Hen with possible broken leg, HELP!

[urban dreamer]

I can't belive this happened. I have had my chickens for 1 week, first time ever and already Im in trouble. Last night when I came home from class the first thing I did was go to the back and see if the chickens were in bed. Zoii was but Eva, stubborn chicken, was still outside. So I crawled into the coop and picked Eva up and put her throught the coop door and shut it behind her. She made a fuss but she always dose that. As I was walking back to the house I heard the chickens make a loud cackle and I rushed back to check on them. It sounded like they were startled by something. I opened the top door and saw Zoii on a roost and Eva scratching around on the coop bottom. I didn't think too much about it and went inside. This morning I woke up and went outside to let the hens out. I had a flash light with me this time so I could see them and Eva was still on the coop floor with her leg sticking straight out and not moving. It dosen't look like she moved all night. I think it may be broken. I picked Zoii up and put her out in the run so I could look at Eva better. I picked her up and she didn't fuss or anything just kinda sat there. The left leg isn't oviously broken but she can't move it, she dosen't seem to notice when I move it, she can't move her claws and when I try to put her back on her feet she falls over loke a limp doll. I am so upset. I want to cry because I feel like I hurt my chicken but I can't. The only thing I can think of is she got up on one of the roosting post and fell off. One of the post was on the coop floor too. I think she may have fell when the post gave way. She just sits there. I brought her in the house to look at it better and I couldn't see or feel a break. I had to put her back out because I had to go to work. I wanted to stay home but my DH said I really needed to go to work and to see if how she is when I get home. I am so scared that I hurt her. I trembled the whole way to work. If anyone has any ideas please help. I don't know what to do. I don't even care that my 1st egg was out there this morning.

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

How is she acting? Is she listless? Is she eating or drinking? Is she curious and looking around? Does she act like she is in pain? Could her leg be paralyzed from a fall?

 

[urban dreamer]

I don't think its broken really. I can't feel any breaks and she just sits there like nothing is going on. She isn't in any pain and she is eating and active. She tried to run away from my Dh when he went to pick her up and she hopped. Like she wanted to use the leg but couldn't. I think she may have fallen but our coop is only 3 feet tall. And boy is she eating. She dose just kinda sit there unless you bug her. Her leg looks like its parayled and it just hangs there. Her big middle toe is scraped up real bad. Several scales are missing.

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

I don't know how much I can help, but I remember seeing a hen once, at a farm, who hopped on one leg. She kept the other leg tucked up under her and just hopped around on the one. She didn't look like she was in pain; at the time I thought maybe a birth defect. Could your hen have dislocated a joint and doesn't or can't use the leg?

 

[urban dreamer]

Mabey she has. We cleaned the toe and we have to pick her up to put her in and out of the coop. She can't use the ramp. I did notice yesterday that she is pulling the leg in just a little. I hope its not just wishful thinking. The leg is still warm so no blood flow is being threatened. And she laid her first egg yesterday after the accident or whatever happened. When she wants to go somewhere she gets up and hops to it, she drags the leg and seems to pull it under herself when she sits. She is moving because she is a different spot each time. And she is eating. She really enjoyed the left over sandwich I gave her yesterday. I hope the meat will give her some good extra protein to help heal the leg (if it will) and I think this bad spell of rainy, cold weather will part soon. I want her to live. I have had my chickens for a week and I want to keep them. I left a message with a vet to see if there is anything more I can do. I really appreciate all the help I am getting. Any other thoughts or advice is welcomed.