Hip/leg dislocation?

[olbupp]

I was away for 4 days and upon my return I noticed how much my chicks have grown. While observing them in their outside pen I noticed one of my roos feet turn outwards. They are 2 mo. old and I'm a newbie. Further observation I see that he has a limp but that is the only sign that it is not normal....can't see any injury to the skin or feel any heat. It appears to be slanted out from the hip/pelvic area so I wondered about dislocation. It could have been that way all along and I didn't notice. In two weeks I'm supposed to trade with the breeder to get hens...think this guy is scheduled for the pot but not sure. I don't think they are breeding stock. My initial thought is to continue things as normal and as long as he's acting like the others to not worry. I can't see isolating him. Any thoughts?

 

[Eggcessive]

There are a couple of conditions, one called slipped achilles tendon, and then there is a rotated femur that it could be. I believe that rotated femur can be corrected with surgery, and slipped tendon may occasionally be put back in place and taped with vet wrap. Neither condition is easily or very successfully treated that often unfortunately. I haven't treated either one, but here are a couple of links to help you:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/220/slipped-tendon-perosis
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/756556/slipped-tendon-splayed-leg-confused
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...femur-going-to-avian-vet-tomorrow-please-read
http://books.google.com/books?id=yf...Bg#v=onepage&q=rotated femur in chick&f=false

Fix Slipped Achilles Tendon in Hock Joint (from Poultry Pedia website)

• Use to treat Slipped Achilles Tendon (tendon that runs down through the groove on the back of a chick's hock has slipped out of place off to the side). If a leg has this problem, the joint will look swollen and the back of the hock will look flat (Compare to other leg to double-check). The chick can't straighten its leg if this is what's wrong with it.
• Gently pull the upper part of chick's leg a bit behind normal position and then carefully straighten the leg as though chick were stretching its leg back. The tendon should pop back into place pretty easily and cause little if any pain.
  • Some sources recommend pushing the tendon back in place just by pressing with your finger. However, stretching the leg back is a much less painful method.
• Swelling on hock:
  • If infection is part of what is causing joint to swell, you will find pus. Recovery would be very difficult and the chick should probably be put down.
  • If it is just caused by displacement, swelling will go down in 2-4 days.
• Put the chick in a Chick Chair and/or put its leg in a cast (such as one made from a drinking straw) for a few days (~5) while re-alignment stabilizes.
  • It is important that the legs not be able to touch the ground at all. The chick needs to hang with them bent and be discouraged from using its legs until the tendon has stretched and adjusted back to the right place and shape.
• Note: It may take a few days for the groove to be fully developed on a young chick and you may have to fix the tendon more than once.
• If there is pus in the joint,
• [More info needed.]

 

[olbupp]

many thanks for your suggestions.....I'll try to further evaluate in the morning. Odd thing is that the roo doesn't seem to be in any pain...gets around good, but with a gimp....eating and standing up to the others. I'm wondering if it's been this way since I got him and just didn't notice...despite my careful handling and cooing.

 

[olbupp]

upon further examination - no broken skin - hock touches other hock but only left leg looks bad...seems like it originates further up into body....angling leg outwards. Roo does have swelling to pad on bottom and leg looks somewhat swollen although he gets along on it pretty good....didn't fuss much for me to look and when allowed to rest on my lap he was putting weight on both legs. Pics will hopefully allow you to see the angle it sits.

 

[olbupp]

Any more ideas? Please.....feel so sorry for this guy.

 

[Eggcessive]

After seeing your picture it looks like either tibial or femur rotation, but probably femoral because it goes all the way up. There is some danger of breaking the leg if he becomes overly active, but he should be able to get around. Just don't breed him. I would treat him with vitamins in his water. Here are some scholarly articles about these leg abnormalities--the first one shows the xrays of this condition--You will have to type in this one for yourself because the link does not come through, but I printed the link at the bottom of the page, and was unable to include pictures:

file:///C:/Users/david/Downloads/ross%20tech%20leg%20(1).pdf
http://books.google.com/books?id=MV...v=onepage&q=rotated femur in chickens&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=vO...v=onepage&q=rotated femur in chickens&f=false

VALGUS/VARUS
DEVIATIONS OF
TIBIA OR FEMUR
The leg is deformed such that
the limb or part of the limb
deviates laterally or medially
which, in severe cases, makes
walking difficult. The tibia or
femur may bend inwards or
outwards. The leg may
deviate to such an extent
that injury results when the
bird is caught and handled at
depletion. This causes the
carcase to be downgraded or
even rejected.
ABNORMAL
ROTATION
The leg bones (ie tibia or
femur), twist during growth
so that the lower leg is
held out of normal
alignment. In severe cases,
walking can be difficult.
The abnormal shape of the
leg may cause the bird to
be injured at catching or
when handled at the
processing plant, resulting
in downgrading.

 

[olbupp]

Many thanks for your reply.....I believe you are right. I will continue to watch and hope that he is comfortable. I will not be keeping him and gather that the breeder will take him back and think they are to be "dinner" down the road. So, I'll do my best to make his life happy as possible.

THANKS!

 

[MrRedandCrew]

I just ran into the exact same problem last night with my polish hen. Her leg looks identical to your rooster's. How is she doing? Did you try anything to fix it? Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[olbupp]

"Hoppy" has gone to Disneyland....that is our way of saying, the neighbor was processing his Cornish Hens and took Hoppy.....it was a hard decision, but I felt it was the thing to do to give his life some worth. He was my sweetest of the bunch...would come to me....learned to get along on his deformed leg, using his wings to balance and it made his whole body look out of balance. He was about 14 weeks old when he left on Sunday for Disneyland. As time progressed, I noticed him sitting/laying around more and even when it wasn't hot, he'd sometimes have his mouth open and I think that was a sign of pain (although I'm a newbie). He would eat anything I'd hand him where the others were more standoffish. I think he started realizing I was a great source of food and trusted me...plus, I think it was more difficult for him to get around to forage and stand to eat. I was told not to use him for breeding as it could be a hereditary trait and I also thought as he got heavier that it was going to become more and more difficult for him to stand/move.

I haven't talk to my "travel agent" but wonder what the joints looked like inside....I'd guess mine was a Rotated Femur....it's possible it could have simply been dislocated and I didn't know how to feel for how to replace it. We don't know exactly when it happened, but I'd guess it was when we were taking them in and out to go into the outside pen prior to a coop and it's connection....I think his leg may have grazed across the top as he was lifted...we'll never know.

Hopefully someone with some experience can give you some good advice. If I knew mine just happened, I'd probably restrict their movement to see if it improved...also do the stretch thing to see if it will pop back....

If anyone can help, please do! Hope she gets better!!! If Hoppy had been a hen, I'd have kept him hoping for eggs and continued movement. Hoppy was still in "I wanna live" mode and I'd say as long as she will compensate and move around eating/drinking/pooping I'd keep her and make the best of it. Good Luck and keep us informed...pictures, too!

Here is one of Hoppy on his last day with us....Rest In Peace buddy!
Hoppy Houdini the Contorsionist

 

[GFOutdoorsman]

That's sad. But I suppose part of raising chickens. I just found one of my chicks with a leg like that. I thought it might be dislocated or broken. But after reading this I think it may be more complicated. Provided it can get around and doesn't look to be in to much pain I am going to let it grow up. In general if the chicken is eating and drinking I give it a chance. I will probably take it to Disneyland earlier than I would have otherwise.

This along with a beak deformity in a previous batch of chicks has led me to switch back to a local brand of organic feed.