Injured Chicken Leg

[TheChickenGuy123]

One of my hens contracted a leg injury (I don't know what caused it as I was gone at the time) and has been hopping around for two weeks. We put her in a dog crate in the run and let her out into our backyard with our other hens daily. However, she still won't put weight on her leg and continues to hop around. She's also lost a lot of weight and it's hard to tell if she's getting better. I wanted to know if I should wait a little or if I should just cull her and put her out of her misery. Pls let me know soon.

 

[alinas2010]

One of my hens contracted a leg injury (I don't know what caused it as I was gone at the time) and has been hopping around for two weeks. We put her in a dog crate in the run and let her out into our backyard with our other hens daily. However, she still won't put weight on her leg and continues to hop around. She's also lost a lot of weight and it's hard to tell if she's getting better. I wanted to know if I should wait a little or if I should just cull her and put her out of her misery. Pls let me know soon.

Sorry to hear about your hen. Could you feel up and down her injured leg very slowly and carefully and see if anything feels out of place or swollen? Also give her a good once over for any open wounds by or on her leg which could be infected causing the limping and lethargy. Check the bottom of her foot for bumble foot, too. Post pics of anything abnormal you come across.

Since she is losing a lot of weight, is she being kept from food by the flock members? You might put her in a XL wire dog kennel (in some shade) with her own food and water but near the rest of the flock. This will ensure that not only is she resting her leg and moving less, but she has access to food and water. Sometimes when one of them is injured or ill, others will start to keep them from the food and water. Let us know what you come up with.