Leg injury, possibly broken or dislocated

[Chanchilla]

Just found my 4 week old chick limping, it's leg stuck out at a sharp angle, unable to use it. Seems to be the hock joint, which is swollen. No idea if it's broken, slipped a joint or dislocated. Vets near me won't see a farm animal.

I have Popsicle sticks and medical tape, maybe I can splint it? But do I try to splint it straight or bent? And how long do I leave it like that?

Any advice would be helpful, I'm sort of freaking out.

Chick is eating and drinking normally, but is hopping on one good leg

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you take a photo of him standing?

Were his legs perfectly fine and straight until now?

If the tendon is slipped, you should be able to feel that, compare it to the other healthy leg joint.

Sometimes leg deformities like Valgus Varus or Rotated/Twisted Tibia show up as birds mature, so you want to do your best to determine if it's slipped tendon, injury, or leg deformity before you splint. Leg deformities usually cannot be corrected. Slipped tendon is hard to correct, but worth a try.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ped-tendon-in-chickens.1483713/#post-27326038
https://theiwrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Duerr_Splinting_Manual_2010.pdf

 

[Chanchilla]

Can you take a photo of him standing?

Were his legs perfectly fine and straight until now?

If the tendon is slipped, you should be able to feel that, compare it to the other healthy leg joint.

Sometimes leg deformities like Valgus Varus or Rotated/Twisted Tibia show up as birds mature, so you want to do your best to determine if it's slipped tendon, injury, or leg deformity before you splint. Leg deformities usually cannot be corrected. Slipped tendon is hard to correct, but worth a try.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ped-tendon-in-chickens.1483713/#post-27326038
https://theiwrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Duerr_Splinting_Manual_2010.pdf

Thank you so much for the response. When I was attempting to splint the leg, the chick suddenly lurched and the entire leg shifted and turned from up in the hip area. The entire leg, from the hip, was dangling sideways, and it looked as if it had been broken or dislocated in multiple spots. It seemed to be in a lot of pain, and my own inexperience was only making things worse
I ended up culling. No idea if that was the right decision.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you so much for the response. When I was attempting to splint the leg, the chick suddenly lurched and the entire leg shifted and turned from up in the hip area. The entire leg, from the hip, was dangling sideways, and it looked as if it had been broken or dislocated in multiple spots. It seemed to be in a lot of pain, and my own inexperience was only making things worse
I ended up culling. No idea if that was the right decision.

I'm sorry.

You made the right decision.

 

[Cockadoodie]

Can you take a photo of him standing?

Were his legs perfectly fine and straight until now?

If the tendon is slipped, you should be able to feel that, compare it to the other healthy leg joint.

Sometimes leg deformities like Valgus Varus or Rotated/Twisted Tibia show up as birds mature, so you want to do your best to determine if it's slipped tendon, injury, or leg deformity before you splint. Leg deformities usually cannot be corrected. Slipped tendon is hard to correct, but worth a try.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ped-tendon-in-chickens.1483713/#post-27326038
https://theiwrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Duerr_Splinting_Manual_2010.pdf

Excellent info