Chick with fused hock, help walking

[artsygirl]

I have a chick that has a fused hock. She seems to be able to move and hop around but nor walk well. She likes to get into a corner and just stand there. I've been getting her to eat and drink. But I was wondering if there is some way to brace her leg to get it stronger and such. I had her at a vet when she couldn't walk and we did try to slow the bone growth so her muscles could catch up. She seems better now and adapting but I want to make life easier for her and so she can go back with her sister.

 

[mew317]

I don’t know what a Hock is but if it is fused with something, Try and let gravity do its thing. 2. If it doesn’t heal in a few weeks, ask a vet or something that does poultry.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Did the vet feel like it was a leg bone deformity or slipped tendon (perosis)?
How long has the leg been like this?

You could try placing her in a sling, that may help her stay upright and use the leg a bit more, but if it's fused, then likely there is no way to fix it. Some chickens learn to adapt an become active members within their flock, while sadly others are not accepted.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

I would do a couple of epsom salt soaks a day and also gently massage her leg and hock.

The sling is kind of awkward to figure out at first, but it's a good suggestion. There are tutorials and lots of photos of this online.

The Arnica Rub is about $8 for a tube, I think. There are other brands with arnica, but trust me: They are not the same. My chicken friend highly recommended it, and I would douse my rooster's leg and fused ankle joint with it three times a day or so.

And when I had a bad fall recently, it significantly increased my healing. The stuff is so worth having on hand.

Something else you can do is mix a bit of raw honey in a teaspoon of yogurt and let her take as much as she wants.

Keep us posted on how she's doing.