Chick with a broken leg.

[Mel35]

Hey Chicken Fam,

I need some advice on what to do with my baby! My hen has been broody for quite sometime now, on Monday she became a new mum to x2 new baby's and on Tuesday another. My other broody hen is not too happy about her sister taking over the spot she previously used to brood her babies so any chance the new mum gets to get off and have a drink and something to eat her sister will jump in her grave leaving her own eggs unattended. So on Tuesday when the latest one hatched the new mum was busy trying to wrangle her other babies back to the box which gave her sister time to sit on the newbie. I took her off and put her back on her own eggs and let new mum back in with her brood. All was OK until about Wednesday afternoon when I noticed the newest baby had become an outcast. They had him on the ground and were taking turns in pecking him. I immediately removed him from the clutch and put him in a separate container with a heat lamp and some food and water. Thursday morning when I woke up I checked him over only to find his leg and wing had been stuck to his body with (I'm not sure) was blood or maybe a bad hatch. After releasing his leg and wing and realising he wasn't well I took him to my local vet and she believes that during his ordeal his mother and siblings have pecked him so much they have broken his leg His poor little leg has scabs all over it and it's incredibly swollen and purple and he wont put any weight on even though he only weighs 30grams. Our vet has given him a watered down version of Meloxicam for the next week. Apart from his leg - he is healthy, eating and drinking, and is also very active but lonely because he is seperated. So I guess my questions are: Is there anything else I can do for this little one? How do you keep a 3 day old chick still enough that he can recover comfortably? How do I make sure he goes on to live a healthy happy life? Will he even recover from this?

Once again, any advice from chicken mums and dads would be incredibly helpful right now. I want to make sure he recovers but without further long term damage if possible.

Thaaaaanks

 

[CoopBoots]

How do you keep a 3 day old chick still enough that he can recover comfortably?

You might be able to use a cup or a sling to limit mobility, but I'm not sure exactly how this would work with a broken limb (if indeed this is the case). Any pictures of baby and the injuries to help the experts give more advice on this point? (I'm not at all an expert but you'll get better advice soon!)

How do I make sure he goes on to live a healthy happy life?

Really depends on the extent of the injury. I don't have any one legged chickens but if it is pretty mobile now and eating and drinking well, I think you might have a case for a happy bird that needs a special setup to live comfortably and safely.

For now, I'd setup a "look but no touch" divider and take a sibling from mom to be a companion to it. If this isn't workable, a mirror and a stuffed animal may help (but not fully alleviate) loneliness issues. I think it is much better to raise a special needs bird with a companion it can hopefully keep into adulthood.

Will he even recover from this?

Depends on the injury and the possibility of healing. I couldn't hazard a guess. *hugs* If it is active now, I think there's a chance it goes on to have a happy life regardless. You may have to figure this part out as you go. Wishing you both the best!!!

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Picture please? It would be easier to advise that way. Usually if I get a broken leg in my flock, I isolate the bird and let it heal. Chickens are fragile, but they have a resilient nature to them that means they heal quickly. I’ve posted about this before, but one of my first chickens was a Rhode Island Red who survived a fight with four adult dogs, and went on to be nicknamed “angel bone” because you could see the wing joints when she flexed on the side she’d been bitten.

 

[Mel35]

You might be able to use a cup or a sling to limit mobility, but I'm not sure exactly how this would work with a broken limb (if indeed this is the case). Any pictures of baby and the injuries to help the experts give more advice on this point? (I'm not at all an expert but you'll get better advice soon!)


Really depends on the extent of the injury. I don't have any one legged chickens but if it is pretty mobile now and eating and drinking well, I think you might have a case for a happy bird that needs a special setup to live comfortably and safely.

For now, I'd setup a "look but no touch" divider and take a sibling from mom to be a companion to it. If this isn't workable, a mirror and a stuffed animal may help (but not fully alleviate) loneliness issues. I think it is much better to raise a special needs bird with a companion it can hopefully keep into adulthood.


