limping chicken. Help!

[Michelledav12]

Hello everyone,
I'm new to this site but could really do with some advice.
I have a 1 year old Pekin Bantam (Betty) that started limping three weeks ago. She won't bare any weight on her right foot at all and just hops everywhere. I took her to the vet a few days after i noticed it and she couldn't find any reason for the limp. No fracture, break, bumblefoot etc. I was advised to give her Meloxicam (Metacam), an anti-inflammatory, for 7 days and if no improvement, put her down. I gave her medicine for 7 days and no improvement but as she seemed good in herself and was still socialising, eating and drinking etc I didn't have the heart to put her down. So here we are, three weeks later, and still no improvement. She's taking to the coop a little more the last couple of days but will hop out for treats, she's not roosting at night, preferring to sleep in the nest box so I'm totally unsure of what to do. Any help or advice would be greatly welcome as I don't want her to be suffering x

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Since she is holding her leg up and hopping around, she may have a bad sprain. Do you see any bruising on her leg, swelling of the joints, or any scabs on the bottom of her foot pad? Did the vet xray her leg? I would put her in a crate with food and water, and place it with the other chickens in the coop and outside during the day. This would force her to rest the foot. It can take several weeks for bad sprains to heal. I would also put poultry vitamins and minerals in her water or food. Poultry Cell vitamins are good and you can use 2 ml per day on her food or in a treat. Is she eating a drinking normally? I think it would be fine to give her a chance to heal before putting her down, unless she is suffering. I have had hens limp and hold their legs up for 6-7 weeks, and then get okay. Another hen limped badly for almost 2 years without any other symptoms, but she was happy going up and down our yard to hang out with her friends. I finally put her down when she began losing a lot ofweight, and the other chickens began to peck her. Meloxicam can be used, but a low dose 81mg aspirin once or twice a day in a treat or given in the back of her throat can help with pain and inflammation.

 

[Michelledav12]

Thank you so much for the reassurance!

...

Welcome to BYC. Since she is holding her leg up and hopping around, she may have a bad sprain. Do you see any bruising on her leg, swelling of the joints, or any scabs on the bottom of her foot pad? Did the vet xray her leg? I would put her in a crate with food and water, and place it with the other chickens in the coop and outside during the day. This would force her to rest the foot. It can take several weeks for bad sprains to heal. I would also put poultry vitamins and minerals in her water or food. Poultry Cell vitamins are good and you can use 2 ml per day on her food or in a treat. Is she eating a drinking normally? I think it would be fine to give her a chance to heal before putting her down, unless she is suffering. I have had hens limp and hold their legs up for 6-7 weeks, and then get okay. Another hen limped badly for almost 2 years without any other symptoms, but she was happy going up and down our yard to hang out with her friends. I finally put her down when she began losing a lot ofweight, and the other chickens began to peck her. Meloxicam can be used, but a low dose 81mg aspirin once or twice a day in a treat or given in the back of her throat can help with pain and inflammation.

 

[Michelledav12]

Welcome to BYC. Since she is holding her leg up and hopping around, she may have a bad sprain. Do you see any bruising on her leg, swelling of the joints, or any scabs on the bottom of her foot pad? Did the vet xray her leg? I would put her in a crate with food and water, and place it with the other chickens in the coop and outside during the day. This would force her to rest the foot. It can take several weeks for bad sprains to heal. I would also put poultry vitamins and minerals in her water or food. Poultry Cell vitamins are good and you can use 2 ml per day on her food or in a treat. Is she eating a drinking normally? I think it would be fine to give her a chance to heal before putting her down, unless she is suffering. I have had hens limp and hold their legs up for 6-7 weeks, and then get okay. Another hen limped badly for almost 2 years without any other symptoms, but she was happy going up and down our yard to hang out with her friends. I finally put her down when she began losing a lot ofweight, and the other chickens began to peck her. Meloxicam can be used, but a low dose 81mg aspirin once or twice a day in a treat or given in the back of her throat can help with pain and inflammation.

 

[Michelledav12]

Thank you so much for the reassurance

The vet didn't x-ray her but checked everything she could without one and said she couldn't see/feel anything wrong. I haven't given any vitamins but that's a good idea, I shall go get some.
She's eating and drinking and doing everything else normally and the other girls have left her alone so far.
Thank you for your advice. I didn't realise when I got them last year that I'd get so attached and worry so much!