Hock joint cut

[Caribbean Chicken boss]

I think our chicken must have gotten hit by our neighbors weed wacker or something. She has a cut on the inside of her hock joint and won't put any weight on that leg. Any chance this will heal over time if we wrap it? Also should I put any antibiotic ointment on it?

 

[nuthatched]

Can you please get a picture or two, so we can see how bad it is?

 

[Caribbean Chicken boss]

Can you please get a picture or two, so we can see how bad it is?

 

[Caribbean Chicken boss]

This is a pic of the inner where the cut is located and a pic of the outer side. Doesn't seem to have any strength in leg.

 

[nuthatched]

This is a pic of the inner where the cut is located and a pic of the outer side. Doesn't seem to have any strength in leg.

Is it going all the way through? Can you see if anything like a tendon has been cut?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I think our chicken must have gotten hit by our neighbors weed wacker or something. She has a cut on the inside of her hock joint and won't put any weight on that leg. Any chance this will heal over time if we wrap it? Also should I put any antibiotic ointment on it?

This is a pic of the inner where the cut is located and a pic of the outer side. Doesn't seem to have any strength in leg.

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry to hear about your chicken.

When did the injury happen?

I'd clean the wound with saline or something like Chlorhexidine or Betadine. Try trimming some of the feathers away from the wound so you can see it a little better. Once cleaned, apply triple antibiotic ointment to the wound.

If this just happened within the last 24-48hrs or so, she may just be really sore and over the course of a few days she'll start putting some weight back on the leg (cautiously).

It's possible she may have suffered some nerve damage or something else and recovery may be long or she may never regain the use of her leg, it can be hard to know immediately. Time will tell more.

Wrapping the leg. Normally you leave a wound unwrapped. I'd be inclined to leave it unwrapped at this point. You can place her in Sling to help keep her more upright and take the weight off her legs. Being in a sling, the bird does need monitored and taken out of the sling for periods of time as well. Link below give more info/photos of various slings/chairs.

Is she eating/drinking? Giving a little sugar water or electrolytes can help move them through shock. See that she's eating.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[Caribbean Chicken boss]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry to hear about your chicken.

When did the injury happen?

I'd clean the wound with saline or something like Chlorhexidine or Betadine. Try trimming some of the feathers away from the wound so you can see it a little better. Once cleaned, apply triple antibiotic ointment to the wound.

If this just happened within the last 24-48hrs or so, she may just be really sore and over the course of a few days she'll start putting some weight back on the leg (cautiously).

It's possible she may have suffered some nerve damage or something else and recovery may be long or she may never regain the use of her leg, it can be hard to know immediately. Time will tell more.

Wrapping the leg. Normally you leave a wound unwrapped. I'd be inclined to leave it unwrapped at this point. You can place her in Sling to help keep her more upright and take the weight off her legs. Being in a sling, the bird does need monitored and taken out of the sling for periods of time as well. Link below give more info/photos of various slings/chairs.

Is she eating/drinking? Giving a little sugar water or electrolytes can help move them through shock. See that she's eating.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

Thanks for the info and tips. This happened about 5 days ago. She still puts no weight on the leg and the claw tucks. I was even thinking about making a splint to keep the claw flat so if nothing else she can use it to help balance herself. I will check out the sling ideas. She eats and drinks fine. We have her in a dog crate and fresh palm fronds each day for her to rest on.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for the info and tips. This happened about 5 days ago. She still puts no weight on the leg and the claw tucks. I was even thinking about making a splint to keep the claw flat so if nothing else she can use it to help balance herself. I will check out the sling ideas. She eats and drinks fine. We have her in a dog crate and fresh palm fronds each day for her to rest on.

You could try wrapping the foot to see if that helps.

If the wound is healing nicely and you think she may benefit from the leg being wrapped/stabilized you can do that as well, but you'll want to still check the wound frequently to make sure it's healing and that the wrappings are not too tight, etc.


Eating and drinking is good. If you have human B-Complex vitamins, you can also give her 1/4tablet daily.