How to tell if wings are broken? Please help!! **PICS ADDED**

[SmittenChicken]

I posted here yesterday about my 16 week old Light Brahma, Salty, getting tangled up in a plastic rope my landlord tied around the coop door. I found her hanging there when I got home from work, with the rope wrapped tightly around the base of both wings, her chest/back and legs. I have no idea how long the poor thing was caught, but she'd stopped struggling by the time I found her.

I think her wings may be broken, or possibly dislocated. How do you tell? She allows me to touch them and put them back up, this morning she finally got fed up and started honking but yesterday she didn't seem to be in pain when I tried it. As soon as I let go of the wings they flop back down. I will try to post pictures soon, but if anyone could tell me things to try and diagnose this I'd appreciate it. I read a little online about using vetwrap to keep them in place for a few days until they heal, so it sounds like even if they're broken she might be okay? I understand the wings might not actually work for flying after this is done, but I'm thinking that might not be a big deal for a heavy bird like her?

She seems to be more alert and not in shock so much this morning, when I went in she was very talkative and seemed to want out. I let her out into the main coop to visit her sisters while I supervised this morning, she came out on her own but very slowly and her wings drag on the ground a little - she has to sort of kick her feet out in front because they're in the way. A Red Star pecked at her and she got upset so I put her back in her enclosure.

I know if her wings are broken/dislocated I need to do something soon! Vet treatment isn't an option, so I'm hoping I can do something for her myself. Please help!!

Notice the feathers that stick out at odd angles - they aren't loose, still seem to be firmly attached.

 

[SmittenChicken]

So a little while ago I tried to gently rotate her wings to see if they are out of socket, and tried to put them back up and wrap with self adhesive bandage. She let me do this but it seemed to cause her a little pain, and once I put the bandage on she just laid down - it seemed to make it hard for her to move and didn't really keep her wings up all that well either. She was fine when I took it off, moves slowly but seems to be very interested in her food and in good spirits - she is pecking at bugs.

Can anyone tell whether her wings are broken and/or dislocated from the pictures?! I have no idea what I should be looking for. I also need advice on if/how I should be wrapping them up to help her heal. Thanks in advance!!

 

[SmittenChicken]

Can anyone help me with this? I don't know what to do about her wings!

Let me know if the pictures aren't clear enough and I can take new ones.

 

[Slater1995]

Quote:
I am not sure. Does she move them? If you pick her up and turn he on her back, does she flap them? If something is broke or dislocated they say you should not try to set it and just let it heal. I would do a google search and see what you can find out.

hope she is ok.

 

[SmittenChicken]

Thanks for the reply, Slater-
She does not seem to be able to move her wings at all, but I haven't actually turned her upside down yet. I saw one wing move when she was grooming herself, but I think it was due to the movement of her torso and not the wing itself. Whenever I move her wings they go right back down.

I'm worried they might be dislocated at the shoulder, they are hanging down and sort of forward so that the longest feathers just barely touch the ground. When I feel around her wings now it seems to hurt her, she squeals a little and tries to get away. I read a little around the internet about dislocated/broken wings and it sounds like it's best to try to get it back in the proper position and wrap it. I tried to gently manipulate her shoulders but don't even know what to feel for, I don't want to hurt her more!

Does anyone have experience with this? She seems exhausted and sore (I would be too!) but is eating well and seems to be alert and in good spirits. Her tail is droopy, too - is it possible that her wings aren't actually dislocated and she's just holding them down because she doesn't feel well?! Please help! I can try to take more pictures before dark if needed.

 

[dragonlair]

Another possibility is that when she struggled to get free, she caused damage, which swelled and is putting pressure on the nerves. If that's the case, then once the swelling goes down she may be normal again.

If she can move her wings, they probably aren't dislocated. I used to rescue pigeons when I lived in the city. Most of them had broken wings. They would flap and try to get away, but the broken wing would not move, it just sort of flopped. I don't remember ever treating a dislocated wing, so I can't tell you anything about that. I was told all those many years ago that for a broken wing to stretch it out until the bone ends were back together. Once they were together, gently put them in the natural spot up against the body and tape it. The tape was left for 10 days and then gently soaked off. That's how the bird people at the local science center fixed their own birds.

 

[SmittenChicken]

Thanks Dragonlair.
I'm really hoping that's what's going on - it looks like she does have some swelling on her back, she looks quite a bit larger under the wings and down to her tail compared to our other LB of the same age. I tried again to feel around the joint but I don't really know what I'm looking for. Not sure if I should just leave her and see if things improve on their own, or if I need to try harder to see if the joint is out? y

I'm worried that her wings will get frozen in an awkward position and cause lasting issues for her, but I'm also worried that it's just inflammation and I'm making it worse trying to fix things! Anyone else have experience with dislocated and/or broken wings?! I'm hoping someone can tell me what to feel/look for. Thanks!

 

[crystalchik]

I have never really had experience with a chicken with a dislocated wing, but I had a peacock that broke its wing at the joint. I could definitely tell that it was broken. It was warm to the touch, bruised-looking, and swollen, and she held it down. I took regular medical wrap and wrapped her wing and wrapped it to her body in a natural possition so she couldnt use it...needless to say I had to do it several times, trying to keep a peahen from jumping and flying around was like telling a basset hound not to bark! That leads me to say make sure you keep her in an area where she cant jump or have the chance to use her wing. Anyways, here is a good site. Oh, my girl is all healed now! Of course, her wing just isnt the same.

http://www.duckpolice.org/BirdWeb/PigeonResourceWeb/brokenwing.html

 

[Slater1995]

Everything that I read for either broken or dislocated says to use vet wrap and wrap the injured wing. Leave it for 10 days.

So I would put the wing back up where it belongs. Try and feel the ball of the joint and make sure it is not out of the socket. If you think it is, try roatating it and see if it will pop back into place. If it is where it is supposed to be just hold the wing close to the bird and use the vet wrap to secure the wing in place. Be sure not to wrap it too tight and make sure you don't restrict the lets. You want to hole the good wing out so that you don't restrict it. She will most likely use it to help balance herself. She will have some trouble balancing for awhile and you should keep her seperate and make sure she has food and fresh water, but make sure the water is not to deep. With her being off balance you don't want her to fall and possible drown in the water.

What I read said to leave it wraped for 10 days and then to remove carefully.

If you can find some sort of anti-inflamatory for birds I would also try that to try and get the swelling down.

Good Luck,
Teresa

*PS - She won't like the wrap, but just tell yourself it is for her own good.

 

[oliviad51]

I have a light brahma just like that, and her feathers stick out weirdly too.