Is my hen in pain?

[Mark Whatley]

One of my 2-year old buff Orpingtons has for some time had a strange limping gait. She is often mean towards me and will sometimes attack and peck me in the run. While the other two girls are sweet and docile and have their soft squeaks and murmurs, Lucy makes what sounds like growling noises. She has not laid an egg in about 3 months. She is slow out of the coop in the morning and has taken to sleeping in a nest box, I think because jumping down off the roost is painful. She eats and drinks fine and enjoys the yogurt treats. I don’t want her to live with pain. I’m hoping someone here can share any ideas or experience you have had with something like this.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

How long has she been limping? Check her favored leg for injuries, and if you're unsure of how the leg should feel, compare to her good leg. First feel for swelling as you gently run your fingers over her thigh and down her shank. If no swelling, repeat process, but do it a little firmer (but not too hard). You're feeling for anything unusual and looking for your hen's reaction. She should either squawk and/or try getting her leg away from you. This will hopefully help you find out what is wrong. She may have a minor injury that may be taken awhile to heal. Best thing to do is keep her on flat, solid ground, unless you can set her up so she can't be on her feet.

 

[Mark Whatley]

Thanks for your reply and suggestion. She’s been limping like this for at least a year. I will check her over this morning. She also needs a bath.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Thanks for your reply and suggestion. She’s been limping like this for at least a year. I will check her over this morning. She also needs a bath.

A year? Then I'd say it's something permanent. If she's been fairing, then I'll say she's fine. There's probably nothing you can do now that it's been a year. I highly doubt she's in any pain, unless there's any new injuries. She may have had a bad injury back then, and has healed up wrong.