Depends on the injury and the possibility of healing. I couldn't hazard a guess. *hugs* If it is active now, I think there's a chance it goes on to have a happy life regardless. You may have to figure this part out as you go. Wishing you both the best!!!

Hi Coopboots. Thank you for you reply. I will absolutely upload some photos for better understanding. Setting up a look but no touch, sounds like a great plan. I have done that in the past not sure why I didn't think of that I am definitely figuring it all out as I go.

I appreciate your reply, thank you!

 

[Mel35]

Hey Chicken Fam,

I need some advice on what to do with my baby! My hen has been broody for quite sometime now, on Monday she became a new mum to x2 new baby's and on Tuesday another. My other broody hen is not too happy about her sister taking over the spot she previously used to brood her babies so any chance the new mum gets to get off and have a drink and something to eat her sister will jump in her grave leaving her own eggs unattended. So on Tuesday when the latest one hatched the new mum was busy trying to wrangle her other babies back to the box which gave her sister time to sit on the newbie. I took her off and put her back on her own eggs and let new mum back in with her brood. All was OK until about Wednesday afternoon when I noticed the newest baby had become an outcast. They had him on the ground and were taking turns in pecking him. I immediately removed him from the clutch and put him in a separate container with a heat lamp and some food and water. Thursday morning when I woke up I checked him over only to find his leg and wing had been stuck to his body with (I'm not sure) was blood or maybe a bad hatch. After releasing his leg and wing and realising he wasn't well I took him to my local vet and she believes that during his ordeal his mother and siblings have pecked him so much they have broken his leg His poor little leg has scabs all over it and it's incredibly swollen and purple and he wont put any weight on even though he only weighs 30grams. Our vet has given him a watered down version of Meloxicam for the next week. Apart from his leg - he is healthy, eating and drinking, and is also very active but lonely because he is seperated. So I guess my questions are: Is there anything else I can do for this little one? How do you keep a 3 day old chick still enough that he can recover comfortably? How do I make sure he goes on to live a healthy happy life? Will he even recover from this?

Once again, any advice from chicken mums and dads would be incredibly helpful right now. I want to make sure he recovers but without further long term damage if possible.

Thaaaaanks

 

[Mel35]

Picture please? It would be easier to advise that way. Usually if I get a broken leg in my flock, I isolate the bird and let it heal. Chickens are fragile, but they have a resilient nature to them that means they heal quickly. I’ve posted about this before, but one of my first chickens was a Rhode Island Red who survived a fight with four adult dogs, and went on to be nicknamed “angel bone” because you could see the wing joints when she flexed on the side she’d been bitten.

Hi Chicken_tiger_catt,

Thank you for your reply, I have attached some photos to my original message. Oh wow, what a fighter Angel bone is. Did it take long for him/her to recover? I'm hopeing I got to him soon enough that he will recover, but it's always nice to get advice from people with more experience than me

 

[Wyorp Rock]

His poor little leg has scabs all over it and it's incredibly swollen and purple and he wont put any weight on even though he only weighs 30grams. Our vet has given him a watered down version of Meloxicam for the next week. Apart from his leg - he is healthy, eating and drinking, and is also very active but lonely because he is seperated. So I guess my questions are: Is there anything else I can do for this little one? How do you keep a 3 day old chick still enough that he can recover comfortably? How do I make sure he goes on to live a healthy happy life? Will he even recover from this?

How cold is it? I'm asking since you found the chick alone on the ground, so I wonder if the feet are Frostbitten.

The extensive bruising and darkening of the footpad(s) is concerning. Hopefully this will resolve, but do be prepared that the chick may lose toes, part of the foot or foot. Are both feet affected? It's hard to tell in the photos. I do realize the chick does have a horn colored wash to the legs/feet that is natural, but the photos remind me of damage due to either frostbite or loss of circulation.

