Help! My chicken is limping and in pain

[Kizzah]

Hi when I went down to the coop this morning one of my hens was limping. When I checked on her again later that arvo I feel like it is worse not better. I checked over her feet, no abnormalities, but limping on her right foot. Tiny tiny blemish between her toes. No swelling. I have isolated her up at the house and gave her an Epsom salt bath to soak her feet, then dried them carefully. She didn’t like this process, and sqwarked and flapped a lot. I feel like now, as she is sleeping in my bathroom, that she is breathing heavily - whether from being handled or because I had turned on the light, or if was just normal breathing. I have looked up Bumblefoot, not sure if it is this since seems like a severe limp without clear bumps or anything to go by. I don’t know what to do tho. I’m worried she is in pain.

 

[Eggcessive]

Pictures may help. Is she holding the leg up, or trying to walk on it, or does the leg appear to be dragged?

 

[Kizzah]

It won’t let me upload. No she isn’t dragging or holding it up, just trying to walk on it. Was thinking might keep her in a crate for a day to minimise movement?

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

Pictures will be helpful if possible. She could have twisted or sprained something. Rest is good for now. If you really think she’s in pain and not just stressed you can give her a baby aspirin in 1 qt of water. It can be bitter so a little honey in the water to mask the taste can work. Or the orange flavored chewable.

 

[Kizzah]

She’s resting at the moment. I have a video of her limping but it won’t let me upload. Would be obvious if it was Bumblefoot hey? She didn’t lay an egg yesterday either, so I think she might be unhappy will try the aspirin, thanks. Anything else I can do to help her? Was I right to isolate her for rest, or should I leave her in with her friends? No one was picking on her, but I was worried about her walking on it. Epsom salt soak a good idea? It’s what I did yesterday cos I read about it online as a soothing thing to help her relax.

 

[Kizzah]

It’s a bad photo sorry, she’s not particularly friendly. She’s a rescue, and I’m just trying to make her life better this time round.

 

[Redhead Rae]

She’s resting at the moment. I have a video of her limping but it won’t let me upload. Would be obvious if it was Bumblefoot hey? She didn’t lay an egg yesterday either, so I think she might be unhappy will try the aspirin, thanks. Anything else I can do to help her? Was I right to isolate her for rest, or should I leave her in with her friends? No one was picking on her, but I was worried about her walking on it. Epsom salt soak a good idea? It’s what I did yesterday cos I read about it online as a soothing thing to help her relax.

You can't upload video to this site. Upload it to youtube and post a link.

 

[Kizzah]

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

The short walk to a laying down position makes me think she is in some pain as well. I would keep her isolated as long as you don't think being away from everyone is more stress. If there is another low ranking friendly bird she might like as company you could bring in a friend for her. It makes integration back into the flock after long absences easier. If you can pictures of her feet that would be helpful. Tops and bottoms to see if anyone can identify what could be an injury.

 

[Kizzah]

I have put her in her crate back down at the coop. She was miserable and frightened away from everyone, hiding and not drinking. Soon as I put her crate down in the coop she started eating a lot. I can’t get photos of her feet without upsetting her a lot. Took like 20 minutes to get her to let me look yesterday, but will try again once she has settled. When I looked yesterday there weren’t any bumps or lumps, just the tiniest spot of red blemish between two toes. If I hadn’t been looking so closely I would never have noticed it. I’m talking like Little more than a pinhead-sized bit of red. Not sure it’s anything, but will try for photos once she is calm. Have to wrap her in a towel to do it