Help, My hen has green on both thighs

[Tonia S]

Hello all, I went out today to take care of my girls and noticed that one of them was sitting, crouched in the corner. I went over and shewed her out and noticed that her thigh is green and yucky looking. She acts like it is sore to walk on . She is eating and drinking, but still looks smaller than the others. Can someone please let me know if you have seen this issue before? No one has been in there to step on her or hurt her, so I'm wondering if it's infection of some sort? I have only had hens for about 3 years now and have never experienced anything like this... I read in one of the forums to get colorless iodine, but I'm unsure as to how that would work since it is not an open wound. Can someone please advise Thanks so much!

 

[rebrascora]

Green usually indicates bruising in chickens. I'm not sure what you mean by "yucky looking". Can you be more specific or perhaps post a photo. How old is she? Is it possible that she has been picked on by your other chickens or perhaps attacked by a dog? Do you have a rooster? Can you check to see if it is broken? How high are your roosts? Could she have injured herself getting down? Like you I'm not sure what benefit colourless iodine would be. I would isolate her in a warm room to prevent any pecking/bullying and keep her from moving about too much. You can then monitor her food/water intake and poop. Perhaps consider making her a chicken hammock if she is struggling to stand. If you do a search for chicken slings you will find some examples but a simple one can be made by stapling an old t shirt to the open top of a cardboard box and cutting slots in it for her legs to go through and a hole behind for poop to drop through. You can also cut slots in it at the front to insert yoghurt pots with food and water in, so that she can reach both whilst suspended off the ground, to give her injuries a chance to heal.
You could perhaps give her a warm Epsom salt bath as that may ease any muscle damage and then blow dry with a hair drier.

These are just some suggestions of what might help but without having more information it's difficult to guess what might be going on.

 

[Tonia S]

 

[Tonia S]

Both thighs are green and one is bleeding now from the other hens pecking at her. She is eating, drinking, and walking/running fine. I am going to get a crate and isolate her for a few days so that she can heal. Any other suggestions would be very welcomed! I checked out my other 3 girls and they are fine...just bullies... But I still am unsure of what is going on with her green legs..they definitely look bruised but I can't imagine what from...should I put her on an antibiotic to be safe? If so, what kind? Amoxicillin? Thanks all

 

[rebrascora]

Oh gosh that doesn't look good! Could she have been caught in anything that would specifically damage her thighs like that. I'm thinking of maybe dropping onto some wire mesh and her legs going through and struggling for some time to get free. Or maybe getting wet legs and then getting frost bite. I would be concerned about how dark the tissue is as it almost looks necrotic. How far up her thighs does it extend. If the skin is broken then I would give her a good clean up and put some antiseptic cream on it and keep her isolated until it heals.
I'm wondering if @casportpony has any ideas or suggestions...she has more knowledge of medication than I have, to give advice on that.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi

Just wondering how she is doing? Do they look any better/worse?