Hen Limping

[theacw]

Well thanks anyways. I wish i could find someone around to help me take an xray. The closest vet that will see chickens is 3 hours away. And I dont know anyone that knows anything about chickens that could even look her leg over to see if they see anything
No, I never wormed her. I honestly dont know what to dose her with. I have the stuff but I dont know what to do. She seems to be eating and drinking, I dont see her eat and drink much but she doesnt feel any thinner....

Sometimes, I honestly regret getting into chickens. I love them to death but it is incredibly hard and **** near impossible sometimes. So many things go wrong and I dont even know what to do! Do I just let her suffer and hope she gets better? You know what I mean? Im not going to give them up but I just feel bad that they suffer because I am so inexperienced and have no knowledge.

AHHHH!

 

[chickenzoo]

I have had hundreds of chickens and help people all over the world...even with the knowledge I've gained I don't know everything about them and still lose some to things I can't fix. Chickens are simple but complicated creatures. I would worm her with 1/2 a cc of safeguard goat wormer. Then I would put 3cc per gallon of water and worm her and everyone for 5 days. People forget that parasites can leave the gut and go other places....like the brain.... Safeguard is a good wormer to start with. Ivomec is another but I don't use it on very ill birds.

 

[theacw]

Awesome. I have safeguard, not sure if it is for goats, but I assume it is the same thing. I will add it to the water like you mentioned but how do you suggest I administer the 1/2 cc to just her? Her own water or directly on her beak? And the 1/2 cc to just her would just be a one time deal?

I hope you didnt take it like I wasnt getting help on here from anyone. I just over all feel like maybe I am not capable for caring for chickens the way they should be as much as I wish I could. At least around here, its not like having a cat or dog where if you are worried, you just drop them off at the vet. I've had my fair share of limping cats and I simply would bring them to the vet, they drain an abscess quick and they are good to go! I can just tell it is uncomfortable for her now and she is either laying down all the time or standing like a flamingo. Poor girl. I gave her some baby aspirin to hopefully ease some pain.

My dad has a dental office, I may bring her there if worse comes to worse (after hours of course!) and take an xray there. The only thing is the xray cones there are only the diameter of a tennis ball but at least I could take one of the red area. I would assume that may be the culprit of her pain. And dont worry, I will sanitize any evidence of chickens!!!

 

[chickenzoo]

Yes...give her 1/2cc of the liquid safeguard in her beak. If you have the horse paste than give her a pea sized drop in her beak. Horse paste doesn't dissolve as well so get liquid for the others unless you only have a few chickens and can give it by mouth also. Vets that treat chickens are hard.to find..no matter where you are..so many of us have to learn on our own.

 

[theacw]

Well I asked my vet if they would be willing to take an xray but they turned me down. I was kind of frustrated about it just because I mentioned that I wouldnt expect answers if they didnt see anything and I would be willing to pay anything. There was absolutely no one there and I have given them thousands of dollars the past few years with our 10 cats and dogs.

Oh well, I tried. She still seems in pain today, I think even more unfortunately. Baby aspirin doesnt seem to help her and that red area on her leg is still there.

 

[chickenzoo]

That is frustrating. Any farm vets near you?

 

[theacw]

None that will take a look unfortunately.

I think there is one that I can get to that it just under 2 hours away. I am starting to wonder if I should bring her. I just went to let her out of her cage and the red spot looks larger on her leg. And she is still limping terribly, if she stands on it at all.... Usually is a flamingo stance.

If you were me, is there any point you would bring a chicken in if she was like this? Money isn't really an issue when it comes to my animals but I just don't want to drive there if it is not necessary. I guess my biggest concern is that I really dont want to lose her, she is my sweetest girl and I dont know if this is something that could be life threatening

And should I confine her 24/7?

Thanks for everything

 

[chickenzoo]

Its a hard call as some vets may have good intentions but no experience or.answers. Even my one vet who deals with exotics has limited knowledge. But they can do the basics...fetal...xray. if she had a fracture you would splint it and confine movement.... I don't know if the red spot is a bruise or something else. If she still seems her normal self but just sore from the leg..than I would confine her and are how she.does with very little movement. It wouldn't hurt to call a couple vets and explain the situation and see if they would offer any advise by phone. A.parrot.vet would be the.best to actually see the chickens...but not all are willing. Do you have a state college near you? Sometimes if they have a veterinary program you may.get.someone to help. I wish I had more suggestions..id take her temperature. .I forget what their normal one is but I'm.sure you can find it on line...just to see if she may have an.infection..... Is her leg hot in that area?

 

[theacw]

I double checked the vet closest to me (2 hours) and they do see birds. I will call there on Monday to see what they have to offer. Too bad my vet couldnt have just taken the Xray and sent it to them. Is it honestly that hard to take an xray on a chicken vs a cat? Oh well. And no state college that is any closer.

She seems like her normal self, just lays down a lot. I guess I should just confine her although I feel bad because she still really wants to be outside even though she lays down when she pecks around most the time. She doesnt feel any more hot on that leg than the other one. It is so hard to tell because they are so warm to begin with.

I have a hunch what she may have done to cause it. Under their roost to jump down is a little shelf (perpendicular) that she has to jump onto first. It is covered with a thick layer of pine shavings but since they love to kick it off, I had to put a board up on the edge to hold it in. I almost wonder if she jumped down and landed her good leg in the shavings and the bad one on the wooden edge. It is just so stupid that the day she seems all the way back to normal, I come home to her limping worse than ever!

 

[chickenzoo]

I think. Confining her to a kennel on soft savings might be helpful and keep her from aggravating it more. Perhaps some cold packs on her leg in that area..... Sprains in people take awhile to heal....so id think it would apply to chickens. I would also maybe wrap her leg in vet wrap for eextra support.