8 week old hen with splay leg, Mareks, broken leg not sure but I need help!

[tracypagenhardt]

I just went to pick up a Cochin and an Old English Game hen from someone who had mistakenly bought the birds without checking to see if they could be kept in a residential neighbourhood. They can't of course so he put them on Kijiji to rehome them for free.

When I got there the 2 birds he mentioned were fine and healthy however he had a 3rd speckled sussex with a bad leg.
I of course being the sucker I am, took all 3 with me as I had originally thought that the sussex had splay leg as they had been kept in a birdcage with a wire bottom ( not the usual cross hatch style but just straight bars).

Now that I have her home I'm thinking it might be something else. Her right leg sticks straight back and looks like it has actually rotated? (see pic 2). Her front leg is in the right position but her toes aren't quite right either (pic 1) I don't know if that could be due it being forced into an awkward position from the right leg injury.

She's not showing any other symptoms, is eager to eat/drink and the other 2 are fine. I would like to help her out but can't bear to see her like this it looks terribly painful. I'm hoping it's not Mareks but honestly don't know. I have all 3 in isolation and won't be adding them to the general population until I get this poor girl sorted out.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Gomara1]

WOW oh geez can she walk at all? If appetite is fine and she is drinking fine I really don't think you have to worry about marek's. You can probably let the others join the flock. Keep her separate but keep an eye on her. It could be a birth defect or a badly healed broken leg. Keep me posted
Grace

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like a leg bone deformity or a slipped tendon. There probably isn't much you can do at this time, but I would use some poultry vitamins with minerals in the water or feed. The chick may be handicapped, but it may be able to live out it's life with a little extra care.