Chicken with Leg Problem

[LilyD]

1) What type of bird , age and weight. Cochin Mix 3 weeks on Monday unsure of weight but is the same size as it's hatch mates
2) What is the behavior, exactly. Right leg problems would not put weight on it at all 1 week after birth now will put weight on it but it can turn all the way backwards
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? Since shortly after hatching
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.Unsure thought it was a broken leg and was told to leave it and let it heal on it's own.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. Unsure
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Eating Medicated Starter, Drinking water all appetite is normal
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. Poop is normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Removed him or her from the rest of the hatchlings and let him rest his leg. Is no putting weight on it which he wasn't before but it will spin all the way backwards.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? Must treat myself there are no vets that treat chickens in my area.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use Shipping box with paper towels for bedding feeder and waterer. Tried shavings but he couldn't walk on shavings.

Any thoughts for what I might need to do would be appreciated. So far I have been isolating and letting him rest it but other than that no treatment.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Sorry about your little chick, I hope maybe you can find something in this link that will help. https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/

 

[LilyD]

Quote:
Sorry about your little chick, I hope maybe you can find something in this link that will help. https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/

Thanks for the website that has tons of information. I am still not sure what his problem is though. They said that splay leg or spraddle leg was a condition from birth but his started about a week after. When he hatched he was totally fine. He doesn't seem in any pain and his leg seems bruised (I think but I am not sure) but is no larger than his other leg. Could it be that he did have a break since he wasn't putting any weight on it and now he's just favoring it because it's still sore?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Sorry about your little chick, I hope maybe you can find something in this link that will help. https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/

Thanks for the website that has tons of information. I am still not sure what his problem is though. They said that splay leg or spraddle leg was a condition from birth but his started about a week after. When he hatched he was totally fine. He doesn't seem in any pain and his leg seems bruised (I think but I am not sure) but is no larger than his other leg. Could it be that he did have a break since he wasn't putting any weight on it and now he's just favoring it because it's still sore?

Possibility, the only thing besides taking him to a vet, would be to give it sometime and maybe follow some of the advise in the link just to give it time to heal. I understand water therapy is good, maybe soaking in warm epsom salt water for 30 mins at a time. I've never had to deal with a leg issue so, hopefully some one with experience in this area will help you more.

 

[LilyD]

Quote:
Thanks for the website that has tons of information. I am still not sure what his problem is though. They said that splay leg or spraddle leg was a condition from birth but his started about a week after. When he hatched he was totally fine. He doesn't seem in any pain and his leg seems bruised (I think but I am not sure) but is no larger than his other leg. Could it be that he did have a break since he wasn't putting any weight on it and now he's just favoring it because it's still sore?

Possibility, the only thing besides taking him to a vet, would be to give it sometime and maybe follow some of the advise in the link just to give it time to heal. I understand water therapy is good, maybe soaking in warm epsom salt water for 30 mins at a time. I've never had to deal with a leg issue so, hopefully some one with experience in this area will help you more.

Yeah I am following quite a bit of the advice on the site. I have separated him from the rest of the babies. I had a few in with him but he was getting trampled so I put them back in the brooder and now he has a puppet for company. He has paper towels for bedding, the shavings was too hard for him to maneuver on and he would just sit there. He has gotten a bit better. He started out not putting any weight on it. He would just hop on the other foot and keep the claw clenched up. He wouldn't even open his toes when he put his foot down. Now he is putting his foot down and opening up his toes to put his foot flat on the floor but he is carrying his foot out to the side or behind him when he walks. I thought maybe about hobbling him for splay leg but I worry that if I do that it will do more harm than good if he is just getting over an injury like a break or sprain. I wish we have a vet that would see him but none of our vets around here will do chickens, they say they are just too difficult.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Possibility, the only thing besides taking him to a vet, would be to give it sometime and maybe follow some of the advise in the link just to give it time to heal. I understand water therapy is good, maybe soaking in warm epsom salt water for 30 mins at a time. I've never had to deal with a leg issue so, hopefully some one with experience in this area will help you more.

Yeah I am following quite a bit of the advice on the site. I have separated him from the rest of the babies. I had a few in with him but he was getting trampled so I put them back in the brooder and now he has a puppet for company. He has paper towels for bedding, the shavings was too hard for him to maneuver on and he would just sit there. He has gotten a bit better. He started out not putting any weight on it. He would just hop on the other foot and keep the claw clenched up. He wouldn't even open his toes when he put his foot down. Now he is putting his foot down and opening up his toes to put his foot flat on the floor but he is carrying his foot out to the side or behind him when he walks. I thought maybe about hobbling him for splay leg but I worry that if I do that it will do more harm than good if he is just getting over an injury like a break or sprain. I wish we have a vet that would see him but none of our vets around here will do chickens, they say they are just too difficult.

