is a slipped tendon painful? - pic

[Yayah]

my 4 day old chick doesn't cry out, doesn't seem to be bothered. but she holds her leg up and to the side, & wont walk on it. she hops just fine to the water dish and eats well. i have no intention of culling if it seems like shes not in pain. im just wondering how its possible that shes not.
has anyone had any luck with NOT being able to successfully treat this?
ive tried slipping it back, ive tried a little shoe to straighten the toes, tried hobbles on the legs. i dont think anything is really going to help her look normal, but shes behaving normally. not that she's going to live her life very high on the pecking order, but she's not a wuss, either.
im new here, (hi!) i dont have many chickens, and i'm not bothered by a special-needs chicken. i just wanted to see if anyone had any advice...
thank you so much!

 

[Erica]

Hi Yayah,
I'm afraid I think it's quite likely she's in serious pain. Chickens hide their illnesses until it's serious, and that includes debilitating pain.

Slipped tendon in my experience is not fixable, though I'd imagine a bird could make it to adulthood. I know there are some web suggestions for fixing slipped tendon, but I think by the time it's noticed, there is swelling and/or calcification. Just my opinion and I'm no expert, however it's not like a canary that can also use its wings to get around; chickens are very leg-dependent.

Sorry I can't suggest anything to help the bird. I suppose you could do your best and review it in a few weeks. The danger is you'd be more attached, and he/she would have suffered longer.

Sorry to be so downbeat!

best wishes
Erica

 

[mammasilkie]

i work at a vets office and had a chick with a slipped tenden, we made a splint for her out of a paperclip and tape, it seemed to work for the first week because she didnt weight that much but once she started to grow the splint nolonger helped and she would just lay there crying and flopping around so we decided to put her down.

my chick did not put any weight on her leg though, yours seems to be using or at least standing on it. i would say give her the benifit of doubt and let her live, she might get worse and she might not! as long as shes eating, dinking and "happy" id say its werth a try! good luck to you and your little chickies!