Hen with bad leg

[WoofyGator]

A while back my flock got attacked by something. The only surviving hen had an injury on her belly, right by her vent. Her left leg was swollen also. We got her all healed up and she is looking good except her left leg is limp/lifeless from the swollen joint to her foot. She gets around good on one leg now and is trying to use her bad leg but her foot is just not working.

Is there any chance of her leg coming back? I suppose she is paralyzed for life.

 

[threehorses]

How long ago was this? And which joint? It's possible that she sustained some nerve damage. Nerves don't repair themselves, but it's also possible that new nerves will try to forge new pathways in that area to try and repair function. With that much damage, I'm not sure.

If you prick her foot with a needle, does she feel it?

Vitamin E is very helpful for neurological repair in helping to rebuild what new pathways can be built. You can give human vitamin E supplementation to that effect. You can start with an human-intended oil vitamin capsule of combined vitamin E and selenium at 400-700 IU of vitamin E - just **make sure** that the Selenium is less than 50 micrograms. If you cannot get that, you can try oil capsules of just vitamin E.

You snip the end of the capsule and give the contents to the bird in the beak or in a quickly eaten small treat, like bread, a few crumbles, applesauce, etc.

That sort of repair takes a very long time. It might help her regain some function if that's possible.

You'll also want to watch that foot carefully for sores as it may drag the ground and break the skin. Monitor it over the course of her life and treat any broken skin immediately with cleansing and antibiotic ointment like neosporin, or better yet with a dry spray so it doesn't collect dirt and instead shields the wound from dirt.

 

[WoofyGator]

Thank you for replying. It was about June 13th that the attack occurred. The area affected is the hock joint and below. She seems to feel a needle prick at or above the hock joint, but not below. Also, as she hops, she does attempt to paddle with the left leg, but it doesn't seem to bend so that the foot dips low enough to get to the ground. Her left claw doesn't seem to be able to open and grasp. I think I'll be calling a few area vets tomorrow to see if any are willing to look at a chicken...

 

[threehorses]

I'd suspect that after a month it's not settable now if a nerve was pinched. But definitely a look-see from a vet would help you maybe understand more.

Here are two certified avian vets in NJ who might be able to point you in the direction of an avian vet near you:
Cherry Hill, NJ - Ken Dazen (Animal & Bird Healthcare Ctr) - 856-751-2122
Hillsborough, NJ - James Nicholas McKinley (Amwell Bird Hosp) - 908-369-7373 - http://www.infinitedesign.net/amwell

If you go, will you let us know what you learn? That way we can learn, too.

Thank you, and best of luck!

 

[WoofyGator]

Absolutely we will. I called around trying to find a vet nearer to us, but it seems chickens are second-class citizens in the vet world...places that advertise care for birds don't seem to include chickens in that. However, I have gotten a couple other numbers from my calling rounds, and I have yet to call the numbers that you posted, so I'm still on the case, even if I do move slowly...lol

Again, thx for the response, advice and numbers...

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
I'm just glad to try to help. Thankfully the vets that the birdsnways list for avian vets are all chicken friendly now - to a certain extent. I'm still pretty sure they wouldn't have let me bring in my 7 mauled geese this year. /sigh But they were all willing to see my dislocated wing turkey. So I guess I'm lucky! But the reason I find all the numbers are because I remember quite well calling to vet clinic after vet clinic and getting a firm "NO" on chickens. And we just have tons of vets here in Houston! So I hate the frustration and try to ease it for others.

Let us know what you find, please?