bpilgrim
Chirping
- Jul 10, 2015
- 32
- 17
- 80
Hey Everyone, I've had an ongoing problem with one of my Silkes, Pontius Pilate (Ponch). Over a month ago, I went out to feed treats to the flock, and they all came running. A larger hen jumped in the air and landed on top of Ponch. The bird stood on top of her for a few seconds as Ponch was on her side and sort of contorted. Once the Hen jumped off of her, she got up and ran around ok. Shortly after, Ponch was obviously injured, not walking very well.... I checked her over, and assumed her leg was sprained. I couldn't feel a break. I left it for about 3 weeks but saw no improvement, so checked her over again and thought maybe it felt loose at the elbow joint on one leg, so I splinted it in a bent position. After working with her for about 3 weeks, she began standing and taking a couple steps with the splint on. We continued our exercises for a week or so, then I removed the splint so I could see ho she'd do. As the week passed, she stopped walking again, and just lies on her side. I put on a new splint. Won't walk, lies on her side. Removed that splint after a week. Now she still does nothing, no attempts to walk at all, and if I put her down, she slowly rolls to one side and stays there, eating the grass and food/water around her that she can reach.
She happily eats and drinks if it's in front of her. I decided to stretch some fabric over the opening of a box with leg holes so she can keep upright. She seems happy as heck, and eats and drinks the food she has in front of her. She stays there all day without any fuss or trying to get out of the box (Picture below).
When I pick her up, and touch at her legs enough to bother her, she's is well able to pull them away as if to say "Stop grabbing my legs", so it appears nothing is broken, nor is she paralyzed, as she is able to move them. She doesn't appear to be in pain either.
What could this be? Is it possible that she no longer has a desire to move because I always make sure she has food and water right in front of her? I've had a couple people tell me that if I move the food and water just out of her reach, she'll go get it when she's hungry enough. Can chickens reason that way? I thought she would either stop eating/drinking if she wanted to die, or she would get better, but it's been weeks like this! Today is only her second day in the "upright box".
Thanks everyone.
She happily eats and drinks if it's in front of her. I decided to stretch some fabric over the opening of a box with leg holes so she can keep upright. She seems happy as heck, and eats and drinks the food she has in front of her. She stays there all day without any fuss or trying to get out of the box (Picture below).
When I pick her up, and touch at her legs enough to bother her, she's is well able to pull them away as if to say "Stop grabbing my legs", so it appears nothing is broken, nor is she paralyzed, as she is able to move them. She doesn't appear to be in pain either.
What could this be? Is it possible that she no longer has a desire to move because I always make sure she has food and water right in front of her? I've had a couple people tell me that if I move the food and water just out of her reach, she'll go get it when she's hungry enough. Can chickens reason that way? I thought she would either stop eating/drinking if she wanted to die, or she would get better, but it's been weeks like this! Today is only her second day in the "upright box".
Thanks everyone.
