Chick Slipped Tendon? Pictures.

[kekstrom]

My 3 week old Bantam. We are treating her with Corid for coccidiosis. She started limping and acting lethargic on Wednesday. But her leg, it has me really worried!

She won't extend her bad leg like the other one... I can pull it out for her, but on her own, this is what it looks like.

And today the joint there looks redder than her good leg. I had been inspecting them and they appeared the same until just now when this red color has shown up.

And from the top, she doesn't tuck it under her when she sits down, she extends it out to the side.

I am so worried! We are hoping to do what we can't to get that leg healed... Any advice??!

 

[Violetsfeathers]

Maybe it is a sprained /broken ankle?
I had a chicken that her bother of her legs at different times, one right after the other healed and she was hopping around on one leg for around two months

 

[kekstrom]

Maybe it is a sprained /broken ankle?
I had a chicken that her bother of her legs at different times, one right after the other healed and she was hopping around on one leg for around two months

Really? Oh no, that's horrible! What did you end up doing to help it heal?

 

[Violetsfeathers]

We didn't really know what to do so we left it. And it healed perfectly. Right after the one was almost healed she went and hurt her other one, she must've had weak legs

 

[kekstrom]

We didn't really know what to do so we left it. And it healed perfectly. Right after the one was almost healed she went and hurt her other one, she must've had weak legs.

Oh wow... that is awful!

Well last night we tried wrapping it up and she just freaked out and was thrashing about... so we opted to unwrap and let her sleep with her buddies. Then today I re-wrapped it... the thing is, I just can't even tell if I am wrapping it correctly, or if I am even slipping the tendon back into place before wrapping. I just can't figure out the whole anatomical situation. I have look at a lot of the diagrams, but her legs are so thin and the fact they are covered in feathers doesn't make it any easier. We also made a dinky little chick chair, but she HATED it... and was able to wiggle out. So for now we have it wrapped and she is separate from her buddies.

My husband and I have already talked about what we should do if it doesn't get better... and where we will draw the line and cull her... I hate even typing that.

 

[seolari]

This seems like something a vet should look at.

 

[CluckerFeet]

You should definitely take her to the vet, or contact a vet. If you are ever unsure about a problem involving a disease, and injury or parasites you should contact a vet, specifically one that deals with poultry or birds if you can.

There are treatments involved in making casts for sprained ankles or similar injuries, but you have to know how to do them and whether the chicken really needs it or not.

You should think about contacting a vet before you seriously consider culling her. They will be able to decide what to do. Just make sure to keep her calm so she doesn't freak out and injure herself more at any point. You're doing all you can.

 

[kekstrom]

You should definitely take her to the vet, or contact a vet. If you are ever unsure about a problem involving a disease, and injury or parasites you should contact a vet, specifically one that deals with poultry or birds if you can.

There are treatments involved in making casts for sprained ankles or similar injuries, but you have to know how to do them and whether the chicken really needs it or not.

You should think about contacting a vet before you seriously consider culling her. They will be able to decide what to do. Just make sure to keep her calm so she doesn't freak out and injure herself more at any point. You're doing all you can.

I seriously wouldn't even know where to look for a vet that would have any experience with chickens! We live way out in the boonies, and all the vets I have found are for horses/cows, or they are avian/exotic vets, not seen chickens before. I would hesitate to take a 3 week old chick into a vet without experience, and pay the bill for that. And I am pretty sure my husband would not be on board with that. Everyone locally who owns chickens that I have reached out to have just told me that either she'll be one-legged and gimpy, or if she is suffering, we'll need to cull her.

 

[ducks4you]

I suspect that she slipped. I had leg problems with baby chicks several times until I figured out that they need a surface with friction to keep from slipping, spraining and permanently laming themselves.
I use very old towels for the first 3-4 weeks in the brooder. I change them, initially, every two days, and then, before I go to straight bedding, I change them daily. If you have ANY slick surface, you WILL have more lame birds.
Fix the footing, and use bandaids, like for your fingers, as splints, if you do anything at all. I hope this helps you.

 

[Sylvester017]

I seriously wouldn't even know where to look for a vet that would have any experience with chickens! We live way out in the boonies, and all the vets I have found are for horses/cows, or they are avian/exotic vets, not seen chickens before. I would hesitate to take a 3 week old chick into a vet without experience, and pay the bill for that. And I am pretty sure my husband would not be on board with that. Everyone locally who owns chickens that I have reached out to have just told me that either she'll be one-legged and gimpy, or if she is suffering, we'll need to cull her.

Are you in Calif? Los Angeles County? I can recommend a vet that sees my chickens all the time. Cheaper than an avian vet.