Chick with injured leg?

[tnchickymomma]

I came home today and immediately checked on my chickens as usual. When I was changing their food and water they had all moved to the far side of the brooder except for one of my RIR. She was just sitting still right in the middle. When I tried to pick her up, she got up, hobbled just several inches away and plopped back down. She looked like she couldn't walk balanced. I picked her up and examined her and couldn't find a visible sign of injury. When I lift her she just hangs her legs. So I put her in a box on her own with some shavings, food, and water. She was eating and drinking, eating with gusto in fact! I went back a bit later to check on her and there were 2 poops in the box. One normal and one that was either diarrhea or cecal. Looked like melted chocolate and smelled really bad. I examined her again thinking I missed something. I checked out her legs closely. She didn't squawk or squirm like she was in pain. One leg seemed normal, I could feel her moving and trying to pull it out of my hand. The other leg was just hanging. It was like it was inside her skin but not attached to anything. Again, though, she didn't respond like I was hurting her. (Do chickens do that?)
So help, please! I was thinking dislocation, does that happen? My girls are 6 weeks old, just a couple days away from moving out to their coop, and so far they have been super healthy and growing like crazy.

 

[tnchickymomma]

I have been sitting in the garage observing her for a while. She seems totally normal except for the leg issue. Drinking and eating a lot, the poop was cecal, she has pooped more and all normal. She is digging around in her bedding with her beak making happy little chicky noises.

 

[tnchickymomma]

Update:
She is doing well in spite of her leg problem. Eating, drinking, pooping, and sounding normal. Not exhibiting any evidence of pain from what I can tell. Eyes, skin, and comb look normal. She is very alert. I have been sitting with her frequently, keeping her and her shavings clean of poop. I have been putting SavAChik electrolyte powder in her water. I stand her up and while supporting her under her chest and belly I properly place her right leg and foot and encourage her to stand properly. She seems to be at least trying to hold it properly, although is unsuccessful. I give her lots of neck scratches since she doesn't appear to be able to scratch, not that I have witnessed. From everything I have read, it seems like there isn't much else I can do except for wait it out and continue what I am doing. I hate that she has to be apart from her sisters, I feel like she is lonely. The rest of the girls are moving out to the coop today or tomorrow and she will miss the big move and be alone in the garage. If she gets better will I have issues with the other chicks when she gets to go out to the coop? Also, when they move and she has the brooder to herself, should I bring a couple of her sisters in to spend time with her under supervision so she doesn't get too lonely and so they stay familiar with her?

 

[Nutcup]

Hi Ma,
I've had something similar with one of our Cochins, Pecker, but I didn't realize something was wrong for a couple of days. I was wondering why she was usually all fluffed out in the shavings like she was going to set (yeah, only 6 weeks old.) Then when I reached into the brooder and she didn't run off like the other 3 did I thought "She is so tame, even lazy?" I picked her up and she didn't struggle, like you said, and her legs just hung there limp. The rest of my experience sounds like yours, but she got weaker, and kept falling. One of the Americanas jumped off the perch right onto Pecker and she squealed but didn't even get up.

That's when I started to worry. I thought maybe she was growing so fast that she was having problems with her knees or something. I made her a recovery room next to the brooder so she would be safe from the others knocking her around. Then they all started freaking out. Pecker and ScoobyDoo always sleep together so I put Scooby in, too. omg This morning Pecker was laying on her side with her beautiful green legs stretched out and I was afraid she was gone - but she wasn't gone yet.

I've been doing everything I can think of to keep her going and we have hope again that she might recover. Yesterday her last poop was foam. Finally she just pooped an almost normal looking green bird poop! She still can't walk far without falling down, and then she needs to rest for quite a while. I move the water right next to her and wait for her to drink. Yes! OH! Good girl!

Who knows what could have caused this? I've let them out to be chickens in the garden several times when I could stay with them, and they love it until it gets windy. Maybe she ate something. Maybe she caught some wild bird illness. There was nothing obvious. I grew up with chickens and all sorts of barn yard "pets" - you name it, it becomes a pet. They always die, it's always hard.

What a trip. My wife and I decided to keep the details of our reactions this morning to ourselves... we love these messy little birds.

 

[Ciqala]

I was thinking dislocation, does that happen? My girls are 6 weeks old, just a couple days away from moving out to their coop, and so far they have been super healthy and growing like crazy.

Dislocations, slipped tendons, etc can happen. I'm dealing with a 4 week old with a slipped tendon, it's my first leg issue so I'm learning and have read up on leg related stuff. My chick's leg will never be normal, so I put her with two mellow chicks to live with and will have a handicap accessible coop for them.

Can you post a pic of her showing how her leg is?

 

[tnchickymomma]

Yes I will try to get a photo that shows it. Hard to really tell. If I pick her up she brings the left one up towards her belly and bends it while the right one just hangs straight down immobile. When she lays down she looks like she is taking a moment to get comfortable and usually lets it stick straight out behind her while the other is tucked under her. Not exhibiting any panic or pain when I move it so I have been trying to massage it and do a normal range of motion while my husband holds her up. A minute ago she appeared to be partially closing it around my finger again. She is definitely trying to do something with it. The sisters are getting ready to go out to the coop this evening, and tomorrow I am going to get a small non-wire pet carrier for her to be in in the coop. That way she doesn't have to be alone but can still be safe.

 

[tnchickymomma]

There is absolutely no physical difference between the two legs, or one that I can feel.

 

[Nutcup]

Pecker's still weak, but she's eaten and drunk and pooped! I'm concerned she'll get too hot or too cold not moving around much so I turn the light off and on or provide her shade and keep moving the water to where she settles. She won't drink out of a white ramekin, seems to prefer the red plastic quart sized plastic waterier from the brooder... (hey, is that the correct word?)

 

[tnchickymomma]

That is the correct word!
I hope Pecker feels better soon. Is she pretty alert and acting normal?

 

[Eggcessive]

Poultry vitamins in the water or infant PolyVisol vitamins without iron 2-3 drops daily would be good in case of a vitamins deficiency. I just wanted to say that you might want to read a little about Mareks disease. Your chick very well may not have it, but the leg symptoms could be similar to Mareks or some of the other diseases listed in the first link:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502