If she's moving about, then that's good, I would be hesitant to wrap the feet at this time, but you may find it's needed as this progresses. Puppy pads make for easier cleanup in a brooder, so consider using those, clean the feet as needed, but take care of wiping hard, instead, soaking in a warm epsom salts soak may be a better choice when cleaning, but watch the skin for sores.

Below are some links, one for versions of chick chairs you can try out if you feel that you need to limit activity. You may find the chick won't tolerate being confined for periods of time in a chair, so monitoring her is key.

The other 2 are dealing with Frostbite, while this may not be the circumstance in your case, treatment for wounds, bruised feet like your own chick would be very similar, so give them a read and see if the treatment(s) make sense to you.

Keep us posted and if you have more photos you wish to share, they are always welcome.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...to-know-about-injury-care-and-recovery.78168/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/frostbitten-feet-the-adventures-of-scout.67277/

 

[Mel35]

How cold is it? I'm asking since you found the chick alone on the ground, so I wonder if the feet are Frostbitten.

The extensive bruising and darkening of the footpad(s) is concerning. Hopefully this will resolve, but do be prepared that the chick may lose toes, part of the foot or foot. Are both feet affected? It's hard to tell in the photos. I do realize the chick does have a horn colored wash to the legs/feet that is natural, but the photos remind me of damage due to either frostbite or loss of circulation.

If she's moving about, then that's good, I would be hesitant to wrap the feet at this time, but you may find it's needed as this progresses. Puppy pads make for easier cleanup in a brooder, so consider using those, clean the feet as needed, but take care of wiping hard, instead, soaking in a warm epsom salts soak may be a better choice when cleaning, but watch the skin for sores.

Below are some links, one for versions of chick chairs you can try out if you feel that you need to limit activity. You may find the chick won't tolerate being confined for periods of time in a chair, so monitoring her is key.

The other 2 are dealing with Frostbite, while this may not be the circumstance in your case, treatment for wounds, bruised feet like your own chick would be very similar, so give them a read and see if the treatment(s) make sense to you.

Keep us posted and if you have more photos you wish to share, they are always welcome.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...to-know-about-injury-care-and-recovery.78168/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/frostbitten-feet-the-adventures-of-scout.67277/

Hi, Wyorp Rock!

I did find him on the ground yes, but this week in Australia has been a heatwave, our days have been 38°, so I don't think frostbite would be an issue unless it's frostbite from not receiving warmth from his mum which I doubt. Yes the bruising on the foot is concerning to me also, it's almost like his skin is turning green. I can take a better photo when I get home to him! I didn't know if wrapping would help, he kind of just holds it up in the air when he is eating and drinking. Would a warm epsom salt bath have any affect on his leg, in the way of helping it? Or would it purely be for just cleaning? His body seems to be fine, it's just his leg and you can see where they have had a good crack at him. I already find he dosent like to be confined but I'm not sure what else I can do to help him rest I appreciate you attaching the article's I will definitely have a read and see if I can take away any information from them

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Green coloring is bruising, so let's hope over the next week or so that will resolved and the tissue will not look like it's dying. It can be hard to tell sometimes.

With that much swelling, I would be hesitant to wrap the foot at this time. It would be hard to do and I'd worry about wrappings getting too tight and cutting off circulation.

It's a hard call though. Some will say to definitely wrap, someone like me will say, he's keeping it where it's most comfortable when eating, so leave him to his own devices and monitor heavily. As the swelling and tenderness starts to resolve, he will *hopefully* start to use the foot/leg more and apply pressure at his own pace. Much like we do when injured or have a good sprain.

So...that said, it's up to you to determine the steps you want to take. I won't blast you if you do decide to wrap

Epsom salts can sometimes sooth and help reduce swelling, but this is going to take some time to heal. I really hope that it's all just soft tissue bruising and will heal just fine.

No, I don't think it's Frostbite if you are in AU LOL