Chicken with Broken or Dislocated Leg

[littlewoot]

I have had a chicken in my kitchen for the past two months. We took her out of the flock because she wasn't moving around too well. The vet saw her hobble around on the ground but concluded it was likely bacterial. He filled up her crop with food and have me some antibiotic shots. He said she looked very frail and weak, which is why she was having trouble walking. No idea why he didn't consider a broken leg.

She sometimes tries to put weight on the right leg, which is far behind her good leg. Even after two months she is using her wing to take pressure off of her bad leg. She mostly just lays on her stomach all day and looks around the kitchen and out the window.

I don't know what to do with her. She can't make it out in the coop, but I don't want a pet chicken. I'm uncertain about putting her down because she is otherwise healthy. It does seem like her quality of life is pretty lousy.

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have had a chicken in my kitchen for the past two months. We took her out of the flock because she wasn't moving around too well. The vet saw her hobble around on the ground but concluded it was likely bacterial. He filled up her crop with food and have me some antibiotic shots. He said she looked very frail and weak, which is why she was having trouble walking. No idea why he didn't consider a broken leg.

She sometimes tries to put weight on the right leg, which is far behind her good leg. Even after two months she is using her wing to take pressure off of her bad leg. She mostly just lays on her stomach all day and looks around the kitchen and out the window.

I don't know what to do with her. She can't make it out in the coop, but I don't want a pet chicken. I'm uncertain about putting her down because she is otherwise healthy. It does seem like her quality of life is pretty lousy.

I'm sorry about your hen

How old is she?
Was she vaccinated for Marek's?

It's very hard to know what's going on with her. If you feel that the leg might be broken, getting an xray would confirm this.

Did the vet say what type of bacterial infection she might have - give it a name? Did she have any swelling at the joint that was fluid like?

Marek's disease is something to consider. It can cause paralysis of one or both legs.
A necropsy is the best way to confirm this.

Sitting her in a sling may be helpful to get her upright and to keep her cleaner.
A bird that cannot walk, to me is not really that healthy. Since you do not want a pet chicken, don't want her in the house, you feel her quality of life is poor and she's been like this for 2 months with no improvement - putting her down may be the kindest thing you can do for her.

Here's some information about Marek's disease http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq
Chicken sling