A couple of hens need some help!!! (Broken leg and hypothermia)

[Scottyhorse]

First hen:
Young Russian Orloff, has been laying for a couple months. Yesterday we found her laying outside unable to move. It looks like she has a broken leg (where the feathers are) but that leg is cold and she won't grip with her toes so we wonder if there's nerve damage. She is living in the basement right now but we are thinking we should move her out into the coop and stick her in a large dog crate. I have been syringing her water. Should I give her some yogurt? What else should we do?

Second hen:
Same age as first, different breed (not sure what)
While I was out feeding the horses and goats, I saw her huddled up in the field. She's not a very friendly chicken, but she let me walk up to her and pick her up. Brought her in the barn and noticed her feet were FREEZING and starting to get a black tinge to them . Uh-oh. Worked on getting her warmed up and stuck her in my coat so I could finish my chores. She is really lethargic. Eventually I got her warmed up enough so she was shivering, but I didn't want her to get warmed up too fast. I put her in the chicken coop but she just layed there in one of the nest boxes which I took as a bad sign (she was trying to sleep) So I decided to bring her in the house also. I've given her a bit of water and she's started to talk a little bit. But wanting to sleep... What should I do for her?

 

[Wyandottes7]

First hen:
Young Russian Orloff, has been laying for a couple months. Yesterday we found her laying outside unable to move. It looks like she has a broken leg (where the feathers are) but that leg is cold and she won't grip with her toes so we wonder if there's nerve damage. She is living in the basement right now but we are thinking we should move her out into the coop and stick her in a large dog crate. I have been syringing her water. Should I give her some yogurt? What else should we do?

Second hen:
Same age as first, different breed (not sure what)
While I was out feeding the horses and goats, I saw her huddled up in the field. She's not a very friendly chicken, but she let me walk up to her and pick her up. Brought her in the barn and noticed her feet were FREEZING and starting to get a black tinge to them . Uh-oh. Worked on getting her warmed up and stuck her in my coat so I could finish my chores. She is really lethargic. Eventually I got her warmed up enough so she was shivering, but I didn't want her to get warmed up too fast. I put her in the chicken coop but she just layed there in one of the nest boxes which I took as a bad sign (she was trying to sleep) So I decided to bring her in the house also. I've given her a bit of water and she's started to talk a little bit. But wanting to sleep... What should I do for her?

I haven't had experience with broken legs in chickens, so I won't be able to help you a lot with that. Keep her isolated from the other birds in a small area/dog crate so that she can't move around a lot an hurt the leg more. If she acts like she is in pain, you can give her some aspirin. Some people splint broken legs in chickens. Is she eating? If not, you may need to tube feed her. There are several helpful links to tube feeding on this site. Just type in "how to tube feed" in the search bar of this site, and you'll find some links.

For the one that has hypotherima, make sure to keep her warm. My guess is that she has other things wrong with her, not just hypothermia. Most health chickens will keep themselves warm. Check her for lice and mites. Does her abdomen feel hard or squishy? How old is she, and has she been laying? Egg binding is another problem that can cause lethargy. Worms can also cause inactiveness. Give her some electrolytes and probiotics if you have some. Some sugar water would give her energy, too. Some other foods that you should see if she wants are scrambled eggs and moistened chicken feed.

Good luck with your two birds! Hopefully, somebody who has experience with chickens with broken legs will chime in too.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I haven't had experience with broken legs in chickens, so I won't be able to help you a lot with that. Keep her isolated from the other birds in a small area/dog crate so that she can't move around a lot an hurt the leg more. If she acts like she is in pain, you can give her some aspirin. Some people splint broken legs in chickens. Is she eating? If not, you may need to tube feed her. There are several helpful links to tube feeding on this site. Just type in "how to tube feed" in the search bar of this site, and you'll find some links.

For the one that has hypotherima, make sure to keep her warm. My guess is that she has other things wrong with her, not just hypothermia. Most health chickens will keep themselves warm. Check her for lice and mites. Does her abdomen feel hard or squishy? How old is she, and has she been laying? Egg binding is another problem that can cause lethargy. Worms can also cause inactiveness. Give her some electrolytes and probiotics if you have some. Some sugar water would give her energy, too. Some other foods that you should see if she wants are scrambled eggs and moistened chicken feed.

Good luck with your two birds! Hopefully, somebody who has experience with chickens with broken legs will chime in too.

I will search on how to tube feed - we have never done that before. She doesn't move, but I will give her some asprin. How much?

Right now the second one it wrapped up in a towel and sitting on the couch with me. I don't see any lice or mites while checking through her feathers. Abdomen Doesn't feel hard or squishy... I can feel her bone, and that's about it. Not sure how old she is. When we got her and 11 others, in September, they were just about at their POL. Not sure if she has been laying as we have about 40 chickens now so it's hard to keep track LOL. They haven't been laying much since it's snowing and cooooold. We have some poultry wormer that goes in water, and also safeguard for goats and Noromectin. We don't have any electrolytes but I can make some and give her some yogurt instead of the probios. Thank you

 

[Scottyhorse]

The hypothermic hen is getting quite active and just had some yellow pasty poo.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Forgot to add - both hens have had 3 CC of yogurt, some water, and sugar water.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I will search on how to tube feed - we have never done that before. She doesn't move, but I will give her some asprin. How much?

Right now the second one it wrapped up in a towel and sitting on the couch with me. I don't see any lice or mites while checking through her feathers. Abdomen Doesn't feel hard or squishy... I can feel her bone, and that's about it. Not sure how old she is. When we got her and 11 others, in September, they were just about at their POL. Not sure if she has been laying as we have about 40 chickens now so it's hard to keep track LOL. They haven't been laying much since it's snowing and cooooold. We have some poultry wormer that goes in water, and also safeguard for goats and Noromectin. We don't have any electrolytes but I can make some and give her some yogurt instead of the probios. Thank you

If you have baby aspirin, you can give one per three pounds of body weight. Crush it between two spoons, then mix with a little water and administer by eyedropper. Or, you can combine five regular aspirins in one gallon of water and let the bird drink that.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Thanks! I will do that.

Mrs. Ice cube was wanting to run around on the couch so I decided she could go outside in the coop. She still seems a little lethargic but I made her her own little pile of food and she was eating it so I will see how she's doing when I go back out.

The other hen layed an egg! LOL. I just gave her 7.5 CC of yugurt, and 9 CC of water, and offered her some food. She didn't eat the food. I will go give her some baby aspirin.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Just gave her a baby aspirin. It's a little less because it's hard to get all the little powder into the syringe How often can she have this?

 

[Wyandottes7]

Just gave her a baby aspirin. It's a little less because it's hard to get all the little powder into the syringe How often can she have this?

You can give it twice a day, but once a day should be sufficient unless she seems to be in a lot of pain.

 

[Scottyhorse]

So far it hasn't seemed to help. I've propped her up but it seems like she can't balance.