Help! My chicken's leg is twisted.

[Tina Kay]

Our precious Bébé's leg is twisting outwards. I will attach a video showing what it looks like, and how she moves. It wasn't like this when she was a chick. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, and it seemed to all change in the matter of a day or two. There was nothing traumatic that happened previously. She and our other chicken, Crècrè, have started to wander up on our porch when they are free ranged in my back yard. I was thinking that maybe she was startled by my sister letting my dog out and maybe twisted it in the cracks between the boards. All I know is that she was great when I left her in the morning and then when I came back around 6pm she was panting and stressed out with her leg sticking out to the side. I gave her half a baby aspirin and put both chickens in a crate for the night. I took them to a rural vet and he x-rayed it and said it was not broken or fractured. I then left both of them at the vet clinic for 11 days while I went out of town. When I came back she was fine except now her foot had turned even more to the side. The vet said he would be willing to put a permanent stint it it for me for free but that she would never be able to bend it again. She is not in any pain and is a very happy chicken. She eats and drinks well and flies to longer distances to get around or just hops most of the time. It does make her tired though. I put a stint on her after leaving the vet's office, but she hated it and pecked at it all the time. I took it off after a week and saw no change in her leg. At this point, should I look into having it amputated? Should I just leave her be since her coop mate is always by her side? I was going to get 3 more chickens but I don't want them picking on her. Both chickens are 3 1/2 months old now and they are Rhodebars. Please share with me any solutions that are humane. I will not have her put down. Thank you. I hope this video link works. https://goo.gl/photos/qhjH5EJmWYC6eezM8

 

[ChickNanny13]

Wow, that's really "odd", surprised the X Rays didn't show what the problem was. Consider putting a splint on her foot to straighten it out more, or make a "shoe" with Vet Wrap to straighten. She may not like it at first but try distracting her with treats for a day or two when she really get at it, she may get used to it. She seems fine & adjusting to her disability. Wouldn't recommend amputation, looks like she uses it to steady herself but others may differ with opinion. She's not in pain, adjusting, she's got a buddy so all's good. Adding 3 more chickens younger than she maybe ok, making sure the introduction /intergration is made properly. The new ones may not "notice" anything different, are breed? Good luck

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @Tina Kay Welcome To BYC

Did the xray show anything like a twisted or slipped tendon or leg bone deformity?

It's probably best to leave it be for the time being, if she is managing o.k. If it starts to bother her, then consider amputation, which can come with some risks (putting a chicken under for surgery can be risky as well as infection).

Staying in a small flock she most likely will do fine. You will have to keep an eye on her and make sure she is not being kept away from food/water by others. A lot can depend on the personality of the new chickens that you get.

https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_Intertarsal_Joint_in_Broiler_Chickens

 

[Tina Kay]

Wow, that's really "odd", surprised the X Rays didn't show what the problem was. Consider putting a splint on her foot to straighten it out more, or make a "shoe" with Vet Wrap to straighten. She may not like it at first but try distracting her with treats for a day or two when she really get at it, she may get used to it. She seems fine & adjusting to her disability. Wouldn't recommend amputation, looks like she uses it to steady herself but others may differ with opinion. She's not in pain, adjusting, she's got a buddy so all's good. Adding 3 more chickens younger than she maybe ok, making sure the introduction /intergration is made properly. The new ones may not "notice" anything different, are breed? Good luck

Thank you for your thoughts. I noticed today that she really does use it to help her balance. I may try to splint it again this weekend.

 

[Tina Kay]

Hi @Tina Kay Welcome To BYC

Did the xray show anything like a twisted or slipped tendon or leg bone deformity?

It's probably best to leave it be for the time being, if she is managing o.k. If it starts to bother her, then consider amputation, which can come with some risks (putting a chicken under for surgery can be risky as well as infection).

Staying in a small flock she most likely will do fine. You will have to keep an eye on her and make sure she is not being kept away from food/water by others. A lot can depend on the personality of the new chickens that you get.

https://www.researchgate.net/public..._of_the_Intertarsal_Joint_in_Broiler_Chickens

Thank you for taking the time to respond. The vet just said it was not fractured or broken. He thought it might have been a slipped tendon or such. He really was not that well versed in chickens. I do worry about her not being able to tuck her hurt foot under her to keep warm this winter.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Maybe some kind of leg warmer? Blanket? Or just bring her inside for the evenings

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. The vet just said it was not fractured or broken. He thought it might have been a slipped tendon or such. He really was not that well versed in chickens. I do worry about her not being able to tuck her hurt foot under her to keep warm this winter.

I do see your concern over that.
How does she sleep now - does she roost or lay down in bedding?

 

[Tina Kay]

Well, I added a flat square board next to a window at the top of my coop. I put linoleum on it and both my girls sit up on it to perch. The hurt one sits with that poor leg sticking out to the side of her. I may have to make her some kind of sock for winter. I built a perch for them but they have never used it. I will try to send pics tomorrow.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Please do post some photos.

A flat board or shelf is a good idea - if she lays down with the leg somewhat underneath her at night, then the foot/leg should be fairly protected in winter as long as she out of a draft, but having a sock/legging might come in handy.

 

[Tina Kay]

This is what the platform looks like. I saw my girl use the bad leg to try and scratch her neck this evening! She also tucked the leg under her and perched on my porch railing. I am so proud of her. This will help her greatly in the coming winter conditions. I built their coop all by myself and it will be warm this winter for them.