Chicken has a broken leg now what?

[chickenlover007]

Any idea when she got hurt?

around a week ago

 

[jjatl]

I just seen this and I know I am replying late. I had a chicken to break her leg, had no idea how but I look at my chickens everyday and this is key. If the leg is freshly broken, you will be better off with helping her. you will need another person to help you hold her. I tried to straighten the bone same as you would a person and get the ends of bone together - I took alcohol cleaned her leg, applied betadine, it was barely skinned no bone poking through her skin - I took apart a wooden clothes pin, it was the right size, wrapped her leg with a couple layers of gauze.... put the clothes pin pieces on each side of her leg with the flat side of the pin against her leg, a splint - taped it well but not too tight to cut off circulation but tight enough to stop movement of bone - put her in a pen of her own for about 3 weeks. Her leg was a smidget crooked but she was healed and walked around just fine and enjoyed life. Dont put her down unless you give her a chance to heal. their bones are hollow and they heal quickly. if she is not able to heal then of course you will need to put her down. Check the splint often to ensure it is still in correct place and that you dont have it too tight or too loose. if her leg swells then it is too tight, the pins taped to her leg should not move or it is too loose. Good luck!!

 

[chickenlover007]

I just seen this and I know I am replying late. I had a chicken to break her leg, had no idea how but I look at my chickens everyday and this is key. If the leg is freshly broken, you will be better off with helping her. you will need another person to help you hold her. I tried to straighten the bone same as you would a person and get the ends of bone together - I took alcohol cleaned her leg, applied betadine, it was barely skinned no bone poking through her skin - I took apart a wooden clothes pin, it was the right size, wrapped her leg with a couple layers of gauze.... put the clothes pin pieces on each side of her leg with the flat side of the pin against her leg, a splint - taped it well but not too tight to cut off circulation but tight enough to stop movement of bone - put her in a pen of her own for about 3 weeks. Her leg was a smidget crooked but she was healed and walked around just fine and enjoyed life. Dont put her down unless you give her a chance to heal. their bones are hollow and they heal quickly. if she is not able to heal then of course you will need to put her down. Check the splint often to ensure it is still in correct place and that you dont have it too tight or too loose. if her leg swells then it is too tight, the pins taped to her leg should not move or it is too loose. Good luck!!

Thank you sooo much!!!!! I was starting to loose hope but if your chicken recovered I'm sure mine will pull through.

 

[jjatl]

Thank you sooo much!!!!! I was starting to loose hope but if your chicken recovered I'm sure mine will pull through.

I see you sit her out in the yard, be careful as I did this with one of mine that was ill a few years ago and a hawk just landed on her and killed her in 2 seconds flat., snipped her under her jaw and it was over. I felt guilty over it as I put her out under the apple tree to enjoy a couple of hours outside. Trust me she will be better off confined in a pen with plenty of food and water with electrolytes and some really healthy treats to help with stress and healing, out of the weather, not moving around on the leg for about 3 weeks. Just know if your chicken leg has been broken a week it has probably already begun to heal and could have infection. I would still get some help and splint it and just keep an eye out on it for infection...I would probably go ahead and give her one dose of antibiotics to help stave it off. ( I know some dont do antibiotics but I do in serious cases as natural products just sometimes isnt fast enough)

 

[chickenlover007]

I see you sit her out in the yard, be careful as I did this with one of mine that was ill a few years ago and a hawk just landed on her and killed her in 2 seconds flat., snipped her under her jaw and it was over. I felt guilty over it as I put her out under the apple tree to enjoy a couple of hours outside. Trust me she will be better off confined in a pen with plenty of food and water with electrolytes and some really healthy treats to help with stress and healing, out of the weather, not moving around on the leg for about 3 weeks. Just know if your chicken leg has been broken a week it has probably already begun to heal and could have infection. I would still get some help and splint it and just keep an eye out on it for infection...I would probably go ahead and give her one dose of antibiotics to help stave it off. ( I know some dont do antibiotics but I do in serious cases as natural products just sometimes isnt fast enough)

In the backyard, we have a trampoline that is raised off the ground. could I put her under there?

 

[chickenlover007]

Just wanted to give you guys an update, Good news!!!!!her leg looks to be healing amazingly! She is perky and happy and we are 99.9% sure she is going to be fine A big Thank you for all your help and advice from me and Valkyrie (the chicken). Things are looking up!

Can you take her to a vet for an xray. It kind of looks like a fracture in her leg in the pic on the right. Here is some splinting information, but it is a splinting guide:
https://theiwrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Duerr_Splinting_Manual_2010.pdf

Is it healed? If not try to splint it. Put her in a small dog cage, to keep her weight off it and let it heal. I've seen people make little chicken slings to hold them off their legs. Maybe do a search on here to find it!

Poor thing. This looks like a bite wound leading to broken leg bone and some infection in the foot as well.

I know many will disagree with me but imo the kindest thing to do is put her out of her misery.
If, you had splinted the leg well immediately after the break then there would have been a chance that the break would repair and more importantly, the nerves and tendons that will have been damaged by the break.
I don't know in what circumstances you keep your chickens, but here where they free range a broken leg is the end of the line.
My vet wont splint a broken leg on a chicken. In her opinion they rarely repair properly.
I'm sorry. It's not a very encouraging post but I think it's unrealistic to expect a full recovery, especially given you write it was a while ago.

I just seen this and I know I am replying late. I had a chicken to break her leg, had no idea how but I look at my chickens everyday and this is key. If the leg is freshly broken, you will be better off with helping her. you will need another person to help you hold her. I tried to straighten the bone same as you would a person and get the ends of bone together - I took alcohol cleaned her leg, applied betadine, it was barely skinned no bone poking through her skin - I took apart a wooden clothes pin, it was the right size, wrapped her leg with a couple layers of gauze.... put the clothes pin pieces on each side of her leg with the flat side of the pin against her leg, a splint - taped it well but not too tight to cut off circulation but tight enough to stop movement of bone - put her in a pen of her own for about 3 weeks. Her leg was a smidget crooked but she was healed and walked around just fine and enjoyed life. Dont put her down unless you give her a chance to heal. their bones are hollow and they heal quickly. if she is not able to heal then of course you will need to put her down. Check the splint often to ensure it is still in correct place and that you dont have it too tight or too loose. if her leg swells then it is too tight, the pins taped to her leg should not move or it is too loose. Good luck!!

 

[LaFleche]

That is good news, thank you for the update.

Did you put her in a sling chair?

 

[jjatl]

Awesome news...they heal really quick it is quite amazing. Glad to hear this

 

[Mmanist]

Just wanted to give you guys an update, Good news!!!!!her leg looks to be healing amazingly! She is perky and happy and we are 99.9% sure she is going to be fine A big Thank you for all your help and advice from me and Valkyrie (the chicken). Things are looking up!

Chickens are pretty resilient creatures! Glad to hear she is doing better. My hen who got attacked by a dog. Injured her leg, not sure if she broke anything, as I couldn't feel broken bones. But after a couple weeks she heal enough to be able get around with the flock.