Broken Leg

[lovemusic228]

One of my hens has been favoring one leg. Like she can't put any pressure on the other one. she still hobbles over when I give them treats and she has been jumping up onto the coop (She didn't tonight). It doesn't feel like a broken leg but I feel so bad and I can't afford a high vet bill right now. I don't know what to do.

 

[azygous]

Have you examined the bottoms of her feet for injuries? Are the feet swollen at all? How about discoloration on the scales? Chicken bruises can be green or gray.

It may not be an injury. It could be a tumor on a joint. Arthritis in chickens can be caused by a virus. Petroleum distillates can cause neural toxic poisoning, resulting in brain damage, not enough to kill a chicken, but enough to make them go lame.

Lameness in chickens is about as difficult to try to diagnose as general "my chicken is acting sick" symptoms.

If you don't detect an obvious break, I suggest letting her rest and keeping her off the leg for a few days, and hopefully it's something simple that a little rest will cure. You can give her one baby aspirin two times a day for pain.

 

[lovemusic228]

I checked her foot and her leg and didn't see any abnormalities but I am also somewhat new to chickens. I have only had her a year. She's at the top of the pecking order so she still tried to jump onto the top of the coop and sometimes succeeds. I feel bad losing her up but if i don't separate her she won't let it heal =[. Thank you!!

 

[MissNutmeg]

Check the bottom of her foot for any sign bumble foot (Which is an infection induced by a laceration or cut on the bottom of the foot and can cause a hen to limp. )It doesn't sound like a broken leg to me since you say she is still up and about, but my advice is just to keep her separated from the flock.

She may have simply just sprained her leg which can be treated by a daily warm Epsom salt foot bath.


Anybody else have suggestions?

 

[lovemusic228]

So i soaked her leg in some warm water. I didn't have epsom salt. But I examined her more closely cause she's kind of immobile and will let me. Her joint on the bad leg looks a little swollen and theres a scab on it. Theres also a little scab on her good leg in the same spot. it doesn't feel or look broken but she won't put any pressure on it at all and she's slowing down. I have some pictures that I can try and post.

 

[lovemusic228]

(Good leg)
(Bad leg)
(Bad leg)

 

[red horse ranch]

I have a Sapphire hen right now recovering from a broken leg. Her leg broke early this summer and I confined her for a couple of weeks. She was barely limping by September but one of my young roosters must have been too rough with her and the leg rebroke. So now she is staying in my 'assisted living' coop with some old chickens who don't bother her. She will stay there until spring when I'm sure she will be completley healed.
Most poultry will recover from broken legs if they are allowed to have the time.

 

[Stayc]

I had a top hen with the same issue, less the scab. She may have whopped it good on something or if you have roosters she may have been mated in a bad spot. Mine had no swelling and if i wrapped it she couldnt walk at all. I monitored her for a week. Went out and turned dirt so she wouldnt scratch herself too much. She was way better by day 10. So i think it was a sprain i hope the same for your girl. Being top hen if you remove her for too long she will lose her status and they will have to reestablish pecking order when she returns. Unless the experts say brumblefoot on those scabs i say watch closely for a couple days and give her baby asprin in something she likes. Mine liked it in yogurt. Thats 81 mg asprin its usually chewable.