Dislocated hip? Broken leg? Pics included

[Sara Ranch]

Attached are pictures of Baby. TSC swore she was a Cornish Rock - she clearly isn't. I think she might be a Red Ranger - BUT not sure on that.

From the early days, she has won a special place in my heart by always seeking me out.

She has had quite a few health challenges. Until this last month, she was 1/3 to 1/2 the size of her hatch mates, a slightly different color (super light brown all over - her head and her neck are finally darkening), irregular head shape growth (it's evened out a lot), very slow to feather, and just challenge after challenge after challenge.

She thrives indoors, in the sunroom. I bring her in when it's super cold, like below freezing, because she hadn't feathered out completely. She doesn't want to be out with the flock. When she was smaller, she always found a way to escape from the flock to come and find me. (My ducks did a great job protecting this little one when she did this!)

The cold temps were suppose to be over with (she can't handle the cold at all) and I took her and her sister and some others out to the barn coop. I don't know if one of the guys tried to mate her and it caused her leg problem or if this is just a "new" problem. She does not have bumble foot or any other apparent problem with the bottom of her foot. She has gone from being super active as a chick to very sedatary as a 6 month old girl. She is not laying eggs.

I put her on the table so she could eat and drink and get sunlight and see outside. She won't try to get down.

She seems to eat well and drink well. She will let me pick her up and hold her. She hobbles, limps, and jumps to get from the corner (where she puts herself) to the food dish and back. Her current sunroom mate is a Cornish Rock who appeared to be on her last legs, but she had made a remarkable recovery being inside. There's no picking or dominance between the two. They cuddle together at night.

Can Baby's leg be fixed?

Is it a dislocated hip?

Thank you!

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

Can you carefully manipulate the leg to feel if it’s broken? From her stance I would think dislocation. Could be from a large male trying to mate with her. Could also be she jumped down and landed wrong.
A skeletal picture for reference.

 

[Sara Ranch]

I have felt her leg and her hip. it doesn't feel broken anywhere.

I thought it might be dislocated.

How do I fix that? There's no vet I would trust to do the job.

Thanks!

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

Hmmmm.... that I'm not sure. Let me tag a few people.

@Wyorp Rock @KikisGirls @Eggcessive
@WVduckchick

Other then popping it back in, thoughts?

 

[Sara Ranch]

I have no idea how to pop it in. My internet is about to go "out" - ya know, slow speeds due to so many other people in the area getting home from work/school to be on the internet.

I look to see if there are any videos on how to pop it back in.

If anyone has links or tutorials or pictures, please share!

Thank you!

 

[Kiki]

Is this a new injury or has she always been like that?
If she has always been like that I don't think it would be fixable at this point.

If she has always had problems I'm wondering if this is just something that is a result from her early problems.

This is a tough one.
I am sorry I can't help.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I would think if it's dislocated manipulating it until it goes back would be how you do it. Not sure how much she will appreciate the effort so I was hoping for other suggestions.

I AM NO EXPERT!

Once back in I would wrap it with ace bandage or something to help stabilize it.

I will do a little research too.

You may have a house chicken.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

All I’m finding is videos of dogs with dislocated hips. I don’t want you to cause her unnecessary pain but I’m concerned about waiting too.

Tendons holding the hip in (or out) of place is my concern. Is she using the leg at all?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry she is not doing that well. Since you mention all the problems that she has had in the past, I would lean toward this being a genetic/developmental disorder or a leg bone deformity that is finally showing up. She does have the thick legs of a meat bird, but as to which breed-I have no clue. https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_Intertarsal_Joint_in_Broiler_Chickens

As far as what to do to help her, I'm just not sure. It's possible that it could be dislocated, but I would think if you have been manipulating the leg checking for injury she would have indicated pain. If vet care is an option, then having an xray would hopefully shed some light on the problem.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Wow. Thanks for all of the responses. I didn't see any notifications of these replies.

I started adding garlic, oregano, and turmeric to Baby's feed. She became more mobile.

I took her to a vet who has experience with chickens. The vet verified that there was no infection, no bumble foot, no leg break, no dislocation, no swelling, no worms, no parasites... Baby is very healthy. The diagnose was that she has severe arthritis or gout as a result of an injury or birth defect. The vet said she could heal with time and patience.

The vet said I was clearly practicing "good husbandry" and Baby was healthy, although hurting with her leg. The garlic, oregano, and turmeric were good natural healing stuffs. (Garlic - immune system booster, oregano - antibiotic, appetite stiumulant, turmeric - anti-inflammatory.)

So, I keep Baby inside, talk to her, pet her, encourage her movement, and keep giving her herbs. Baby is moving more, talking a lot, and trying to climb into my lap.

*** This is a new "injury". She use to run, full of joy, across the fields when she was little. This could also be a birth/growing defect. It's really hard to know for sure, since her development is so slow/behind schedule. She's 7 months old now. Her sisters are laying eggs, but she's not. She's just starting to turn red in the comb/waddles/face and to squat. Vet said she should be able to lay eggs normally.