How long is recovery for an injured leg?

[kittyacid]

My girl Dolly injured her leg last Thursday. It is bad enough that she does not walk more than a few feet without sitting down. There is no visible wound to her leg or foot and both feel normal temperature - not hot or cool. When she stands, the toes on the sore leg are flat on the ground, not slightly curved downward like her good foot. She can grip my fingers, but she seems not to want to. I do not see much (if any) swelling. I've had chickens injure a leg before, but they always recovered within three days. I have been keeping Dolly in a dog kennel inside the coop so she can rest. She is eating fine, but there does not seem to be any improvement in her leg. Do you think it is normal for it to take this long for her to get better? She is a big girl if that makes a difference. Thank you for any advice!

 

[LaFleche]

Did you see how it happened?
Which leg is it?
How old is Dolly and when did she last lay an egg?

 

[kittyacid]

I did not see it happen but she was fine when she came out of the coop and later in the day I saw her sitting. That was the first time I noticed that her left leg was hurting. Dolly is seven and hasn't laid an egg in several months, but none of my girls have as is their normal seasonal schedule.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Is it broke or just sore?

 

[LaFleche]

I did not see it happen but she was fine when she came out of the coop and later in the day I saw her sitting. That was the first time I noticed that her left leg was hurting. Dolly is seven and hasn't laid an egg in several months, but none of my girls have as is their normal seasonal schedule.

She might just have sprained it which can take several weeks or even month to heal. Or at her advanced age she might have developed a tumor that is pressurizing on the sciatic nerve or some problem with her reproductive system.

You could feel her lower abdomen and between her legs to see if it is swollen, hard or rather squishy like fluid filled.

 

[kittyacid]

I felt everything and things seem normal. I'm going to take her to the avian vet tomorrow, I'm getting nervous that her issue could be more than a sprain or stress injury.

 

[LaFleche]

I felt everything and things seem normal. I'm going to take her to the avian vet tomorrow, I'm getting nervous that her issue could be more than a sprain or stress injury.

Let us know what the outcome is, please.

 

[kittyacid]

Let us know what the outcome is, please.

I think she is going to be okay! She was better this morning, standing up instead of sitting down when I went to get her. The vet said she didn't look bad and was walking around the office. They saw no signs of trauma or injury and gave me an anti-inflammatory medicine to give her. One of those cases that just needed a little more time. Thank you all!!

 

[LaFleche]

That is good news! Please, keep us updated on her recovery.

 

[kittyacid]

Dolly is still limping and sits a lot. She is improving slightly so I'm hopeful for a full recovery, though it seems to be taking longer than I expected.