Big Girl is limping! Help me, please!

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Her limping is worse. I'm going to have to take to the vet, and it's probably going to cost an arm and a leg because I'm sure he's going to want to x-ray. I put vitamins in the girls water 'cause I thought some vitamin B would be good. @Texas Kiki what do you think?

 

[Kiki]

Her limping is worse. I'm going to have to take to the vet, and it's probably going to cost an arm and a leg because I'm sure he's going to want to x-ray. I put vitamins in the girls water 'cause I thought some vitamin B would be good. @Texas Kiki what do you think?

I'd really like to see the limp.
Video is out of the question?

Marek's comes to mind.

 

[Kathy Golla]

Kiki’s suggestion to post about rehoming on the Texas State thread is a good one. Start with that.
I’ve heard about this, too, in TX.

http://www.crazykfarm.com/CrazyKFarm.html

If they can’t take the hens, I will bet they can give you lots of ideas.

In CA, local animal shelters will take chickens.

 

[MountainGaurdian]

Vets are expensive that is a fact and in 45 years of raising chickens I have never heard of one being taken to a vet before. I am sure vet would see a chicken and likely treat the animal.

I am not sure why a person would give a chicken vitamins, in 45 years of raising chickens I have yet to ever see or hear of something like this. One of the best ways to mess up an animal is to try and do too much thinking that you are helping, generally that behavior has the opposite effect.

In the wild this bird would find a bush or something to go hide in and it would hang there without moving much. It would venture out for food and water when it had to and it would do this either until it died or until healed well enough to get around again. Birds have been dealing with such things and issues naturally for more than 65 million years longer the human race has even existed. Nature has it's ways of healing such things, we as humans understand very little of this and tend to try to "help" which often does exactly the opposite of helping.

Can you give the hen the ability to sit largely hidden and safe within a cat carrier or something? You can feed and water her in the cage so that she doesn't have to move. This leg may not heal quickly, it may well take a month or even two to see any improvement. But if she can remain unbothered and undisturbed by animals or people she will likely heal. It will not hurt a chicken to be sitting largely still for a long period of time, heck they will sit on a nest of eggs with almost no food or water for three weeks setting eggs without harm.

 

[Eggcessive]

It has only been two days since she started limping? If she strained a muscle or sprained something, it might take a couple of weeks to improve. Is the limp keeping her feom getting to food and water? If not, I would give it some time. I had a hen who limped for 6 weeks, but she got to food and water, went up and down the bank to stay with the chickens as she and they free ranged, roosted at night, and then she stopped limping one day. The only reason I would pay for a vet is if a broken bone was suspected, and I wanted xrays. That would be a minimum of $200 just for an exam and xrays.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Afraid video is out of the question as I don't have any idea how to work with UTube other than to watch stuff.

Merek's Disease has crossed my mind as Tractor Supply chicks aren't vaccinated for anything which I think is wrong.

Broken leg has also crossed my mind which is why I believe the best thing is to take her to the vet.

No, she can get to food and water just fine, she is in the house today and I'm not going to disturb her.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

I first noticed the limp Friday evening. She was fine before which made me think she hurt herself somehow. The limp got worse after she scrambled out of my Mom's arms, and it looks worse today. I sent by another feeder and waterer so I can swap out and clean the old ones.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

@Kathy Golla thanks, but I cannot worry about rehoming them right now should something happen she have Merek's. I'd feel sick to myself if I thought I'd be giving away a diseased chicken.

 

[Eggcessive]

If the leg was broken there should be some evidence—swelling, redness, bruising, or displacement. Sprains can take a short or long time to heal. Resting it would be inexpensive.

 

[Kathy Golla]

@Kathy Golla thanks, but I cannot worry about rehoming them right now should something happen she have Merek's. I'd feel sick to myself if I thought I'd be giving away a diseased chicken.

60 minutes ago you were talking about rehoming and Kiki and I were trying to help in that regard.