HELP my chicken is limping.

[craigcarter79]

Hi one of my cream legbars has started to limp a little, I've checked her feet and legs and no obvious signs and she didn't mind me checking her over. Could she have just pulled something? They go nuts in the run if they see a bird circling I'm just wondering if she's just hurt her self that way or could it be something more serious? Thank you.

 

[chicknmania]

If you have a smaller pen to put her in for awhile so that she can rest it, that usualy works. A baby aspirin crushed and mixed in yogurt or soft food like oatmeal morning and night helps with pain and inflammation. She could have just pulled something, if you don't feel any heat or swelling and there's no scaly leg mites in evidence, that's a good sign.

 

[Eggcessive]

Look at the bottoms of her foot pads and toes for any swelling or black spots of bumblefoot. Sprains are very common in chickens. I agree with resting her for a week or so, give her some vitamins in her water, and re-evaluate her leg. If still hobbling, she can rest it some more. I would recommend keeping her cage inside the coop or run to maintain her place in the flock.

 

[ten chicks]

I'm dealing with this right now,one of my roosters has sprained his leg. I just gave him an epsom salt soak(which he loves and fell asleep). Then i flipped him upside down,covered his head with a towel and wrapped his leg at sprain. For pain you can give a low dose aspirin(81mg) or a reg aspirin(325mg) dose is 25mg per lb,crush and place in water or sprinkle over feed or give orally(i gave my boy his orally,wrapped in meat or cheese). Place a towel in the bottom of cage,i have found that they have more traction than with shavings therefore less flopping around as they try and balance themselves. Keep your girl quiet and calm,encourage drinking/eating,my boy loves bananas rolled in feed/scratch,gobbles them down every time. It is not necessary to wrap leg,but i can see where swelling is so wrapping for my boy helps to keep swelling in check.

 

[chicknmania]

I agree with everyone elses suggestions, WE do that too, the soaks in Epsom salts, I like to use an old car mat on the bottom of the cage, covered with shavings or straw or bedding, whatever you use. The mat gives them secure footing, and it s washable too. And we always keep our sick or injured chooks in hearing and sight of the flock..it helps with stress. I hate to bring them in the house away from the others. We had an old hen, Onyx, limping recently, she'd perforated her own foot with an overgrown claw. (She has really soft feet, sort of like chicken leather, rather tnan the normal hard chicken feet) We soaked her feet for a few days, and trimmed her claws...she's good as new, now.

 

[craigcarter79]

Thank you for all the advice unfortunately I've not got another pen to put her in. I'll try her with a little aspirin to see if it helps her. If its just a strain when should I see signs of improvement? I've noticed this morning that she's holding it up quite a bit now, yesterday she'd hold it up now and then.

 

[ten chicks]

Thank you for all the advice unfortunately I've not got another pen to put her in. I'll try her with a little aspirin to see if it helps her. If its just a strain when should I see signs of improvement? I've noticed this morning that she's holding it up quite a bit now, yesterday she'd hold it up now and then.

Do you have a dog cage,this is what i use. Containing her in a small area helps to limit mobility which is what you want for a sprain,the more she tries to hobble around the more pain/damage she is doing,hence a cage is good for this. She is holding it up more b/c the pain is more intense. Have you ever had a sprained ankle,the first day it feels somewhat ok,but by the second/third day the pain is terrible and the swelling/bruising has increased,the same pain applies to animals. Try and do the epsom salt soaks,they really do help with sprains/sore muscles. You may not see any improvement for at least a week or longer,a sprain does take time to heal. Keep feed/water close to her in case she cannot walk over to where it currently is placed.

 

[craigcarter79]

Also is bumble foot treatable with medication if i've caught it soon enough or can it only be sorted by surgery? Thank you.

 

[ten chicks]

Also is bumble foot treatable with medication if i've caught it soon enough or can it only be sorted by surgery? Thank you.

Bumblefoot is treatable if caught early,but if it has progressed,surgery may be the only option.

Do you think she has bumblefoot,i thought you had mentioned that she had no sores on foot/toes?

 

[craigcarter79]

I checked her over last night and both feet are fine no swelling no redness no scaly legs! I was just wondering if it could be the start of it or would i see signs already? Im a first time chicken keeper and im just worried im going to do something wrong or leave her to long if its something serious.