Sounds like progress is being made so that is good. it might just take awhile, And it could have gotten stepped on and hurt it's leg, lets hope sprain not broken. Best thing to do would be to give it as much time as needed, and hope for the best. And the puppet is a good idea. keep us posted!

 

[LilyD]

Quote:
Yeah I am following quite a bit of the advice on the site. I have separated him from the rest of the babies. I had a few in with him but he was getting trampled so I put them back in the brooder and now he has a puppet for company. He has paper towels for bedding, the shavings was too hard for him to maneuver on and he would just sit there. He has gotten a bit better. He started out not putting any weight on it. He would just hop on the other foot and keep the claw clenched up. He wouldn't even open his toes when he put his foot down. Now he is putting his foot down and opening up his toes to put his foot flat on the floor but he is carrying his foot out to the side or behind him when he walks. I thought maybe about hobbling him for splay leg but I worry that if I do that it will do more harm than good if he is just getting over an injury like a break or sprain. I wish we have a vet that would see him but none of our vets around here will do chickens, they say they are just too difficult.

Sounds like progress is being made so that is good. it might just take awhile, And it could have gotten stepped on and hurt it's leg, lets hope sprain not broken. Best thing to do would be to give it as much time as needed, and hope for the best. And the puppet is a good idea. keep us posted!

I am hoping for that as well. We researched leg breaks in chicks and were told that we should just put it by itself and let it heal on it's own. Bracing at that size is not very helpful and it's better to just let them heal in their own time. I am a little concerned over him holding it out behind him though. It makes me wonder if it is more a hip dislocation or something like that. I guess I am just at a loss so he will continue to be a house chicken until he gets better or I run out of larger boxes lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Sounds like progress is being made so that is good. it might just take awhile, And it could have gotten stepped on and hurt it's leg, lets hope sprain not broken. Best thing to do would be to give it as much time as needed, and hope for the best. And the puppet is a good idea. keep us posted!

I am hoping for that as well. We researched leg breaks in chicks and were told that we should just put it by itself and let it heal on it's own. Bracing at that size is not very helpful and it's better to just let them heal in their own time. I am a little concerned over him holding it out behind him though. It makes me wonder if it is more a hip dislocation or something like that. I guess I am just at a loss so he will continue to be a house chicken until he gets better or I run out of larger boxes lol.

Can you feel anything out of the ordinary when you feel around? I would think if it was dislocated you would be able to tell and I would also think that would be major pain. But chickens are very good at covering up pain.

 

[LilyD]

Quote:
I am hoping for that as well. We researched leg breaks in chicks and were told that we should just put it by itself and let it heal on it's own. Bracing at that size is not very helpful and it's better to just let them heal in their own time. I am a little concerned over him holding it out behind him though. It makes me wonder if it is more a hip dislocation or something like that. I guess I am just at a loss so he will continue to be a house chicken until he gets better or I run out of larger boxes lol.

Can you feel anything out of the ordinary when you feel around? I would think if it was dislocated you would be able to tell and I would also think that would be major pain. But chickens are very good at covering up pain.

I felt it from the hip all the way to the foot. There is some discoloration on the hock joint and more discoloration around the foot where the toes connect. Nothing feels out of place or bad. The hip does rotate out but it doesn't seem painful at all. I tried the extending the leg and unbending the hock joint slowly and he didn't complain at all. I think he loves being pampered and held so he never really complains. I can rub all around his hip joint, hock joint and foot and he doesn't pull away or complain at all so I am just not sure what it might be. The only symptoms I have observed were putting no weight on it (we separated) started putting some weight on it and now holds it out to the side or backwards when walking. It's really weird. He will run on it and walk on it it just doesn't look natural.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Can you feel anything out of the ordinary when you feel around? I would think if it was dislocated you would be able to tell and I would also think that would be major pain. But chickens are very good at covering up pain.

I felt it from the hip all the way to the foot. There is some discoloration on the hock joint and more discoloration around the foot where the toes connect. Nothing feels out of place or bad. The hip does rotate out but it doesn't seem painful at all. I tried the extending the leg and unbending the hock joint slowly and he didn't complain at all. I think he loves being pampered and held so he never really complains. I can rub all around his hip joint, hock joint and foot and he doesn't pull away or complain at all so I am just not sure what it might be. The only symptoms I have observed were putting no weight on it (we separated) started putting some weight on it and now holds it out to the side or backwards when walking. It's really weird. He will run on it and walk on it it just doesn't look natural.

Could be it might not ever be right but if it can get around and doesn't seem to be in distress then hopefully it will have a normal life, but lets hope with less stress of the rest of the chicks it will work it out on its own. Hope so. they are so precious.