Handicapped chicken looking for a companion

[juliemealy]

"Sophie" has become a pet and doesn't seem to be in any pain so I don't think putting her to sleep is the answer. I talked with a lady that has a chicken in the same situation as mine and this is what she said: "A vet told me that my bird has a genetic problem caused by breeding too much within the same flock. Problems with the ligaments is one of the most common genetic problems caused by this. My chicken's ligaments don't securely attach her muscles and bones so she can't stand well or walk at all. She spends most of her time laying on her side too." I'm no expert but I don't think Sophie has a disease. I had to put my 13 year old cow down a week ago because she hurt her leg and after giving her 2 months (in the extreme heat) to improve she didn't. I have a hard time letting go. I believe Sophie is happy she just doesn't like it when I put her in the bunny cage by herself at night, otherwise, she is content. Thanks anyway for you opion.

 

[Mama_Vendredi]

Hi Julie!
I just wanted you to know that I have a leghorn silkie mix that had the exact same problem when she was younger. I gave her lots of vitamins and hobbled and splinted her legs for a few months. The difference is amazing, her gait is a little off but you'd never be able to tell that she ever had a problem. I thought mine was a goner for sure, but if this method fixed my hen it might be able to fix yours too! Now she's my best friend and she follows me everywhere

Best,
Arianna

 

[juliemealy]

Quote:
Hi Arianna! I wish I would of known this when Sophie was younger. She's about 5 months now and probably too old to try and splint her legs - what do you think? I tried the bandaid thing when I first noticed her problem, about 3 days after buying the chicks from a breeder, and that didn't work. Where do you get chick vitamins? Thanks, Julie

 

[crtrlovr]

most people use baby vitamins without iron (PolyViSol is one brand; store brands would be just fine, just make sure they are the kind WITHOUT added iron). You can also usually get electrolyte/vitamin water soluble powder for chicks at feed stores.

 

[juliemealy]

Quote:
Ten posts shouldn't take too long.

The chicken I have as my avatar picture is Clover, my "special needs" chicken with the same ligament problems it sounds like yours has. I got her last August and we are about ready to celebrate her 1st year with us. In that picture she is sitting on the pool table watching me decorate the Christmas tree.

How precious! Clover is one lucky chicken! Sophie and I really bonded when I was shucking corn. She loved eating all the worms I found in the corn and eating the corn too. I can tell she would like to come in the house with me but my hubby would not.

 

[juliemealy]

Quote:
How much of the baby vitamin should I give her? She is not very big - about 1/2 or less the size of the normal chickens.

 

[Mama_Vendredi]

My hen is about 8 months old now and I think I was treating her from 3-6 months old. She was normal for the first two weeks we had her and then one day I went to check on them and she was splayed out with one leg in front and the other behind. The next few weeks were filled with researching and trying to find what was wrong with her. Everything that I visited simply said to put the chicken down because it wouldn't get any better, but that wasn't an option for me.
Before I even thought of spliting her legs I began hand feeding her every morning and night and as many times in between as I could. She was so bad that she couldn't get to the food or water dishes at all. I bought some vitamin B capsules from the drug store-if the problem was a nervous issue vitamin B was supposed to help promote healthy nerve function. I got some electrolyte and antibiotic mixes from Tractor Supply Co. I mixed her feed with water and added a small pinch of the electrolyte dust and vitamins and a drop of liquid from the vitamin B capsule once a day. It wasn't very scientific but it worked and she gobbled it up!
I think I got the idea of splinting when she was around 2 1/2 or 3 months old. Up until this point she got stronger and stronger but still couldn't control her legs. I started by using medical tape and a q-tip. I would tape gauze above her knee joint (so the tape wouldn't stick and pull out her feathers), then I would tape each end of the q-tip above her knee. This way her legs would stay underneath her but she could still bend them.
She didn't walk perfectly right away. At first she began scooting on her knees which was better than nothing. Each night I would take the hobble off and excersize her legs. She would be upright and I would hold each foot and do kind of a slow bicycle pedaling motion both foreward and backwards. I would also make her balance on each leg by slightly tipping her from side to side. Sometimes she would just sit limply on my hands while I did it but it familiarized her with the motion of walking and balancing.
After a while one of her legs worked perfectly but she held the other out straight, kindof like a peg leg. This is when I began splinting. I used pipe cleaners and medical tape to keep her toes straight and bent upwards instead of pointed (I looped one end of the pipe cleaner around her middle toe and the other around her ankle to keep it bent upwards and wrapped the medical tape around the other toes to keep them straight) . This way she could stand on her foot if she got it in the correct position. It took her another month to get the hang of it but she eventually was able to walk on her own. She still overcorrects with one foot, giving her kindof a funny "supermodel" walk- she crosses one foot in front of the other.
I had never heard of splinting/hobbling being done on a chicken as old as she was when I first started and that could be why it took her so long to be able to walk, but I'm really not sure. As long as there's nothing physically preventing your hen from keeping her legs underneath her or bending them I think it'll work no matter how old she is. It might jsut take her a little longer to get the hang of it. I would try it! The q-tip might be too small for her since she's bigger now, but you could rig something else up as long as its soft on either end so it doesn't hurt her.
She'll also need a lot of love. She'll lose the enthusiasm to fight and get better if she doesn't have a companion so you might have to beg your husband to let you take her indoors. I had to do that to my boyfriend and he hated it lol! She got used to air conditioning and watching tv with me and now she tries to sneak back into the house whenever I go outside to feed everyone, but I think it was worth it

 

[juliemealy]

Quote:
I feel really bad now as I tried using a bandaid after reading about it on the web for about 3-4 weeks but there was no improvement and I always felt like I was hurting her when I took the bandaids off so I gave up. I admire your dedication and I think I will try what you have suggested. Is it ok if I email you if I have any questions. I'm not for sure if I understand everything you told me. Thanks!

 

[Chicken Chickita]

Quote:
Ten posts shouldn't take too long.

The chicken I have as my avatar picture is Clover, my "special needs" chicken with the same ligament problems it sounds like yours has. I got her last August and we are about ready to celebrate her 1st year with us. In that picture she is sitting on the pool table watching me decorate the Christmas tree.

How precious! Clover is one lucky chicken! Sophie and I really bonded when I was shucking corn. She loved eating all the worms I found in the corn and eating the corn too. I can tell she would like to come in the house with me but my hubby would not.

Sounds like she's good company! And yes, I
a little surprised thaty husband is okay with this. Clover is next to us, on a towel in the bed, watching tv. I'm just not supposed to let any of his buddies find out.

It sounds like you have a lovely farm life. Sophie will probably love helping with corn and lots of other things.

 

[HenPenny]

I had several that were hatched splayed leg. Had some problems with my humidity. Only One survived that hatch and hops on one leg. Luckily the little Silkie from an earlier hatch became her friend and takes care of her. The Silkie will check on the crippled leg hen and wait on her as they free range around the yard. She also sleeps with her on the coope floor because she can't roosts on one leg.
I hope you can find your little one a companion soon.