Adopted chicken has deformed legs & can't walk. Can I help her?

[Chicken Chickita]

I just adopted a 24-week old Polish chicken. The folks I adopted her from said that she had been severely picked on by the rest of the flock. Because of this she had been separated for some time. The rest of the flock tended to pull out her feathers and peck her. Perhaps they did this because of her disability. Both of her legs seem to be deformed and twisted. She can barely walk. I want to help her as much as possible. Does anybody have any suggestions about how to help her, especially with her being able to get around. The pullets she just joined are a little younger and don't pick on her, so I'm very happy for that.

Also, I don't know how to post a video on here. Does anyone know? that could help in showing what's wrong. Thanks! Here are a couple of pictures of how her legs are twisted.

 

[Chicken Chickita]

Also, I'm not sure if she is in pain. If you have advice I would really appreciate it!

 

[endo12]

Not really an expert. We have one hen who has one leg pointed backwards. It's totally non-functional. She can sort of balance on one leg if she's near a wall. Mostly she gets places by flying. We tried all sorts of contraptions to hold the bad leg in place, but nothing really helped. The issue becomes protection. If the young birds continue to leave her alone as they grow AND she can compete for food and water then all is well. If not you may just need to keep her in separate living quarters, especially if she has trouble getting to food and water. For our bird hubby made an "apartment" using chicken wire inside the coop allowing a separate supply of food and water. We also made a little run for her to be in outside of the coop, because she has no capacity to escape predators or other chickens. Of course she gets held and cuddled more than all the others because I move her from coop to pen and back each day. My guess is that by 24 weeks your hen will always be lame and need special support.

 

[Chickengal505]

Hmmmmm If you have time and i mean TIME you could put her in a baby doll stroller and wheel her around everywhere or use a baby sling from the thrift store and carry her around. I would not put her with the others at all when there older keep her in a wire dog cage or kennel inside point is keep her with you if you cant i would give her to a retiered chicken lover with spare time to spend spoiling her... And ALWASE set her near food and water so she may reach it if she suddenly becomes lame...

 

[artsyrobin]

i had a silkie that was lame, couldn't use one leg, so with alot of daily involvement he eventually got so he could get around- daily baths, massaging the leg and exercising it so it wouldn't atrophy, making sure he could get to food and water, really monitoring- vitamins and carrying him back and forth so he could be with the little flock he was was part of- i suspect it will be a similiar situation- and worth all your time and involvement

 

[Terri O]

I have had several chickens with "funny" legs. The worst was probably a white leghorn that had had one amputated by a vet in chickhood and hopped on the other on his "wrist." THe foot was twisted to the back. He was a very happy boy though and kept all my hens company while they grew back feathers from aggressive roos. SHe will be fine if you take the care she needs. The crippled ones always become the favorites and it is really hard when they pass on. Terri O

 

[Chicken Chickita]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate your feedback! The folks who had her before had fashioned a "chicken apartment" for her with the other chickens a month or so ago. I was hoping that she could live with the rest of the chickens without needing such a thing. I'll keep a very close eye on them to see how they are behaving. The rest of the flock sleep together. Last night I placed her with the rest of them and they cuddled up with her and let her sleep there. This morning I moved her close to the food and water.

I do have quite a bit of time to spend with her. Generally, I spend most of my spare time with the chickens, which includes an hour in the morning and then two or more hours in the evening - more on weekends. I'm more than happy to carry her back and forth to be with the other chickens and making sure that she is always near food. I get a little obsessive with animals that need me and I'm happy to do it. I'm considering putting her in a baby sling and carrying her around so she could spend more time with me. Is that a good idea? If so, hope she likes spending time like that. I wouldn't want to be upsetting her. She doesn't seem to mind at all when I pick her up. The people she lived with before used to handle all of their chickens regularly.

That's a great idea about massaging and exercising her leg! I just hope it isn't painful to do so. She's a very healthy eater, which I'm interpreting as her not being in a lot pain. She is a bit smaller than I would have expected, though. She is the same size as the rest of my Polish hens, who are 15-weeks old and she is 24-weeks old.

Thank you for the suggestions! I feel good knowing that others have been in similar situations and their chickens were able to be happy!

 

[Chickengal505]

baby sling would work well because she needs somone to love all the time. like this my tom cat is no bigger than a large kitten... He can play with the other cat that lives here but he cant stand up to her because he is so small... If his mothert hadn't left him he would have died because his brothers and sisters were so much bigger than him. They mean no harm but things that normal catts do are just to rough for him. So im his consant conpanion. In fact im laying in the bed (i've got a cold and it sucks im not that lazy) And he has wedeged himself under my arm so my arms around him. He has no desire to play rough with star the "grown up" around here he prefers to lay himself across my key board or purr so loud it makes Home work impossable...