We had an "incident" a few weeks ago when one of our bantam pullets (about 3 months old) got spooked and flew over the fence to the neighbor's house. She sent her son out to catch the chicken & came got us to retrieve it.
By the time we got back there the boy had caught the chicken under a milk crate. To ensure the (8oz chicken) wouldn't escape, he (12 year old boy) was sitting on the milk crate. The poor chicken was screaming bloody murder because her foot was caught under the crate! I don't know what he was thinking.
The first few days she limped, but put the foot on the ground. Instead of getting better, she gradually just stopped using it. Now she holds the foot up almost constantly and doesn't try to walk on it. I can pick her up and feel all up and down her foot & leg, nothing seems broken or painful. She doesn't try to pull away or act like she is in pain when I move her leg around.
She gets around fine & free ranges with her bantam buddies, gets in and out of the coop & up on the normal roosts. I've seen her use the 'broken' foot to scratch her head, so she can control it.
She is growing & looking good, but I'm concerned that that foot looks like it is starting to curl and atrophy from lack of use. Is there anything I can do for her, or is this just the way she is going to be?
By the time we got back there the boy had caught the chicken under a milk crate. To ensure the (8oz chicken) wouldn't escape, he (12 year old boy) was sitting on the milk crate. The poor chicken was screaming bloody murder because her foot was caught under the crate! I don't know what he was thinking.
The first few days she limped, but put the foot on the ground. Instead of getting better, she gradually just stopped using it. Now she holds the foot up almost constantly and doesn't try to walk on it. I can pick her up and feel all up and down her foot & leg, nothing seems broken or painful. She doesn't try to pull away or act like she is in pain when I move her leg around.
She gets around fine & free ranges with her bantam buddies, gets in and out of the coop & up on the normal roosts. I've seen her use the 'broken' foot to scratch her head, so she can control it.
She is growing & looking good, but I'm concerned that that foot looks like it is starting to curl and atrophy from lack of use. Is there anything I can do for her, or is this just the way she is going to be?
