Hen limping and not bearing full weight on Leg

[Missyschix13]

Calling all my chicken friends! I have chicken down..... repeat I have a chicken down! My first infirmary patient....

All joking aside, my daughter found one of my hens in the corner of the run this afternoon after school. She did get up to come greet her after she entered the run and that's when my daughter noticed she was limping. My daughter gave her a quick check over and no immediate reason was noted. I had her bring her in the house in the chicken infirmary. She's eating and drinking. Crop is full as it should be at this point in the day. I just gave a good solid once over and I can note nothing out of the normal. No bumblefoot. No bones sticking out, no cuts, no nasal drainage or cough or sneezing. She's panting but it's warm in the basement (I opened the window) and in feel like it's from pain a little too. Her one toe is curled under. I suspect a broken toe. Vent is clean and looks good.

For context she was completely fine this morning when I left her out of the coop. She was running around and had a drink before I went in the house.

Am I missing anything? Baby aspirin for pain? Epson salt soak? Supplements? I'm going to try to get pictures of her but she's laying down right now and I want her to chill for a bit. She is walking around when we are down there is just with a pretty hefty limp. Oh wings are fine too. Thoughts or advice are greatly appreciated!

 

[Missyschix13]

Here is some pictures of her standing. The right foot is bearing weight but the inside toe is curled under. Leg isn't paralyzed she can pull it back. And it's not a tendon issue she's got nice retraction on it (toes curl up when I retract the leg back towards her body). She's tolerant of me pressing on her leg and even the toes. Just gave her 1/2 a baby aspirin.

 

[Missyschix13]

@crazychickenman007 @SmiYa0126 @3KillerBs @Tookie @Crazyabouthens any thoughts?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hi Missy!

Give her sweetened water as well. You're doing great with your assessment. Check tomorrow if her toe can be splinted, however it may heal on its own.

Could you post some close ups of her toe tomorrow?

 

[Missyschix13]

Hi SmiYa! Thanks! I will post a close up of her toe tomorrow morning. I just put a blanket over her pen to try to get her to settle down. She's feisty. She pops up when I go down. Poor thing even comes over to greet me. I'm just going to leave her inside tonight and tomorrow. My top hen was picking on her. And see how she does. I have some coban wrap here I was going to weave through her toes to support the one. It's getting late but I have Epson salt I could do a Epson salt bath for her in the morning if needed. The panting worried me but since I opened the windows down there she stops when she's just hanging out. Thanks again. I just needed reassurance that I wasn't missing anything.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hi SmiYa! Thanks! I will post a close up of her toe tomorrow morning. I just put a blanket over her pen to try to get her to settle down. She's feisty. She pops up when I go down. Poor thing even comes over to greet me. I'm just going to leave her inside tonight and tomorrow. My top hen was picking on her. And see how she does. I have some coban wrap here I was going to weave through her toes to support the one. It's getting late but I have Epson salt I could do a Epson salt bath for her in the morning if needed. The panting worried me but since I opened the windows down there she stops when she's just hanging out. Thanks again. I just needed reassurance that I wasn't missing anything.

That's great that she's feisty! That's a really good sign.

I had a guinea that injured his middle toe trying to get away from a bully. It healed up nicely, I kept them all in for a week and then only free ranged for half a day for a couple of weeks.

 

[3KillerBs]

I had her bring her in the house in the chicken infirmary.

I know very little about chicken injuries.

I have heard that they can pine away when isolated from their flock so, if possible, put her hospital cage into the coop or run where she can be around her friends and won't have to be re-integrated.

The one time I had an injured bird I couldn't fit the dog crate into the run (it was my in-town flock), so I set it right up against the wire where they could all see each other because the people here recommended it.

 

[crazychickenman007]

I know very little about chicken injuries.

I have heard that they can pine away when isolated from their flock so, if possible, put her hospital cage into the coop or run where she can be around her friends and won't have to be re-integrated.

The one time I had an injured bird I couldn't fit the dog crate into the run (it was my in-town flock), so I set it right up against the wire where they could all see each other because the people here recommended it.

I agree with that. I have heard the same. You should try to let them supervised mingle or at least be able to hear and see each other a little each day so she doesn’t get totally knocked in the pecking order. You’ve covered all the things I was going to suggest, I was thinking possible tendon issue but you checked that. The only other thing I could think of is it possible she got her toe stuck somewhere? I know it sounds silly but from what you described that’s the only thing that comes to mind.

 

[crazychickenman007]

Is she holding her wings out like that all the time or just because she’s trying to balance and take weight off the foot?

 

[Missyschix13]

Is she holding her wings out like that all the time or just because she’s trying to balance and take weight off the foot?

Thanks! She is just trying to balance. She does tuck them back in. They work fine. Lol she tried to get away from initially and was flapping like crazy .