Hen with injured leg

[Misfit Farm]

On Sunday when we went to feed the chickens my husband found one of my hens hanging upside down with her toe stuck between 2 boards of the nest box. When he first went into the coop he thought she was dead but then she moved. She was hanging with her head touching the floor. He broke the board to free her without causing any more damage to her.

She now can't seem to really use the leg she was hanging by. It doesn't look broken or dislocated. She can move it but when she tries to walk her toes knuckle under and if she tries to bare weight on it it kind of collapses under her. She doesn't really seem to be in pain. For the past two days I have kept her in a small dog cage in the garage so that she can easily access food and water (her appetite is good). I put her out in a 4'x8' pen for a couple hours tonight and plan on putting her in it again tomorrow during the day. I have her out of the coop because I don't want the other hens picking on her or the rooster jumping on her. Also, I don't think she could jump up the small step into the coop.

Other than what I am doing is there anything else I can do for her?

Here are some pictures of her that I took while she was out in the pen this evening.

 

[shareneh]

Geez, that must have been so scary for you. I think maybe your chickie may have some nerve or tendon damage from hanging for so long. I hope everything works out ok. She will probably work out a new way of walking if she can get past this. Good Luck.

 

[KellyHM]

Definitely looks like she has some nerve damage...sometimes that will repair itself and sometimes not. If not, she should still be able to get around. There's not much you can do except wait and see. Good luck with her!

 

[dlhunicorn]

get a lightweight piece of plastic and cut a square somewhat lager than your birds foot when spread out in proper position... cut a piece of double sided carpet tape to that (the strong kind using canvas) and place your birds foot on that in the correct position , FIRMLY pressing down so it sticks... then take a piece of duct tape and place on TOP of the foot and press down between the toes very firmly. Trim around shape of foot and leave on for three weeks. Hopefully this will sort the problem of the curling toes out.

 

[vickig]

I would be afraid the sticky on the bottom and the duct tape on the top left on for that long would not come off properly, possibly taking skin with it. I would think the plastic would slip and slide causing her to fall or be unstable every time she took a step.

This is a very pretty chicken. What is she?

 

[EggHunter_66]

Even if the problem doesn't correct it's self she can still get around. About 4 months ago I got a call from an Animal Control asking me if I wanted a hen, of coarse I said yes BUT what I didnt know until I got there was that she was hurt. I guess dogs went after her and a Roo and the roo didnt make it. Anyway, it ends up her right leg was busted in two places and one area was already healing which turned out to be like the knee area. SO she has a gimped leg which she can't use at all but let me tell you...she gets around! SHe started laying eggs a month after we got her and my one of my rooster's stays by her side from dust till dawn to protect her!

 

[dlhunicorn]

Quote:
It will come off...I have used this system before on pigeons (it is important that you trim around the foot or they will stumble on stuff) however you could also use a very strong medical tape for on top (but be prepared for it to let loose)... I did forget to mention that you should separate to a cage or dogcarrier to sleep in otherwise she will attempt to roost (with disastrous results of course).