Broken leg?

[mmookram]

Hi Everyone,

I am asking for some assistance with this one. I have read and searched a little on the forums but it seems that something is always a bit different from the norm. Now what i suspect is this little hen got injured from hoping down from the roost (it is about 2 feet off of the ground) and i do not think her legs were well developed as yet. She is about 2 months old, maybe a week older.

The thing is i do not know what else to do. I have taken her from the flock and have her in a box in the kitchen and it scared me when she tried to walk and flips over on her back (it has happened twice) and she is in a bit of pain. It seems that the actual "toes" are broken because they are in a wierd angle. Once or twice i have ever seen her walk fully on the foot like properly after we noticed the injury. It seems as though most of the time she walks on her "knees" as can be seen in the second picture. The third picture i described what i call knees and toes. (red = knees and blue= toes)- she is hardly on her toes like the other ones.

Sometimes the leg is straight out when she tries to walk and it looks very painful to me. I am not too sure HOW to get her healed or do i just cull her (i have had to do one already because the injury was so bad then everytime he moved he flipped over and i could not bear to see him in pain) . THis time i want to make every single effort before i go to that route.

thank you in advance for your advice.

 

[ten chicks]

What were the symptoms of the previous bird you culled and how long ago was this. Are you sure toes are broken,can you feel a break? Any other symptoms? Reason i am asking about previous bird,is symptoms you described can also be an indication of Marek's disease,i am not saying this is what she has,only that you should be aware of symptoms.

 

[mmookram]

they both happened at the same time and the current bird was not as bad - just basically limping around and the other bird we culled on Saturday past. On Monday we brought in the other one i believe or might be a day before that and we are not seeing any progress.

The toes might not be broken since i did notknow what i am looking for BUT i know for sure its as if the foot is limp and the bird cant control how to move it, i automatically assumed it broke it since i saw it took a tumble from the roost (i see other birds falling/flying down without any issues).

I will have to research this Marek's disease because this is the first i have heard of it.

Come to think of it - there is one more bird that has been the same way for a bit (little limping but not getting better) she is with the flock now. Should i remove her from the flock?

 

[mmookram]

So I came home and she was really bad. All the hair from the one leg was gone an it looked kind of infected from the inside and she smelt wierd not like the other ones that had poo. I told my gf we will put her out of her misery and use the cold bucket method.

We went outside to let out the other ones and the other one that was limping slightly was not as worse but looked similar and we took her too.

Both of them went to the bucket unfortunately and I dug a hole and we buried them and placed 2 pallets on top so the dogs wouldn't dig it up.

I'm glad to say that the other birds are looking great and it seems to be only these 3.we will keep a close watch.