Limping chicken, no signs of injury, no swelling or heat! What should I do?

[ChickenLoverGia]

My less than a year old chicken is limping. It has been about 4 days since I noticed but I was waiting for it to get better . There is no visible wound or swelling or heat around her whole leg. She hops around and tries not to put any weight on it. She is still eating and drinking fine but not active. What can I do other than take her to a vet? Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Check it for broken bones. If none found that it will take time for sprains and strains to heal. You may want to restrict her movement's so she's not constantly making it worse. If you decide to separate make sure it's where she still can be seen. I personally just let them be unless they are being picked on or having problems.

 

[ChickenLoverGia]

I have felt her leg and she has nothing out of place, or unusual. I’m pretty sure that she doesn’t have any broken bones. As of now she only gets up to eat and drink and nobody is picking on her, so I have just been letting her do her own thing and not really interfering! Thanks!

 

[micstrachan]

I have a one-year-old Speckled Sussex who has limped for several months. At first, I separated her in a grow out coop/pen within the larger run to let her rest. She improved significantly. Then one day I let them free range almost all day and she was limping again the next day. She has limped on and off ever since, but has a good life. I think part of the problem is that she is lower in the pecking order and sometimes rushes off to get out of the way of a higher ranked hen. She only limps when she runs. My point is, forced rest will probably help her, but don't worry too much, as she can get along with a limp if it persists. Did you check the bottom of her foot for bumblefoot?

 

[Chullicken]

One of my Links suddenly came down with a severe limp to the point she could only walk a foot or so before resting. I ended up putting her into her very own dog kennel cage with plenty of bedding material, a dark corner and all the things to make her life easier. Lots of vitamin-rich foods. At first, I had the leg splinted with Vet Tape and first aid patch on the pad of her foot as I thought maybe it was bumblefoot. I could not find what the issue was, assumed it was perhaps my rooster got her with his spur. She improved over several weeks at which time she was given limited and supervised outside time as she improved. She improved after a few weeks and was reintroduced..saddly only to die of internal hemorrhaging a few months later.