Hen's swollen foot

[Chicksgowild]

I've got a hen that has been limping for a while now. Turns out, she has a swollen foot/ankle. I took a look at her foot, it doesn't seem to be bumble foot. It's hot to the touch, too.So, I was wondering what it can be, I will leave some pics down below. The stains on her foot is a little bit of her own blood by the way. Does anyone know what could be? And how to treat it please, she seems very uncomfortable.

 

[Eggcessive]

She might have a bad sprain or a broken foot. I would try to limit her activity, no jumping up and down to the roost, and a wire dog crate with food and water near the rest of the flock would be good. I would clean the bloody area on the foot pad with Betadine or chlorhexidene and apply some antibiotic ointment twice a day. If you have a vet, they might do an xray, and if needed splint the foot if there is a broken bone.

 

[Chicksgowild]

She might have a bad sprain or a broken foot. I would try to limit her activity, no jumping up and down to the roost, and a wire dog crate with food and water near the rest of the flock would be good. I would clean the bloody area on the foot pad with Betadine or chlorhexidene and apply some antibiotic ointment twice a day. If you have a vet, they might do an xray, and if needed splint the foot if there is a broken bone.

If it were to be a sprain, how would I treat it? This is actually the second time this has happened to her, she isn't very young so I am guessing she hurt herself. I believe she is 4 years, maybe 5.

 

[coach723]

For a sprain or strain usually it's just limiting activity so it can rest, and you can do daily epsom salt soaks which will help with pain and swelling. I had a hen with a sprain (probably caused by a cockerel) and I kept her in a smaller pen for about 3 weeks where she could still see everybody, she had improved after 3 weeks but was still limping some, but was ADAMANTLY demanding to be back with the flock, so I put her back. She's still very slightly limping now, it's been 5 weeks, but is doing fine with the flock, all normal behavior and roosting. So whether to isolate or not depends on the severity of injury and the bird themselves. If you need to force her to rest it, a wire crate in the run with everybody else works and keeps stress down. If she's repeat getting sprains then look at the coop and run and see if there are places where jumping is too far which may be causing it.

 

[Chicksgowild]

For a sprain or strain usually it's just limiting activity so it can rest, and you can do daily epsom salt soaks which will help with pain and swelling. I had a hen with a sprain (probably caused by a cockerel) and I kept her in a smaller pen for about 3 weeks where she could still see everybody, she had improved after 3 weeks but was still limping some, but was ADAMANTLY demanding to be back with the flock, so I put her back. She's still very slightly limping now, it's been 5 weeks, but is doing fine with the flock, all normal behavior and roosting. So whether to isolate or not depends on the severity of injury and the bird themselves. If you need to force her to rest it, a wire crate in the run with everybody else works and keeps stress down. If she's repeat getting sprains then look at the coop and run and see if there are places where jumping is too far which may be causing it.

I see, thank you for letting me know. I kind of don't want to isolate her as she is the female lead. I notice that once the female lead isn't there for a while, the rest of the flock starts to figure out how who will be the leader next.

 

[coach723]

As long as she can get around ok, eat and drink, and hold her own, she should be ok. Just keep an eye on her. They're often happier left with the flock.

 

[Chicksgowild]

As long as she can get around ok, eat and drink, and hold her own, she should be ok. Just keep an eye on her. They're often happier left with the flock.

Thankfully she can get around okay, eats and drinks on her own. Thanks