broken leg on 4wk old

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

The boy and I were sliding a shelter/tractor, caught one bird's leg under the beam, possibly broke it's leg. The outside is scrapped up, no bone protruding, but the bird will put no weight on it. Bird bones are brittle, I fear the worst. The bird is eating and drinking and has survived one night. It is resting in a brooder with 6 younger birds to give it someone to cuddle with (it seems to want this, will actually move to the other birds even though it appears painful). The bird moves around awkwardly on one leg with lots of wing usage.

I feel terrible about hurting it, the boy feels worse.

Should we give it a few more days, or put it out of pain? This is not a future laying hen or pet, it was being raised for meat, we just don't want to draw out the suffering. What indicates that the bone is broken, or the wound will cause on-going pain?

 

[Judy]

Is it a Cornish X? How old?

You can get some VetWrap and wrap it if you wish. It is that brightly colored stuff that sticks to itself. Also available in drug stores for people.

Or you can go ahead and process it.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

It is a welsummer, extra cockerels go in the freezer. With the bad luck leg, he doesn't stand a chance of being a keeper now /sigh, my fault, sorry bird/

We'll wrap him up and give him a few more days.

 

[Judy]

Oh, I don't know, he might recover fine, even if he has a limp, and by the time you handle him enough to get him well, you might decide he's not freezer material any more! Then you can call him Gimpy or something.

My extra roos go in the freezer, too, and I have named exactly one chicken, but I see this happening to folks all the time!

It will take longer than a few days to heal if it is a fracture. I believe around 3-4 weeks.

Good luck.

 

[Cluckhead]

Make sure you keep an eye on him. Our 4 month old Cuckoo Maran had hurt her leg and was resting in a cardboard box when she died. I think her neck was broke either by herself or another chicken stepping on her.

 

[catwalk]

I'm an EMT, and when I come across a potential fx (fracture), I assess PMS - pulse, motor, sensory. Is the part of the leg farthest from the injury the same color/ temprature as the other leg? Push and pull on the foot to see if he resists. Finally, tickle, rub, or pinch a toe to see if he feels it. If he fails any of these tests, chances of fx are likely. I have experience with broken legged chickens. I grew up on a layer farm, and my dad gave all the broken leggers to me to nurse back to health. They were all named Heather, Heather Feather. They all died. I believe chickens need to move around in order to circulate blood properly, and if they can't, gravity starves the brain and organs of oxygen. Not good news for your bird, but I do hope he gets better. Or is really delicious.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Bird is doing much better today, putting a little weight on the leg and is moving around more. Looks like it was more of a bad bruise and scrape than a break. Looks like the bird will limp through the summer, but is not in great pain.

Thank you all for your kind help!