Hurt Leg

[mccartyfarms512]

This morning I went to check on my flock of thirty leghorns and I noticed that one of my girls doesn't want to walk and she was limping very badly. I cannot upload any pictures due to the fact that my phone is from the dark ages.

Her leg doesn't appear to be broken but her foot is swollen and is very warm, also she has what looks like a cut right above her ankle. We have moved her from the other chickens and put her into a pin by herself.

Does anyone know of anything I can do for her or is just a wasted cause?

 

[odmejss]

i will get info on this and get back to you

 

[odmejss]

f your chicken has a swollen foot, he has a condition known as bumblefoot (plantar pododermatitis). He may limp or not stand on the injured foot. Swelling, lameness, heat and a blackened scab may all be symptoms. If untreated, it can become chronic and your chicken may die.
Cause
Bumblefoot starts with a foot injury. Your chicken may get a cut on his foot, and the initial injury causes staphylococcus bacteria to enter your chicken's foot, causing it to abscess and swell with fluid. He can get this from rough perches, jumping down from a high perch, skin irritation or from poor litter management, which results when your chicken can pick up bacteria in his feet.
Treatment
Treat bumblefoot as soon as you discover it. If the foot becomes hard, it is more difficult to cure and you need a veterinarian's intervention. Separate the infected bird and put him in a pen or cage with soft litter such as pine shavings.
Wear gloves when treating him because staphylococcus can infect you. Soak his foot for about 15 minutes in a pan of very warm water and a cup of Epsom salts, but do not let him drink it. Carefully pull the scab off -- it should come off easily, but if not, soak it again or have a veterinarian treat it. Then gently open the wound. Clean out any pus with sterile gauze and use hydrogen peroxide to rinse the wound. Then, pack it with topical antibiotics safe for chickens and wrap the foot with a sterile pad, gauze and a top bandage such as vet wrap.
Rewrap the bandage daily and dispose of the bandages, making sure to wear gloves until the wound heals.
Oral Antibiotics
You can treat your chicken with oral antibiotics, available at the feed store, provided you clean and dress the wound. Follow the package's directions for treating chickens or contact your veterinarian for advice.
Prevention
Good coop management is essential. Keep your coop clean and dry with plenty of litter. Keep perches no higher than 18 inches. Remove wire, sharp edges and other things that can cause your birds to cut themselves. Heavier birds get bumblefoot more often than lighter ones, and roosters get bumblefoot more than hens. Keeping the litter soft, deep and dry can hold bumblefoot at bay.

 

[mccartyfarms512]

I don't believe it is bumblefoot, it looks more like it had caught its leg in something.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would follow odmejss's advice on epsom salt soaks to the leg, removal of any pus, followed by Neosporin ointment daily. Procaine Penicillin G can be given 1/4 ml given 1/4 inch deep into the breast muscle daily for 4 days, or an antibiotic such as amoxicillin, clavamox, and others that treat staph may be given orally. A vet will have the better drugs.

 

[mccartyfarms512]

Thanks so much for the advice! I will definitely give it a nice long soak and keep it wrapped up. I just feel so bad for her, I don't know if we can afford antibiotics from the feed store and I know we can't afford vet fees but we will do are darndness to keep it clean and soak it every night. THANKS
Hopefully this will work