Dislocated hip? Broken leg? Pics included

[Kiki]

Thank you for the update!
I am glad to hear she is doing well.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

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.

I'm glad you were able to see the vet.

She is being taken care of very well and sounds like she is just a sweetheart, I'm glad to hear she is moving about and doing good! Squatting and her face turning red-sure sounds like eggs are coming soon

Thank you for updating your thread and outlining your course of treatment! If you don't mind, please continue to let us know how she gets along.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Baby started physical therapy and chicken massage a few weeks ago. Sessions last 5-15 minutes.

Her leg is straighter. She still hobbles around. She has started climbing/hopping/flapping her way into a low cabinet. When I sit cross legged on the floor, she tries to climb into my lap. She can only get one leg up on my leg, then she sits down. The other leg stays on the floor until I move it up under her in my lap.

When the weather is warmer, I hope to take out her and put her in a field by herself, but adjacent to other fields, so she can socialize. I hope to integrate her back into a flock, but not sure it can happen, with roosters in the flock.

It snowed yesterday. A few flurries today. Snow in the forecast for tomorrow, all day Saturday, some Sunday and Monday.

 

[Eggcessive]

Looking back at the pictures, it looks like the leg leg is affected by a leg bone deformity called varus valgus deformity or the catch-all term slipped tendon. Varus valgus can affect only one or both legs. The defect can get worse as the chicken grows. Some eventually can have the hock tendon rupture.

I am glad she is doing well. There is a BYC thread about Cleopatra, a rooster affected by a similar problem that is written by @Ciqala called “Slipped tendon in a chick—anyone tried to fix this?”

 

[Sara Ranch]

Baby is now more comfortable hopping up stairs!

She's started laying eggs -- four so far in the last week and a half or so. The one from this morning was perfectly formed.

Besides the PT and Massage, we are now working on self confidence. She tends to face a corner. I am turning her around to face the world each time, unless she is out of reach.

@Eggcessive - I will try to find that thread by Ciqala. The vet didn't think it was, but I have lots of room for learning more!

 

[Eggcessive]

Here you go:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...yone-ever-try-to-fix-this-experiences.879233/ And

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rooster-chick-with-weird-leg.978353/

That is great news! We need pictures.