.
She is one of the nicest little ones I have, I will keep an eye on her and keep giving her vitamins.

Either way she will have a spot on our hobby farm she is too gorgeous. I will make sure not to collect eggs for incubation from her once she does lay, hopefully she lives and walks that long!

 

[Bossmode]

Could this issue be fixed by surgery in case she is not going to get better?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Could this issue be fixed by surgery in case she is not going to get better?

I honestly don't know - what type of surgery?

 

[Bossmode]

Joint surgery, leg surgery? Which ever it would be to straighten her legs out?

Just curious, I do have a hen that had a prolapse and she got surgery which cost me $150 CAD and now is one of my nicest lavender hens I have. I am happy I brought her to the vet.

 

[Bossmode]

So last night I checked the coop before my bed time and she was the only one on the floor sleeping, I felt bad and made her a little box to sit on at the other chickens height to feel like one of them, she fell right asleep in the hay on the box.

This morning before I left for work I checked the coop quick and funny enough she actually stepped up from the box to the first bar on the roost sometime during the night to sleep... she balanced just fine.

I got the wife to pickup vitamin b complex which she mixed in the water along with poultry vitamins, and gave her some scrambled eggs with vitamin b complex in it which she ate.

I am in camp for work until thursday, but so far no improvement apparently but she is still a happy little chick exploring nature all day hanging out with her friends outside... i hope things will improve for her!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Joint surgery, leg surgery? Which ever it would be to straighten her legs out?

Just curious, I do have a hen that had a prolapse and she got surgery which cost me $150 CAD and now is one of my nicest lavender hens I have. I am happy I brought her to the vet.

If it's a leg bone deformity, I don't believe even surgery would fix it.
Any time a chicken has to be put under there is great risk they will not come out of it. Leg surgery would also be expensive.

If she is managing o.k. then I would wait/see what happens and offer vitamin therapy.

 

[Bossmode]

If it's a leg bone deformity, I don't believe even surgery would fix it.
Any time a chicken has to be put under there is great risk they will not come out of it. Leg surgery would also be expensive.

If she is managing o.k. then I would wait/see what happens and offer vitamin therapy.

Thank you!

I just feel so bad for the little one, but wouldn't we all...

But on the bright side she is moving around not too shabby and gets to hang out with her friends. So we will see what happens in the next few days, I will keep this thread updated.

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree with everything in post 18. A few years ago a BYC member who was a surgeon, actually tried to repair a leg problem in a chick. The chick later died or was put down, and the leg had not improved. There are a number of different leg deformities, and so-called slipped tendons, and most unfortunately cannot be repaired. Many people let the chicks try to get along as is, in a controlled environment, and some do well unless they become completely lame. Here are 2 threads about Cleopatra, a rooster chick who had a varus leg deformity, and how it was treated, and an update in the second thread about how he was getting along:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...yone-ever-try-to-fix-this-experiences.879233/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rooster-chick-with-weird-leg.978353/