Help please! Possible broken leg.

[dpears28]

Good afternoon everyone. I was outside with all my chickens and was allowing them to run around the yard while I did coop maintenance and got their food and water restocked. In order to prop open our chicken coop door we use a pallet. The pallet was upright and it is apparently rather windy today. The pallet got knocked over and I heard an awful screaming.... My jersey giant (new this year) was under it. Once I got it off she was immediately limping. I picked her up and inspected her leg and couldn't see a break nor could I feel one. I'm hoping she did something far less severe than break her leg but I want to prepare for the worst. What can I do to help her? I've got her confined right now with food and water and she is eating and drinking but just laying about. I've also got her partner in crime with her so she isn't lonely because my other jersey giant was hanging out around the cage trying to get in.

If it's a break how do I treat it? What if it's just a sprain or bruise? Advice on what to look for as well is much appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[One Chick Two]

Here's a thread I made when our rooster fractured his leg somehow. He did not (nor does) have Marek's, nor was it a slipped tendon. Sounds like your bird may also have an injury, not an infection. I took some photos, so maybe you might want to look at it to compare to your bird.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/830114/help-our-roo-is-limping-badly

He limped badly for 5 weeks, and gradually, the limping lessened for about another week while we had him quarantined with a friend- so he didn't get hurt worse. I took him out occasionally with me for a bit of supervised free ranging when he was finally up to standing long periods. Our other rooster limped for only a few days/ week. I suspect that one was just a sprain. Both roosters are 100 percent perfectly normal now and act healthy and happy. Strangely, none of the other birds in the flock to this point have ever hurt their legs.

This site helped alot:
https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

It can be frustrating when you can't see what's going on inside. If your bird does have a fracture, it can be a long journey to recovery.

Best wishes!

 

[dpears28]

This is helpful! I am hoping it's going to heal up on it's on and that be that. I had her put away like I said and I went out to check on her and she was out of the cage! Don't ask me how, I do not know. Unless a ghost came out and let them out, I had those two girls locked up! I decided that if she went through all that trouble to get out, she must not want to be locked up. I'm going to keep and eye on her for now and if she is getting bullied or using her leg too much I will put her back in our cage we have.

 

[One Chick Two]

This is helpful! I am hoping it's going to heal up on it's on and that be that. I had her put away like I said and I went out to check on her and she was out of the cage! Don't ask me how, I do not know. Unless a ghost came out and let them out, I had those two girls locked up! I decided that if she went through all that trouble to get out, she must not want to be locked up. I'm going to keep and eye on her for now and if she is getting bullied or using her leg too much I will put her back in our cage we have.

Be careful, you don't want her to be jumping up and down on roosts, or being chased by the others when they figure out they she's having a leg issue. They can be expert escape artists. lol

I did a tremendous amount of picking the rooster up and carrying him places so he could maintain a bit of normality within the flock and still be part of it. I was glad I did the extra efforts later, as afterward he blended seamlessly back into the fold, without fighting from the other males. We became very close. To this day, he tugs on my pantlegs, and asks to be picked up and carried around and seems to enjoy it. lol A sick bird just acts different than an injured bird.

 

[dpears28]

I just went outside actually to check on her and decided to put her back in her cage because her foot is swollen. Did you have any swelling with your roo?

 

[One Chick Two]

I just went outside actually to check on her and decided to put her back in her cage because her foot is swollen. Did you have any swelling with your roo?

Can you post a sharp, well lit closeup photo of her injury? Maybe you could try a tepid (not cold) foot bath with some Epsom salts? I would not attempt icing or heat.

He never had any bruising or swelling, we thought it was deep within the joint, which made it very difficult to pinpoint. He did however, have some additional warmth in the one affected leg. Never quit trying to walk on it though. When the pain became intense, he would tremble and sink down, to the ground. We limited his space so he had little chance of re-injury.

 

[dpears28]

I will get a photo a bit later today. Thank you for the advice. Maybe you will be able to make something of her injuries. My fiance seems to think her wing might be injured too so I'm trying to keep an eye on that as well.