Leg injury?

[Icantraisechickenshelp]

Aww! Sorry for your chick.

It's probably a sprain or injury, as said. Some chicks can get that, so don't worry! Maybe use a chick chair if it's really bad?

 

[AMaggio]

Thanks all, she was in a container with 10 other chicks. They were overdue to be put outside but we had some extreme tempuratures and i opted to keep them in this week, so its more crowded than it shou d be. Their. Rooder has a lid on it so they dont hop out. The highest they can go is only about a foot tall. Right now she's isolated with one other docile chick because these guys get really excited by movement and i'm guess that thus one got trampled or steppec on. Found her on her back the night before last and figured she was just being quirky but yesterday morning i noticed her acting oddly and thats when i noticed her symtoms. I don't think its a curled toe issue anymore i think its her leg or hip. After watching her with the other chick i noticed she ant curl her first joint under her to walk so i think she curled her toes as a makeshift peg leg. Even when she does bring her leg under her the hip bone pretrudes from her back. I'll get a picture of that in a moment.

To answer all those questions:

right now she's with one chick she was with 10 others.
They're all on organic starter non-medicated along with three duckling
No one else is showing symptoms
Highest reachable point is no more and a foot and a little.
They are not getting additional treat, i save that for when they're outside which was supposed to be today...

 

[AMaggio]

In these pictures you can see her femur that connects to he pelvic bone sticking up. The other leg differs m doesn't do that. Im wondering if there's something wrong with a joint that she can't bend it enough.

 

[AMaggio]

Oh and just to specify, this only happens when she sits. It's not picking through the skin i just moved the feathers for a better look

 

[21hens-incharge]

Feel her hip and compare to a non limping chick.
Is there a difference?

It looks possibly dislocated.

 

[AMaggio]

It does look dislocated and i was worried about that too, but i dont think it is because there isn't a difference between the hips or legs. Nothing is hot to the touch either. I took her to TSC to ask the associates and they said it's likely a sprain from being at the bottom of a chicken pile. He watched her walk and since she's still eating and drinking he was confident it's a sprain.

 

[AMaggio]

I'm almost certain it is the joint that connects the tibia to the femur. If I put her on her back I can bend it but she can't put weight on it without stumbling. Not sure how I can strengthen it at the moment I'm still researching that. For now, I've put her in a cat crate and am keeping the boot on her so that she doesn't develop curled toes. She's in confinement with a hen that got a little beat up during a mounting situation gone wrong. I'm hoping they keep each other company while they both recover enough to go back outside. I have the chick on an ACV/honey/water just to boost her immune system as a precaution. She won't eat the eggs I gave her but I'm planning to get her some B12 at the store to help with recovery. Thanks to all who gave me advice. I'll keep posting updates and if anyone has additional advice please feel free to share.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would remove the ACV and honey from the water. Vitamin B complex would be more helpful than B12, which is B 12 alone, not 12 types of B. B Complex tablets have all B vitamins thiamine, rivoflavin, niacin, etc, which are helpful for many things including legs. Honey may give her diarrhea. You can find Poultry Cell at TSC which has B and other vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes, and a little molasses. I hope she gets better.

 

[AMaggio]

Just a quick update. I had her on b12 but then someone suggested b complete. I did some research and found you can give animals the same b complete they make for humans and i found one at Costco that has electrolytes in it too. She's been on that for a good 18hrs and we're still seeing improvement. She's still curl toed on one foot but she is trying to open it when she sits. She's also stopped sitting oddly and is keeping her legs bend and feet underneath her rather than splayed out like they were. When she walks she stumbles because of her curled toe but she can get into sitting position on her own now instead of laying on her back waiting for help. She wants to roost so bad, i feel bad for her, but at least she's making progress.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you can straighten her toes flat, you can tape them on the bottom and top in place which can help her straighten them. Do not force the toes open though, just do it if she will straighten them.