hen stepped on chick, what to do?

[mel58]

hi,

I had a cochin step on one of her day old chicks. it couldn't use the leg so I brought it inside and put it in a brooder.

that was a week ago. at first it would half hop around on the good leg with the bad leg stuck out in front of it. now it has started keeping the good leg stuck in back and pushes itself around or tries to.

it is growing fine, it is as big as it's litter mates. but it seems to be worse not better. is there any hope? it was definitely stepped on and not splay leg or something like that. hurt leg is not twisted. was walking fine until stepped on.

I thought it just needed isolation so it wouldn't be stepped on again but it is looking hopeless. I hate to put it down since it is growing fine and has the will but don't want to prolong a hopeless cause.

thank you for any thoughts.

Melinda

 

[hinkjc]

I would guess there is either damage to the bone or tendon. If it is not using the leg for walking, I would probably put it down. It's a tough call without seeing the condition of the chick. I'm so sorry this happened to the baby. Mama hens aren't always as careful as we'd like them to be.

Jody

 

[mel58]

jody,

thanks a lot. this hen is 2 years old but this is the first tiime she's ever managed to hatch a chick though she is broody about 300 days of the year! she has always broken all the eggs I put under her. this time I went out and bought a big 10x12 dog kennel plus a big plastic dog cage for her once she went broody and she didn't break any eggs at all with no other hens in there. I guess just because she is so big or a first timer.

darn. today he is the same, he'll have his good leg under him and then sometimes stretches it out behind him. the bad leg is straight out in front of him always. I could get a pic if it would help but it's been two weeks now and he doesn't even attempt to walk on either leg.

one weird thing he does is the bad leg stuck out in front, he will tap it up and down on the floor of the brooder really fast at times. if he can do that with it it makes me wonder if there is something wrong with the joint. if I pick him up (only did it twice to change paper in brooder) he keeps the bad leg stretched out in front. doesn't even hang down when he is lifted in the air.

crap. he is growing and feathering out fine but can't walk even one step. if he is a boy, he is doomed for the table anyway but...

which reminds me, those darned rhode island red eggs I bought from you this winter, those roosters are too friendly to kill! I have 5 roosters and 2 hens about 4 months old and the darned things follow me around like I'm their mom. shoot, they were intended for the table too! looks like I may be starting an old roosters home. their hormones haven't kicked in yet though so maybe at least 3 of them will still turn mean!

 

[angelmarie]

you can try to splint it. maybe if its immobilized for awhile it will heal up.

 

[brookwoodpat]

I got seven RIR pullets instead of 3, with the idea that I was going to sell 3 or 4 of them, and I agree, they are such nice birds, I am fond of all of them, and at 5 weeks, they still follow me around and are pretty affectionate. Today they started hopping up the porch steps to stroll right in.