Help- my chicken is hurt! Found her partially hanging from one leg....

[amyduck]

I think one of my chicken's foot got hung up in the wire in the coop when she was jumping off a perch this morning. I went looking for her this morning when she hadn't come out from the coop. She was thankfully on the ground, but with one leg up high and her foot still stuck in the wire (actually plastic 3/4" "wire"). I suspect she was there about 45min - 1 hour - max 1:15.

When I put her down, she tried to walk but the leg that she was hanging from went out to the side. I've picked her up and of course her leg was pretty cold, I palpated it a bit and didn't feel anything broken, although I really didn't know what to feel for once I got into the feathered areas - but she can give me some resistance and can move her toes. She also didn't seem to be in pain when I palpated her. I brought her inside where she is sitting on a towel, by the heater vent - and eating - until I figure out what to do.

Is there some way to tell if it's a muscular issue or if anything could be dislocated or torn? (She is sitting with it under her - it's not currently splayed out to the side - although I don't know if that is how I left her or if she is able to pull it in under her when she is sitting. I would like to avoid going to a vet today (Sunday) especially since there are no chicken vets that I know of on a Sunday.

Thoughts on figuring out how badly she is injured and what the treatment and prognosis might be for the different possibilities?

Update: She is standing but having a little trouble walking... she hobbled about 2 -3 ft and sat down again. If the kitchen door had been open, she might have tried to go out - but I'm not letting her outside yet. Any thoughts on the matter now?

Thanks!

 

[Hholly]

If it is at an odd angle it may be dislocated. I really don't know how you would reset it it place except to gently manipulate the joint. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in. I would keep her in a small area to rest and don't let her jump up on anything. Then see how she heals. Good luck.

 

[amyduck]

Thanks Hholly - true - even if she ends up walking pretty well later on, I can't imagine letting her try to roost....

 

[chickengr]

Thanks Hholly - true - even if she ends up walking pretty well later on, I can't imagine letting her try to roost....

keep her inside for at least 24 hours (better 48). you can give her baby aspirin, she must be in pain but not showing it. make sure she at least drinks water. you can put some sugar in water as she was in shock.

 

[amyduck]

Quote: Thanks chickengr! Do I give her a whole baby asprin or disolve it in water? She really wanted to go outside so she is sitting on my deck as it's getting warm now and she can see the other girls. She is staying pretty still but does walk a little every now and then - but with a definite limp. I will definitely not let her into the garden or up to roost for at least several nights.

 

[chickengr]

Thanks chickengr! Do I give her a whole baby asprin or disolve it in water? She really wanted to go outside so she is sitting on my deck as it's getting warm now and she can see the other girls. She is staying pretty still but does walk a little every now and then - but with a definite limp. I will definitely not let her into the garden or up to roost for at least several nights.

give her whole baby aspirin directly in the mouth and make sure she swallows it. if you have a syringe you can give her some water as well. I hope she gets well soon.

 

[amyduck]

Thanks Chickengr - I only wonder if giving her the aspirin might make her feel better and she might feel like she can walk around more when she should rest... she is a pretty nervous chicken as it is....

 

[chickengr]

Thanks Chickengr - I only wonder if giving her the aspirin might make her feel better and she might feel like she can walk around more when she should rest... she is a pretty nervous chicken as it is....

she will probably fall asleep with aspirine. put her in a dark place and let her rest.

 

[amyduck]

An update on Turken, my hen (yes, she's a naked-neck chicken.)

I kept Turken in the house for 6 days only letting her out on the deck each morning to be with the other girls while I got ready for work. I didn't want her to re-injure her leg by jumping up or down from her favorite perches in my garden or the roost - until I knew she was well enough - and I couldn't get home before dark to let her out for the whole day.

Two days in, my boyfriend (who is very fond of my chickens) asked his chiropractor (who he's seen for 30+ years and who loves animals) if she'd take a look at Turken. He wanted to make she was okay and to see if his chiropractor might be able to do anything for her. The chiropractor said sure, and even offered to drive half an hour to my house! I insisted on taking Turken to her, so after work I packed up my chicken and drove to the chiropractor!

I'll interject here that Turken is a rescue chicken - she was living on the streets in my neighborhood for several weeks until a neighbor and I caught her - so she is normally very skittish and high strung - but she let me hold her on her back and on my lap while the chiropractor checked her out and worked on her for a total of 10-15 minutes! I could visibly see her tense up each leg at first and then relax as she was manipulated.

When the chiropractor was done I put Turken down and she was definitely limping less! And - she could't stop chattering - it was very interesting to see her talk so much! I can't help but feel she was feeling better too. To top it off, the chiropractor wouldn't let us pay her!

My hen is completely fine now and my boyfriend talks about writing a children's book: Turken Goes to the Chiropractor !

 

[Hholly]

Lol, that' great! Hope she continues to get better.