Broken/dislocated hip

[NoMoreHoppers]

I saw one of the guineas limping yesterday and figured I look today and see if she was any worse. This afternoon I found her by herself flopping around a bit and not able to get to her feet. Upon inspection she looks to have a broken hip or dislocation as the leg is floppy and does not feel attached at the hip. I separated her from the flock and have her in a net covered watermelon box lined with wood chips in the garage with food and water and she has not moved from her sitting spot since this afternoon. She is alert and quiet.

I have researched broken legs on the forum and online. Most say to separate the injured from the flock and splint or otherwise allow the leg to heal. However, with this type of injury I am afraid this will not be the case.

Has anyone experienced this with Guineas or any other domestic birds and had any luck with the healing of a hip break/dislocation? At this point it seems a culling of the flock is imminent.

 

[PeepsCA]

I have not had to deal with any broken bones that I could not splint, but she may surprise you and figure out how to get around on one leg well enough to keep up with the flock (may take a while and she may need to be cooped/penned for quite a while until she's moving well)... but I agree that she may need to be put down, she may be in an incredible amount of pain or never figure out how to get up and around on her remaining good leg... or she may end up with a bone infection and go downhill fast.

If you want to give her a few days and see how she does, you could give her 1/2 of a baby aspirin (or the equivalent in liquid form) every 8 hours for pain.

Good luck with her, and sorry in advance for your loss if you decide it's best to put her down (or she decided it for you).

 

[Mykee]

Maybe you could use some vetwrap and kind of make a "sling" for her leg by wrapping the bandage around her upper thigh, hip, and body to keep the leg supported and in a normal position. I have never used Aspirin in chickens, but it may give her the will to live. Keep food and water right near her. I hope everything works out.

 

[NoMoreHoppers]

I have given her some homemade electrolyte and scrambled egg the last couple of days and she seems to be calm. Food and water are next to her as well. I will monitor for as long as conditions allow to see if she pulls through. Thanks for the info.

 

[PeepsCA]

Maybe you could use some vetwrap and kind of make a "sling" for her leg by wrapping the bandage around her upper thigh, hip, and body to keep the leg supported and in a normal position. I have never used Aspirin in chickens, but it may give her the will to live. Keep food and water right near her. I hope everything works out.

A sling is a good idea, but in my experience with injured Guineas... they will baby themselves as much as needed, all on their own, if they can manage with the injury.

Aspirin (low dose) is commonly given to poultry for pain, and worked well for my one of my Guinea Hens that had a splinted (badly broken) leg in the past. I actually learned about it here on BYC. (I still have the Hen, and she's still free ranging 24/7 with her flock again).

 

[NoMoreHoppers]

Update:
Gimpy is doing ok. She has been able to stand on one leg for a while now. The left let is pretty floppy. If it can heal maybe she can hop to get around in the future. I am not totally convinced that she will survive even if she is able to hop around well if/when she heals. My daughter says we are turning her into a cannibal by feeding her scrambled eggs. She hisses when I give here electrolyte and food but otherwise she is pretty calm. Guess my garage is going to have a resident for a few weeks/months.

 

[PeepsCA]

Glad she's hangin' in there. You'd be surprised how determined a one legged Guinea can be to survive... I have one here that's a full time free ranger. She's going on 8 months as a one legged bird. If the leg on your Hen is really that floppy, then a vet wrap sling may save her some pain and give her leg a better chance to heal... good luck with that tho, she won't like being handled/held/bandaged.
.
LOL tell your daughter you don't have to feed the Hen eggs, many of us do because it's a cheap/free, easy (and usually on hand) protein supplement.... meal worms are spendy!

 

[kaymcjunkin]

One of my guineas Jed was found yesterday by my neighbor hoping around in the street on one leg. He had been missing for about a week. I think he was hit by a car. His leg is twisted around backwards and is limp. His skin is not cut.I'm not sure if his hip is out of socket or if his leg is broken up high. I need info on how to straighten and splint it. I'm not sure I can even turn his leg to make his foot face the right direction. I have him in a small cage on the patio with hay, food and water. He seems alert. I dont think he has eaten any of his food.

 

[PeepsCA]

Ouch

If you can't find a break anywhere in the leg bones then you probably won't be able to splint it well enough to help the bird heal. And truthfully if that was my bird I'd most likely just put him down (or you could always take him to a vet, but it will cost you big bucks). I know, that's not at all helpful or what you were hoping to read

Sorry, but that's a pretty grim situation for the bird to be in, and if he gets a bone infection he's going to die on his own...


You might try posting a new thread in the Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures forum in the Raising Backyard Chickens section, hopefully someone with more experience with broken legs or dislocated hips in poultry can offer some better/more helpful advice.
They may tell you the same thing I said tho...

 

[Guinea Goonie]

I have a Female guinea that I call Gimpy. She too seemed to have a dislocated hip when i found her laying in the pasture last year. I kept her in a small pen with food and water for many months. She got to be in good enough shape to let out and stay in a large enclosure for a few more months.

She did reinjure hreself when i let her out with the rest of the rasp.
I had to start the process all over again.

Just lately I have let her out once again to run with the rest of the rasp and she is doing just fine.

At lot of time and tender care will get your bird on the road to recover.