Help-- Hen won't bear weight on one leg. PICTURES POSTED

[LGoodrum]

This morning I found my 1-year-old RI Red lying down outside the horse pasture and unwilling to put weight on one leg. It seems slightly warm to touch but no swelling and wings seem fine. Maybe she was stepped on or kicked by a horse? Oddly enough, it seems that the coop was left open last night but there are no signs that a predator got her or any of the other chickens. I suspect she went out early this morning and then got injured somehow. What should I do????

 

[LynneP]

It's probably trauma, as you suspect, and she is going to need to be separated and rested in a dog crate or 'hospital coop' with deep bedding. Deep bruising may appear shortly. For now I'd keep her rations and water the same and update here if you need more assistance.

 

[jjthink]

What Lynne said.

Also, since the coop was left open last night

, if you haven't already done so, I'd check her from head to toe very thoroughly for any puncture or other wounds.

A drop or two of Rescue Remedy in her water for stress from pain or trauma could help. And if you suspect no internal bleeding, you may be able to give her a bit of aspirin water for pain (1 baby aspirin crushed per cup of drinking water, changed twice daily ideally, for the next few days). She may not eat or drink as well if in pain so sometimes a bit of pain relief can get them to eat and keep up their strength. To get them going I sometimes dunk watermelon or similar in aspirin water so that when they eat it they get the beginings of pain relief that then allows them to eat and drink more readily.

I hope she'll be okay.
JJ

 

[LGoodrum]

Thanks for the advice and sympathy! I found the site of trauma. It is on the top of her leg just below the hip. It looks like a minor scrape occurred there but she is not bearing weight so obviously it's serious. I soaked the leg, applied neosporin to the scrape and wrapped with gauze and vet wrap. Also separated her and she's eagerly eating a mixture of layer pellets, grated apples, carrots, egg yolk and yogurt (read about that recipe on another forum). According to my uncle, the coop WAS closed last night (he got up extra early today and opened it before I went down to the barn) However, the injured chicken was NOT in the coop last night as my uncle could not find her in the evening. She must have been injured yesterday afternoon and spent the night under the horse run-in. If she's still not bearing weight tomorrow should I have her x-rayed? We do have a chicken vet but she's an hour drive away.

 

[LGoodrum]

Well, my RIR is still eating and drinking well and also laying an egg a day. However, she will not bear weight on her left leg. It does not look swollen but it has some patches of bright green coloring. Any ideas on what sort of injury this is? I'll try to post a picture. Thank you! Lucy

 

[LGoodrum]

Hope I posted the pictures correctly. The green coloring on her foot also appears higher up on the leg.