I think our hen has dislocated or broken her leg, help :(

[a1doll]

My 13 year old son was playing in the yard when he ran around the corner of the shed and out jumped a hen. He inavoidably stepped on her. He feels aweful, he raises the chickens for 4H and he truly loves them. She will not put any pressure on the injured leg whatsoever. She pulls it up close to her body and will hop on the other leg. We have felt the leg and don't feel any breaks so I wonder if maybe it's dislocated? We put a splint on her leg this morning and still have her out with the rest of the flock (20 chickens total). They seem to be leaving her alone so thought it was best to leave her out there. For the most part she is just laying on her side, the opposite side of the injured leg. And she does not move very much. when we examined her leg this morning she was shaking a little but for the most part just laid there and did not move or make a sound, she did not struggle with us at all. After laying her on the table to put the splint on her I did not even really have to hold her,she just laid there on her side and did not move or make any noises. I kept a gentle hand on her while my son applied the splint. The splint has been on for over 5 hours now and she still is just laying around and when she does get up still trying to hold her leg up close to her body and won't walk on it. I feel so bad for her. I am looking for advice on what to do and if and when this will heal ((

 

[Lacrystol]

Legs can take a really long time to heal, I had a silkie that had gotten string wrapped around all her toes and the other end of the string was underneath a leg of a table and she couldn't go anywheres, she was there for at least 24 hours. I didn't even know she was outside the coop at night because she's so dark, anyway when I did finally notice her and got the string off which was extremely wrapped tight around all her toes and up her leg.. She was limping and holding her leg up and back. well I have a box that I call the emergency room, at first she was inside the nesting box not moving, laying down and refused to get up. When I got her up she would scream at me and hold that leg up. The next morning she put herself into the emergency room. LOL. I gave her 1cc of B-2 each day, I took a pill and dropped it in water and let it disolve. I tried to let her drink on her own but she insisted that I get a dropper and hand feed her. Well after three days I noticed she was starting to use the leg again it was slowly going down to the ground. After a week, she acts as though nothing was wrong. So I can only suggest for your chicken to give her some B-2 it seems to really help with recovering quicker.. and keep her quite, if you can confine her that would be the best because quiet and rest is what she needs right now. You don't want someone coming in and using the pecking order on her so that she is forced to use the leg, it will only prolong the healing process..

 

[a1doll]

Thank you for the advice, as of this afternoon she does not seem any better. She is keeping quiet and to herself. We are leaving for vacation soon and i worry about leaving her but don't have much of a choice. I will ask the caregiver to check on her. Ugh!

 

[Lacrystol]

Did you give her some b-2, she will take w while to heal unless there internal infection going on..