Hen limping x 4 weeks, no swelling or scab

[JennLD]

Hello all. I am new to keeping chickens, only since Christmas. I got young teenagers at that time, they are not laying quite yet. One girl has been limping for 3 to 4 weeks, she hops around on 1 foot just fine, eats and forages with the others. I have soak her foot in Epson salts, cannot feel anything hard under the pad, no scabs or dark areas that I can see. I will post some pictures, I don’t even think it’s swollen. I’ve watched many videos on bumblefoot & surgery, I am not opposed to doing it, but without any obvious place of where to start I am unwilling to attempt it. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. The first pic is unaffected foot, the other two are the affected side. Ty

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I don't see any bumblefoot. It sounds like a tendon/ligament injury.

 

[Eggcessive]

What is your location and how low have your temperatures been lately? Do her feet appear normal in color to you? I don’t see any evidence of bumblefoot. The color may be normal, but could there be any frostbite? Sprains are a common cause for limping. Can you get a picture tomorrow of her standing with a closeup of the feet and legs?

 

[JennLD]

I don't see any bumblefoot. It sounds like a tendon/ligament injury.

Thank you for that. I thought so too, but do you think it would be improving at this point, 3 to 4 weeks? Otherwise no distress

 

[JennLD]

What is your location and how low have your temperatures been lately? Do her feet appear normal in color to you? I don’t see any evidence of bumblefoot. The color may be normal, but could there be any frostbite? Sprains are a common cause for limping. Can you get a picture tomorrow of her standing with a closeup of the feet and legs?

 

[JennLD]

Thank you so much for your reply! No, definitely not frostbite we are in Central Florida and our temperatures have been super mild thankfully! . I will definitely send some pictures tomorrow, she hops on 1 foot or flies laterally over larger distance to avoid putting weight on the foot, with small distances she limps, it really doesn’t seem to have changed too much in the past 3 to 4 weeks. But being that I’m new to this, I just don’t want to lead an excessive amount of time go by and then infection ends up taking her life for something I could’ve prevented

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thank you for that. I thought so too, but do you think it would be improving at this point, 3 to 4 weeks? Otherwise no distress

There is no way to know.
If you have a serious limp due to an injury, do you heal on your own or with medical care including x-rays. Sometimes you can heal on your own, sometimes not.

 

[HollyWoozle]

We have a hen who only hopped for 3 weeks, then limped badly for quite some time. We’re now something like 7 months on and she still has a noticeable limp, I think whatever injury she had sustained just healed that way and it she lives a full and normal life. We did however keep her separate until she was walking more easily. There were never any signs of injury or anything to be felt.

 

[JennLD]

We have a hen who only hopped for 3 weeks, then limped badly for quite some time. We’re now something like 7 months on and she still has a noticeable limp, I think whatever injury she had sustained just healed that way and it she lives a full and normal life. We did however keep her separate until she was walking more easily. There were never any signs of injury or anything to be felt.

Ok thx that gives me hope! She hasn’t really isolated herself & is one of the larger “teenagers”, I’m sure she’s growing faster than some of the others. Doesn’t seem super hampered by it, just slow & obviously won’t put a lot of weight on it. I can deal with a long recovery or impairment , was just about underlying infection. Thx for that, gives me hope

 

[JennLD]

Ok thx that gives me hope! She hasn’t really isolated herself & is one of the larger “teenagers”, I’m sure she’s growing faster than some of the others. Doesn’t seem super hampered by it, just slow & obviously won’t put a lot of weight on it. I can deal with a long recovery or impairment , was just about underlying infection. Thx for that, gives me hope

Oh and I guess I should add she’s not being picked on!! So that might be a good sign??