Chicken with Leg Problem

[LilyD]

We just checked on him and he sits and rests with his leg facing forward in the right spot just like the other one. It's only when he gets up that he moves it out to the side.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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you might want to look at all the possibilites they offer on the link I gave you might be something worth trying.

 

[LilyD]

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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.

I tried to make hobbles for my chick today to help his leg start working in the right direction. His behavior went downhill he would just lay on his side with his legs in the air and not move he even started closing his eyes and breathing hard. I waited a while but I ended up having to take them off since I didn't want to stress him out too much and open up the possibility of him getting sick from something else. When he walks without the hobbles he kind of hikes his bad leg from the hip and walks around that way. I am wondering if he is just too old to fix his leg and help him to walk more normally. I feel kind of helpless but I am really not sure what to do.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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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.

I tried to make hobbles for my chick today to help his leg start working in the right direction. His behavior went downhill he would just lay on his side with his legs in the air and not move he even started closing his eyes and breathing hard. I waited a while but I ended up having to take them off since I didn't want to stress him out too much and open up the possibility of him getting sick from something else. When he walks without the hobbles he kind of hikes his bad leg from the hip and walks around that way. I am wondering if he is just too old to fix his leg and help him to walk more normally. I feel kind of helpless but I am really not sure what to do.

If it stressed it out that much I'd just not mess with it. if it's putting weight on it's leg then hopefully it will continue to improve, maybe not completely normal but enough so that if can be with the rest of the flock. Roosting will be a test. But I have LF chickens and I had to lower my roosts to 1& 2 ' off the floor so low roost would probably help if his leg doesn't get better. But thats a ways down the road and hopefully with time it will. But you mentioned about bruising, which makes me wonder if he might have gotten stepped on? Have you tried soaking inwarm epsom salt water? Have some kind of yummy treat and try it, I have had to soak chickens legs even my ducks, once they realinze your not trying to kill them they usually don't mind. maybe just use a small glass and just gently put it's leg in and leg it soak for a while then massage it and move it. you know like PT. Keep us updated and we'll keep

 

[LilyD]

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I tried to make hobbles for my chick today to help his leg start working in the right direction. His behavior went downhill he would just lay on his side with his legs in the air and not move he even started closing his eyes and breathing hard. I waited a while but I ended up having to take them off since I didn't want to stress him out too much and open up the possibility of him getting sick from something else. When he walks without the hobbles he kind of hikes his bad leg from the hip and walks around that way. I am wondering if he is just too old to fix his leg and help him to walk more normally. I feel kind of helpless but I am really not sure what to do.

If it stressed it out that much I'd just not mess with it. if it's putting weight on it's leg then hopefully it will continue to improve, maybe not completely normal but enough so that if can be with the rest of the flock. Roosting will be a test. But I have LF chickens and I had to lower my roosts to 1& 2 ' off the floor so low roost would probably help if his leg doesn't get better. But thats a ways down the road and hopefully with time it will. But you mentioned about bruising, which makes me wonder if he might have gotten stepped on? Have you tried soaking inwarm epsom salt water? Have some kind of yummy treat and try it, I have had to soak chickens legs even my ducks, once they realinze your not trying to kill them they usually don't mind. maybe just use a small glass and just gently put it's leg in and leg it soak for a while then massage it and move it. you know like PT. Keep us updated and we'll keep

We have been doing the massage and pt type moving I will move his leg through the normal range of motion very carefully so I don't hurt it while massaging the muscles. He loves it. He will croon while I do it. I haven't tried soaking it yet but I will try that and see if it helps any. He likes the water and often plays in the water dish so I don't think he will mind it much. I don't think he will walk normally as he gets older but maybe if we can get his leg working a little better he will be more comfortable than he is now.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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If it stressed it out that much I'd just not mess with it. if it's putting weight on it's leg then hopefully it will continue to improve, maybe not completely normal but enough so that if can be with the rest of the flock. Roosting will be a test. But I have LF chickens and I had to lower my roosts to 1& 2 ' off the floor so low roost would probably help if his leg doesn't get better. But thats a ways down the road and hopefully with time it will. But you mentioned about bruising, which makes me wonder if he might have gotten stepped on? Have you tried soaking inwarm epsom salt water? Have some kind of yummy treat and try it, I have had to soak chickens legs even my ducks, once they realinze your not trying to kill them they usually don't mind. maybe just use a small glass and just gently put it's leg in and leg it soak for a while then massage it and move it. you know like PT. Keep us updated and we'll keep

We have been doing the massage and pt type moving I will move his leg through the normal range of motion very carefully so I don't hurt it while massaging the muscles. He loves it. He will croon while I do it. I haven't tried soaking it yet but I will try that and see if it helps any. He likes the water and often plays in the water dish so I don't think he will mind it much. I don't think he will walk normally as he gets older but maybe if we can get his leg working a little better he will be more comfortable than he is now.

Sounds like you are going to have 1 spoiled chicken, thats okay I have 1 very spoiled house duck. lol Your doing a fine job and hopefully all the TLC it's getting will pay off. Keep us updated.