Help me out with a plan for my sprained leg chicken!!

[EasterChickens]

Hello everyone, it would mean very much if you saw this thread and helped me out on this. My EE hen has a sprained leg and she is getting pecked a lot by the other hens in the flock when she just started to have her sprained leg. She is the lowest on the pecking order compared to my other 2 leghorn hens which are the highest in the pecking order out of all the hens I have, which I have 3 hens. My EE hen is getting to food and water but it seems like she prefers to eat treats (rice) more than her layer feed. Do I need to put her in a dog crate right now?

QUESTIONS I'M CONCERED OF: How will she lay her eggs if I separate her in a dog crate? Will it be easy for reintroductions if I separate her? *my chickens free-range and I have a medium sized yard.

IMPORTANT: And if necessary to put her in a dog crate, can I use a big cardboard box instead of a dog crate (I don't have one at the moment.)

Here is a video of her limping/hopping when she tries to run: https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v...fe9dedd027762f49cf4b5ff3edeb2a&_nc_sid=195af5

Much appreciated,
Valerie

 

[aart]

If limp is really bothering them by inhibiting their normal activities too much(not eating or drinking easily), I will isolate them in a crate to 'force' rest for a day or two. Letting them out late in day, an hour before roost time, to give them a stretch and evaluate their mobility, then decide if they need another day and put them back in crate off roost after dark. Repeat stretch and eval the next day until they are better. Keep crate in coop so bird can remain 'with' the flock.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[EasterChickens]

If she's getting picked on, I would separate her. Re-introductions shouldn't be too much of an issue, but right now her health is more important. You can cross that bridge when you get to it.
I think she would jump out of a cardboard box. A dog crate would be better. I have the Frisco crate that I ordered on Chewy. I really like it.
She'll lay her eggs in the crate. Not a big deal.
How are you treating her leg at the moment?

Thank you so so very much for replying, you are a life saver!! I'm not really treating her leg right now, I'm just letting her lay in a spot since she doesn't really want to walk that much, although she is getting to food and water which is great! She started having her sprained leg 3 days ago. @HappyClucker7

 

[EasterChickens]

If limp is really bothering them by inhibiting their normal activities too much(not eating or drinking easily), I will isolate them in a crate to 'force' rest for a day or two. Letting them out late in day, an hour before roost time, to give them a stretch and evaluate their mobility, then decide if they need another day and put them back in crate off roost after dark. Repeat stretch and eval the next day until they are better. Keep crate in coop so bird can remain 'with' the flock.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

Hello aart, thank you very much for your reply. I have a small coop since I only raise 4 chickens & my chickens free-range so even if I put the crate in my small run, I don't think my other 3 chickens would see/pay attention to my disabled chicken at all. I'm thinking to buy this Frisco crate at Chewy that HappyClucker7 recommended. https://www.chewy.com/frisco-fold-carry-single-door/dp/116523

Incase you don't know what my coop looks like, here is how it looks below:

 

[EasterChickens]

That crate is huge!
Get a smaller one(see my post and link above) get double doors if you can(very handy).
Or get a bigger coop for your flock and use that tiny one as a hospital coop.

Sometimes the link brings you to a different size of the crate i'm buying But the real size I'm getting is *24-in L x 18-in W 19-in H*. Thank you for your very informational suggestions. @aart

 

[EasterChickens]

How is your hen doing now?

She is getting better!! Almost there

 

[EasterChickens]

@Eggcessive @DobieLover @HappyClucker7 @casportpony @aart @JustBabyMargo @BrooksHatlen @neo71665 @LaFleche @cherrynberry

If any of you guys can help me out with my sprained leg hen, It would be so so appreciated. The thread is above ⬆⬆

 

[HappyClucker7]

If she's getting picked on, I would separate her. Re-introductions shouldn't be too much of an issue, but right now her health is more important. You can cross that bridge when you get to it.
I think she would jump out of a cardboard box. A dog crate would be better. I have the Frisco crate that I ordered on Chewy. I really like it.
She'll lay her eggs in the crate. Not a big deal.
How are you treating her leg at the moment?

 

[Dovethesilkie]

I had a 2 week old chick sprain her leg once what we did is separated her from the rest and took a dowel and some gauze to make a homemade splint and put some vitamins in her water she healed up in about a week and was and still is a perfectly healthy hen

 

[EasterChickens]

I had a 2 week old chick sprain her leg once what we did is separated her from the rest and took a dowel and some gauze to make a homemade splint and put some vitamins in her water she healed up in about a week and was and still is a perfectly healthy hen

Hello Dovethesilkie, thank you so much for your suggestion!! I will see if I need to wrap her leg.