EMERGENCY!!!! please help!! i think she has a broken leg!!!!

[Chickenrandomness]

please tell me what to do!!!!!!!!! i just moved so i put my four 6wk olds in a crate outside, i let them eat and play and every so often i move the crate. i just was out there moving the crate when Penny my EE yelps! he leg got caught under part of the crate! i freed her but she limped away, i think her leg is broke, i put all the chicks in the coop in the barn to prevent anything else from happening. my parents refuse to take her to the vet and i will NOT cull her!!! please help these are my first chickens EVER!!!! i'll never forgive myself if she dies!!!!!

 

[KimberlyJ]

Is it possible for you to post a picture? That might help us help you.

 

[Chickenrandomness]

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how will it help? i don't want to disturb her...

 

[Judy]

You can try splinting it by wrapping it with vet wrap. available at the feed store. The same stuff is sold in the drug store for people; it is brightly colored tape looking stuff that only sticks to itself. If you do this, watch the leg and foot below the wrap to be sure they do not turn dusky or blue. If you are sure it is broken, it will take a month or so to heal. She may not heal "right," of course, but at least the bone will be stable. Hopefully she will be able to limp around. Lots of folks have limping chickens -- lots of folks get by without vets, for various reasons.

Good luck.

 

[peterlund]

Most often the chicken will scurry about with it's leg withdrawn... But those chicken legs are pretty strong, so just watch her/ him for a while and check to see if the leg looks crooked or get swollen... My guess is she is fine, and looking for some well deserved treats from her owner. Good luck... and pictures would help all...

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Oh try not to feel too bad!!!
I am sure your little bird knows you didn't mean to hurt it.

Is Penny walking with a limp still? Does the leg look normal otherwise? If it were me, and she was limping around fine, and the leg otherwise looked normal, I'd just watch and wait.

If she is getting picked on because of walking too slowly, then I would separate her until she healed.

 

[acid_chipmunk]

What makes you think it is broken? Is it malformed or twisted in a bad way?

Most likely, she just hurt it a little. Sometimes this happens to my chickens when we are moving the tractors around, they get their legs stuck if they aren't paying attention.

 

[noodleroo]

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Exactly...

 

[Chickenrandomness]

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well, the crate is rather heavy, i think between 30lbs-45lbs. she dosn't try to walk, she just sits, i'll try to look her over... i sure hope shes ok....

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

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well, the crate is rather heavy, i think between 30lbs-45lbs. she dosn't try to walk, she just sits, i'll try to look her over... i sure hope shes ok....

If she is refusing to walk, then examine her legs to see if they are misshapen in any way. Or cut. Let us know.