I hurt my chicks leg...

[dwegg]

I was putting my three babies out to dirt bath and decided to hold one for a pat. She fluttered away from me from my shoulder to the ground (but I was squatting down at the time so not that far) and when i caught her and put her back in the pen she couldn't/wouldn't put her foot down and she is now limping on that leg and holding it up.

Since they are pretty big I hope she just pulled it or landed on it the wrong way. Could she have broken anything? She is the blue one.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Only way your going to know is to pick her up and check her out real good, hopefully she just landed on it wrong

 

[DaniLovesChickens]

Feel along her leg and foot/toes very carefully. If anything is broken, she will pull away or you would be able to feel the break. Try to feel into the hip area (which is very difficult) to see if she reacts.

Most likely she just "jammed" something or strained a muscle. We've had that a couple of times. One I know from jumping from too high and landing awkwardly.

By the way, when I say pull away I mean that she would pull away violently if it was broken. If you find any sore area then she would of course pull away.



Good luck!

 

[dwegg]

Thanks guys that makes me feel better and more hopeful. I did pick her up and feel along her leg. She didn't really pull away from me but didn't like when I gently stretched/straightened her leg. She is walking better already so i will check again in the morning. I feel so awful for hurting her like that and she is me favorite little girl and doesn't mind being held.

 

[Miss Lydia]

She'll forgive ya, honest!

 

[dwegg]

well I just went outside with the torch and she is sitting on the roost with her two sisters so that is a good sign AND as the motion light went on there was this almighty scuffle on the coop roof of my big girls coop. When i shone my torch up there I spotted a cat with what I think was a huge rat in its mouth. It scared the crap out of me but then I thought 'Good on her!' I got ride of a rat and she got a meal for her family...

*** Thought for the morning**** make sure the coop and run on both pens are cat and rat proof tomorrow.

 

[dwegg]

Just an update on my girl...she is just fine! Here she is dust bathing today and she still lets me hold her.