Help!! Possibly broken or dislocated leg

[pennie]

I thought Mrs. Cochin (actually a Brahma) had Marek's. She's about 15 wks old. She started limping and then for a few days couldn't do anything but flop around. I thought I was going to lose her and put her in a dog crate and started her on Electrolytes in the water and mixing her food 1/2 & 1/2 Chick starter and vitamin supplement of A, D & E.

She never lost her appetite, but for a week or so was very quiet.

The last few days she's been moving around alot more and has a huge appetite, but it looks like her left leg is either broken or dislocated at the knee (hock?). She limps badly and you can see that the knee tried to bend forward instead of backward.

I don't have a vet for chickens, but is it possible to splint the leg?

Please help someone!!

Pennie

 

[ChinaChicks1]

can you bend it? and if you can, can you see or feel the tendon slipping? It is a very common thing and it's called slipped tendon or tibial dischondroplasia. I had an emu chick with it once. I thought it was dislocated at first until i looked more closely. Look again and let me know.

 

[pennie]

Just checked her out and couldn't really feel any rolling. However, in the joint itself, the inside of it seems to be sticking out a lot further.

 

[ChinaChicks1]

like it's swollen or it's bone?

 

[pennie]

More like bone. There doesn't seem to be any swelling.

 

[ChinaChicks1]

well it's hard for me to say for sure if what's actually happened since i can't see it. The thing is, birds bones are hollow, so if it's broken..you've got trouble. If it's dislocated, there's a chance that you might be able to move it back in if the tendon has rolled over. What i would do is give it some aspirin..get the ASA, it's the baby aspirin that's 80mg and the generic is fine and give 5, 5grain per 1gal of water. That will help with any pain she is in. Next, see if you can work it around and move it into place, if not, just wait a few days and see if can notice any improvement on it's own. Sorry i can't help you any further, about all you can do is make her comfortable other than that. Good Luck!

 

[pennie]

Thanks a lot. I'll do the aspirin for now and later take another look at the leg. I have to go to work.

Pennie

 

[Rooroo]

One of my girls has the same kind of thing...A bum LH leg.. One minute she was fine and then a limp...I’m kinda thinking a play time with the Roo might have done some thing to her leg...I did check to see if she picked up a staple or some thing but all looks good...When she walks it seems to favor the foot more than the leg it self...She eats and drinks well so far its been three days with the limp...I will try the aspirin and see if that helps..

 

[chickengirly616]

Hi.....I am brand new to this site, as I am a brand new chicken owner. I read a lot of posts on here but nothing that has really helped me out. My hen has been limping for the past 2 days now. I have kept her separate from the others, which breaks my heart but I am afraid she will make it worse. She walks on it but with a limp. You can actually see the bone fall all the way to the ground when she walks. My husband and I have thoroughly looked it over but can not come up with any sensible explanation, other than it must be dislocated. There is a slight gap between the back of her leg which makes me think that it has to be dislocated. She does not make a peep when we are messin with her and she walks around fine; with the exception of the limp, she even runs at times. I have been letting her out during the day just to exercise the leg some. Am I making a mistake?? I feel SO helpless and it kills me to see her going through this. We have not had our chickens for very long. My husband lost his jobs so taking her to the vet right now, is a no-go. Obviously if I can fix her I i will have to take her to the vet and get some kind of payment arrangement. It is after 1am and I can not sleep a wink! Is anyone out there that is still up and could give me some solid advice?? I would so appreciate it!

 

[ellenmg]

Glad I found this thread. My neighbor adopted a hen with a leg problem. She was attacked by an unknown animal and hesitates to put weight on it. It is at the metatarsal/tibial joint. between the hock and thigh. It feels dislocated. And her foot rather turns inward. SHe is trying to roost but we have her in a crate for now, also to get her introduced to her new coop=mate. I am wondering, if I hold her upside down by her feet, if it might pop back into place. Now for you newbies, that is not a horrible thing to do.. We are going to try vet wrap for a little support and aspirin. ANy other ideas?