I think my RIR hen broke her leg, how do I rehab her?

[3SiameseCats]

You can splint it on your own if the break is a closed fracture between the ankle and hock bone. The sooner it is splinted, the better the odds of it healing properly. Here is an article with step by step instructions and a video on how to do this:

How to Fix a Broken Chicken Leg With 4 Dollar Store Items​

The problem is I don’t even know now if it’s a fracture or something else. I posted photos above. Im concerned it’s a slipped tendon. I doubt it’s Mercks since she was bought from Tractor Supply and I have to assume was vaccinated. I want to get her in a sling ASAP because she keeps trying to use it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Is there any swelling in the leg, or any green bruising? So, the toes are curled under and she is walking on them? That could possibly be nerve damage or Mareks, but in both feet, might be a riboflavin deficiency. Tractor Supply and most feed stores do not vaccinate chickens, mostly because of the extra cost, and many do not want vaccines, since the Mareks vaccine can be leaky. Some think that vaccinating for Mareks may cause Mareks virus to become more virulent and deadly.

I would get some help if necessary, wrap her in a towel burrito style and examine the leg, noting bruising, swelling, and curling toes around your finger. It make take time to find out if it is an injury or something else. If you can get an X-ray, that would rule out a fracture. Knowing which bone is fractured helps if splinting would be useful. You have to pad, splint, and tape in a natural way above and below the fracture. Confining to a dog crate near food and water may help force rest. Some chickens will tolerate a chicken sling while some do not.

 

[3SiameseCats]

Is there any swelling in the leg, or any green bruising? So, the toes are curled under and she is walking on them? That could possibly be nerve damage or Mareks, but in both feet, might be a riboflavin deficiency. Tractor Supply and most feed stores do not vaccinate chickens, mostly because of the extra cost, and many do not want vaccines, since the Mareks vaccine can be leaky. Some think that vaccinating for Mareks may cause Mareks virus to become more virulent and deadly.

I would get some help if necessary, wrap her in a towel burrito style and examine the leg, noting bruising, swelling, and curling toes around your finger. It make take time to find out if it is an injury or something else. If you can get an X-ray, that would rule out a fracture. Knowing which bone is fractured helps if splinting would be useful. You have to pad, splint, and tape in a natural way above and below the fracture. Confining to a dog crate near food and water may help force rest. Some chickens will tolerate a chicken sling while some do not.

I can not get an X-ray as I am tight on money after a surprise expense. My classes start next week. I’m now terrified of Marek’s since it’s only in one foot, although she did have a slight limp not too long ago. She is trying to walk on it with her toes still curled. I didn’t notice any swelling or bruising but how she gets off the roost isn’t very elegant and I’ve worried about her injuring herself before. I can make her area smaller, thanks for that tip. Should I worry about my other chickens at all?

Also I did research mareks, and the virus has since mutated because of the vaccine. The vaccine prevents symptoms from appearing. We weren’t taught about this during our chicken unit when bothers me.

Im crossing my fingers it’s simple nerve damage, and that I can help rehabilitate her. Or something not serious I have to be in a panic about

 

[Eggcessive]

Mareks is all over the world. I haven’t seen it before, but I had some vaccinated and some not vaccinated chickens. If your hen has Mareks, there is nothing you can do about it. It is spread in the feather dander and dust. Many chickens do hurt themselves, so time will tell what is going on. A lot of BYC members deal with Mareks in their flocks. If you should lose her one day, then a state poultry lab could do some testing with a necropsy to rule it out. If she has a nerve injury, the rest may help to heal it. Here is some reading about Mareks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[3SiameseCats]

Mareks is all over the world. I haven’t seen it before, but I had some vaccinated and some not vaccinated chickens. If your hen has Mareks, there is nothing you can do about it. It is spread in the feather dander and dust. Many chickens do hurt themselves, so time will tell what is going on. A lot of BYC members deal with Mareks in their flocks. If you should lose her one day, then a state poultry lab could do some testing with a necropsy to rule it out. If she has a nerve injury, the rest may help to heal it. Here is some reading about Mareks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

She’s looks completely healthy besides her leg. Im writing off the loan yolk and shellless egg as due to the stress caused by the injury. Im just petrified now because I have a lot of mental strain already and I’m not sure if I could handle dealing with it. Im inclined to believe it’s nerve damage, because of how she flies off the roost. I’ve watched her fly off many times and wondered “how is she not injured yet???”. She literally flies off the roost, out the door, then into the chicken yard, not particularly gracefully. And she has to turn 90 degrees in flight because the roost is perpendicular to the door.

 

[Eggcessive]

Well, let us know how she is getting along.

 

[3SiameseCats]

Well, let us know how she is getting along.

Will do! Today she looks the same and acting the same. I gotta clean the coop to reduce the smell of chicken crap. But her comb looks great and no other funky eggs. Think the eggs were wonky because she isn’t getting enough light. We are at 13 hours of daylight currently and I’ve been having trouble getting up in the morning to let them out which isn’t helping.

 

[laylerschicks]

i had 2 different hens that somehow hurt their legs. the first one was in a lot of pain and we didnt know what to do so we ended up putting her down, the second one we put in a dog crate for like a months before she could walk again but then the flock didnt accept her back for awhile and then after they finally did she mysteriously passed away overnight. looking back i would have put her down too instead of letting her suffer like that. i hope you dont have to do that but if shes not getting better fast then you might have too.

 

[3SiameseCats]

i had 2 different hens that somehow hurt their legs. the first one was in a lot of pain and we didnt know what to do so we ended up putting her down, the second one we put in a dog crate for like a months before she could walk again but then the flock didnt accept her back for awhile and then after they finally did she mysteriously passed away overnight. looking back i would have put her down too instead of letting her suffer like that.

Not putting her down. She is in a dog crate type thing inside the coop. Im going to dose her with some pain medication after I research it more here.

 

[laylerschicks]

Not putting her down. She is in a dog crate type thing inside the coop. Im going to dose her with some pain medication after I research it more here.

yeah when mine got hurt i was pretty new to chicken owning and didnt even realise this site was a thing other wise i would have asked people for help... i really hope you do a better job with your girl than i did with mine!