Chick with strange leg issue? Help please!

[kinnip]

I'm sorry.

 

[fourfeathers]

I just saw your post. Almost certainly a slipped tendon. Those can be so hard to treat and they often keep popping out even when you get it back in. It is almost a miracle when you can 'fix' one! One of mine had this when I got her from the feedstore, joint infected and all. Once the joint is infected, it is really impossible to treat I think. The bone basically deteriorates. My vet presented me with either the solution to cull, or to amputate. I did have her leg amputated, and she is a year old now. With that said, I do not think I would do that again. She is waited on hand and foot, but really can't get along well. Her remaining leg became deformed so she cannot stand, but rather flops around or balances with her wings. She can fly a bit. Kind of like a plane bumping on the ground, but never really taking off.
I have to carry her back into the coop each night should she go out during the day because she can't get up any ramp or steps. She can't roost and prefers to sleep in a soft cube at night or get under things where she feels safe. I have to be very careful who she lives with because she is so fragile. She has a new friend now that has a deformed foot and only one layer of skin on her leg 9no scales) who has taken up with her. They are quite sweet together. She has to eat out of a plate because it is low to the ground. I try to make her life as pleasant as I can while she is with us. Her picture is in the Online Poultry Show under Ameraucanas, her name is Hoppi.
You did the right thing even though I know it seems hard.

 

[birdlover]

I'm so very sorry about your sweet baby.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Ditto on the info re the difficulty "treating" this. When this occurs more often in your flock it may indicate a nutritional issue which you should and can address but for the ailing bird itself, outside of of the operation to correct it (search EMERGENCIES for an old post from a member in california who was lucky enough to have found a vet who knew how to do this> it was not expensive however the problem is that many vets (even bird specialists) do not have experience with the procedure which is often done on Emus).
HUGS to you.
Diana

 

[erijn5]

Thank you all for your support, and valuable information! It is a very sad situation.

I called our local vet's office for any hope of getting it fixed. They said i could treat it with an inflamitory and maybe the swelling would got daoen and I could pop it in, in a couple of days. My cousin had some antibiotic ointment that penatrates the skin for infection.....For myself I think that cull is the way to go...but my husband is insisting on a miracle!

It is still not showing any signs of pain, and is eating and drinking and hopping around with all the other chicks...But I think tomorrow when he tries to put it back in places and it is not successful...MAMA HEN is going to have to get violent and tell him to take care of it!! No reason prolonging the inevitable (spelled wrong I'm sure) but you get what I mean! So anyway let you know something tomorrow! Pray for a miracle, I am!!!

to all that have posted!!!