Injured leg, chance of recovery?

[tnmommy]

One of my Easter Eggers has an injured leg, appears to be at a joint. She can move the leg. Doesn't appear to be broken. Eating and drinking.

Anyway, what is the chance that she will heal enough to regain use of that leg? And what dose of aspirin does she need, unless it is is kinder to cull her?

 

[Eggcessive]

Can she stand and walk at all? Did you see her injure it? She could have a bad sprain, but some infections can also affect the joints. Mycoplasma synoviae, a respiratory disease and viral or bacterial synovitis can cause swelling of the foot and leg joints, especially the hock or knee joint. If it is only one joint on one leg it may more than likely be an injury. Rest in a confined dog crate with her food and water for a week or two would be best. Put some poultry vitamins or B Complex vitamins in the food or water. Low dose 81 mg aspirin can be given twice a day for pain and swelling.

 

[Eggcessive]

Pictures of the swollen joint may help. I would check the foot pads for evidence of swelling and a dark spot that can be bumblefoot. Here is some reading on some of the things mentioned above:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/99/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-ms-infectious-synovitis
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou...nfection_in_poultry_infectious_synovitis.html
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/164/viral-arthritis
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/poultry/viral_arthritis/overview_of_viral_arthritis_in_poultry.html
http://www.canadianpoultry.ca/cms_pdfs/AviaTech_Staph.pdf

 

[chicksurreal]

We have a Dark Cornish pullet that at 8 weeks old tried to fly up to the top of the coop from the ramp and didn't make it, she fell back to the ramp, landing with one leg on and one leg off. Then she fell to the ground. The next day she was limping and spent the next two months flopping and limping around. At one point I thought maybe she had Marecks because she was doing the splits when she tried to stand up.

It was awful to watch, but she never stopped eating and drinking and she would wait for me to put her in the coop at night and get her out in the morning. The other pullets never picked on her and she never got depressed or anything. Now after what seemed like forever, I can't tell her apart from the other Dark Cornish that we have. She no longer even limps or anything.

I guess what I'm trying to say is don't give up on her, especially if she hasn't given up herself.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I have a girl that injured her leg, it seemed to be in the hip area. I saw it happen so I know it was an injury and not disease, etc. She wouldn't get up at all for several hours and then had a severe limp. I confined her to a cage that would allow her to stand up and move around but not walk too much as I wanted her to rest the leg. I dissolved a baby aspirin in 1 cup of water and put it in a small chick waterer so she drank from it all during the day. Just have to watch and make sure she doesn't run out of water.

She did fine and was up and about in roughly 2 weeks. Unfortunately, she injured it again several months later or maybe it just wasn't healed well the first time. This time it took about 3 months for it to heal. She was in a cage in our house. Became very spoiled, put on some weight, and continued to lay us an egg daily! Thankfully, we were able to integrate her back into the flock several months ago and her leg is doing fine. If she gets very tired or is having a good "scratch" day, we'll see a little bit of limp but not enough to make a difference.

If it's an injury, it can take a long time to heal. BTW, I did not continue the aspirin that entire time, just the first few days when she was really limping badly and she acted like it was painful.

 

[tnmommy]

I was terrified it was Mareks but all of my birds are vaccinated. She is still inside the garage, no contact with the big bad outside world. I feed and water the brooder bunch first, then the adults and juvies outside. She is eating and drinking and no one is picking on her.

I just put her sisters outside for the first time. Should I leave her indoors alone to heal?

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you cage her where her friends are? She needs to remain part of her group to stay in the pecking order. Is your coop large enough for her in a cage? It sounds complicated with you integrating the different groups. If she remains inside, she may have to go back out eventually by herself, and will probably be picked on. Did she injure the leg after you put them together? If you have to keep her indoors, I would put her in a cooler part of the house that is similar to the coop temperature, and perhaps bring in a different chick each day to be with her. Combining groups is complicated, and so is separating one for treatment. Here is how I integrate my younger birds below, but I put bird netting on top to keep big ones out and little ones in, or to come and go:

 

[tnmommy]

No, the Easter eggers are in their own grow out pen today, it is a hoop coop winterized into a "greenhouse" with ventilation. They have all been in my insulated garage in a brooder like the introduction pen you have in your photo. I would never put juveniles in with adults. The intro pen could work to keep her integrated outdoors, I was just thinking it would be more physically painful with the cooler temps for her. My garage is insulated with central heat and air. She's still in there next to a group of smaller chicks.

 

[chicksurreal]

I was terrified it was Mareks but all of my birds are vaccinated. She is still inside the garage, no contact with the big bad outside world. I feed and water the brooder bunch first, then the adults and juvies outside. She is eating and drinking and no one is picking on her.

I just put her sisters outside for the first time. Should I leave her indoors alone to heal?

From what I understand there is a slim chance that a vaccinated bird can get Mareks. All of mine are vaccinated too, but after I read that I was worried for a while.

I thought about bringing my girl in, but the stress of isolating her seemed cruel as long as she wasn't being picked on. I think it may have taken her a little longer to heal because she was moving around more, but she is 100% healed and didn't lose her spot in the flock. ;-)

 

[tnmommy]

I am really considering putting her outdoors with her group and using a heat lamp where she will be. I hate to use a heat lamp, but I hate her being away from her group too. Putting them back is sooo stressful.

It really doesn't seem like Mareks. She has the ability to move the leg and foot, she is just having great difficulty putting any weight on it.