Hen can't stand on right foot.

[Top Rooster]

One of my favorite hens who lays large brown eggs every day, she never takes a break. She has really bad feathers because she never molts like her sister, she looks really rough she has no feathers under her and what feathers she does have are mangled. Recently she has been limping really bad and I checked her for bumble foot because she's had bumblefoot before and recovered but this time there was no black dot or anything her foot isn't swollen or anything but she can't stand on her right foot she justs sits by the food and water all day and occasionally gets up and limps around but not for long. She is eating and drinking and still lays eggs even with a hurt foot I'd stop her from laying if I could so she could put that calcium into feathers, but as I said she never stops. Can you tell me any ideas of why her leg/foot hurts so bad?

 

[JaeG]

She may have hurt a joint jumping off the roost. I had the same thing happen to one of my girls. I noticed her limping badly and holding her foot up when she wasn't walking (I panicked as I've never dealt with bumble foot) but there was no heat, no marks, no swelling. After about two weeks she was much better and probably a week later, maybe two, she wasn't limping anymore in the slightest. She just took things slow, resting the majority of the time. I hope your girl gets better soon.

 

[Eggcessive]

Look her over for swelling or bruising up the entire leg from the ankle to the top of the hip. Sprains are very common, but she also could have broken a bone. A vet might xray the leg for a fracture, but that can cost $100 plus the office visit. She sounds like she is resting the leg herself, and you could also place her in a crate with her own food and water near the other chickens to force rest. A chicken sling can sometimes be helpful for several times a day to be upright and be able to reach food and water. I have had hens with similar injuries who got better after about 6 weeks, one that never got better and probably suffered, and I have had a couple who got around well enough, but who did not like being away from their flock. Here are some chicken slings: