Chick with injured leg - can they live normally?

[Equine_Angel]

I have tried everything for my chick to fix her leg and it is not doable. She is still getting around without using her right leg, but can she live normally this way? I believe she is eating and drinking, playing with her mates. I was thinking of making a small prosthetic from her hock to provide her a bit more stability. Has anyone done that?

She has a slipped tendon and her hock has not been able to keep it in place, but she is using her hock to walk on. From the hock down her leg stretches in front of her. Oh I don't know. It is hard to see this, but I really do not know what to do. Also, me being pregnant doesn't help

 

[Miss Lydia]

She'll probably do fine. as long as the rest don't pick on her. have you seen this? https://sites.google.com/a/larsencreek.com/chicken-orthopedics/leg-braces

 

[Equine_Angel]

Hi Miss Lydia,

I have used some of the things on the website. I have been trying to work her leg out doing some physio style exercises, but last night I have noticed that the tendon and leg has almost completely stiffened. I will look through the website further. She is not getting picked on and keeps up with the others, but chirps a lot. I am still giving her some aspirin in the day to try and keep the inflammation down, which there is none to see.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I have heard of chickens doing ok after losing a foot. I know it is hard to decide how much time to put into the little chick, especially when you have so many animals and a baby on the way (congrats!)

I can understand why you might want something to cushion her hock to protect it, too. I don't have personal experience, but here is a link with some info.


http://www.oandp.com/edge/issues/articles/2006-01_09.asp

Maybe others will have some advice based on their own experience.

 

[Equine_Angel]

Well... after many hours of playing with foam and going through three different prototypes, I have found a temporary leg brace that is helping Sugar, my little injured/deformed chick, to walk on her hock without getting a bad infection. She is still getting use to it and I know that she doesn't like it to much, but she is faster than the other growing chicks. She is a remarkable chick.

I will shortly be going through a few more prototypes for her leg to see what will suit her best. Fingers crossed and I will post pictures soon.