Help! Pullet favoring her right foot …

[CalBickieMomma]

Hello Chicken People,

I have a young Black Sex Link pullet (about 5 months old who started laying two weeks ago) who has been favoring her right foot. I noticed it two days ago - she wasn’t quite limping but she was keeping just enough weight off of it for me to notice. I have looked at her foot thoroughly at least twice a day since noticing and can’t find any injuries or broken toenails. I haven’t noticed any swelling, either, though sometimes her right foot did seem warmer than her left (but that just could have been me searching for a problem).

Sometimes when I check on her during the day I notice no limping, other times it seems a bit more pronounced than before (as if she might have mildly sprained it and putting weight on it a certain way, or resting it then using it again after a while, makes it hurt more for a little bit). She does stand with her right leg lifted and her foot curled up a little bit when I‘m in the run with them, but again, I can’t find anything wrong with the toes or foot (or even up the leg and thigh, though that’s tough because of all her feathers).

I’m thinking and hoping it’s a temporary stubbed toe or jammed joint or something that will correct itself. Other than the minor owie, she’s laying fine and acting like her normal self. Just wondering if anyone has experience with anything like this who might have some tips. Thanks!

 

[Angel07]

Do you have any photos of her holding her leg? And of her standing on it if you can get it?

 

[CalBickieMomma]

I’ll try to get some tomorrow. Unfortunately, I’ll be away from the house until well after dark today .

 

[CalBickieMomma]

Do you have any photos of her holding her leg? And of her standing on it if you can get it?

Okay, got some photos of Charlotte holding her leg up and some closeups of both feet and the one in question (her right foot). It looks like she’s just standing with her foot up, like all my girls do, but she’ll do this more often than what I’ve observed as normal. She was still limping a tiny bit, but still jumped up onto the coop chair and was scratching at the ground. While I was in there she did have a few times where she didn’t really limp at all, and a few times where it was a bit more pronounced than usual. I just hope she didn’t throw something on inside out of alignment when she started laying .

 

[CalBickieMomma]

Checking in again! Charlotte‘s limp was a bit better yesterday, but today when I got home it seemed a little worse. Same as before, though - keeping foot lifted and sometimes her limp is very minimal, then it would get bad again. Still eating and acting and pooping fine. I did take her off the perch and put her on the ground for the night (I’m thinking maybe holding onto the perch and then jumping off (it’s about 2.5-3 feet off the ground) in the morning may be keeping it from getting better). I have an old Barred Rock hen with arthritis who I settle on the ground each night so she doesn’t crash to the ground in the morning). Hoping Charlotte shows improvement soon! If anyone has any suggestions or thoughts, please feel free to chime in!

 

[Kiki]

Checking in again! Charlotte‘s limp was a bit better yesterday, but today when I got home it seemed a little worse. Same as before, though - keeping foot lifted and sometimes her limp is very minimal, then it would get bad again. Still eating and acting and pooping fine. I did take her off the perch and put her on the ground for the night (I’m thinking maybe holding onto the perch and then jumping off (it’s about 2.5-3 feet off the ground) in the morning may be keeping it from getting better). I have an old Barred Rock hen with arthritis who I settle on the ground each night so she doesn’t crash to the ground in the morning). Hoping Charlotte shows improvement soon! If anyone has any suggestions or thoughts, please feel free to chime in!

Update please.
Did she get better or did she end up passing?

 

[CalBickieMomma]

Update please.
Did she get better or did she end up passing?

Thank you for checking in! She made a full recovery and is totally fine now (she‘s actually come out of her shy, docile shell and has been trying to work her way up the pecking order - she terrorized my two Polish for weeks before finally relenting ). I’m guessing she had a minor strain or sprain OR she was faking it for attention . Here are some recent pictures of her Royal Bratness .