Limping Hen - Help Please! *Good News = No Bumblefoot!* But...

[Louieandthecrew]

Hello,
My 10month old Barred Plymouth Rock hen has been limping for the past couple of days. It isn't a bad limp at all, but I'm beginning to become concerned. When she was about 4-5months old she had a terrible limp; so bad that I had to go to the coop every day, take her to the food and keep all of the other chickens away for about five-ten minutes, then do the same with the water because she couldn't walk. She slowly recovered, and I didn't notice a limp at all after wards, but now I'm beginning to wonder if she was injured again, or if she is just straining that same injury too much, and letting it slowly come back. It's barely even noticeable to some, but I can tell when I watch her walk that she has a limp.
It's her right leg that is supposedly injured. When she walks she has a quick, half-a-second step on the right leg, and then a longer pause on her left. It isn't like a loooooong, drawn-out pause on her left leg, but it is noticeable to me. Any advice?

Some information:
As terrible as it is, I have five roosters and two hens, she being one of the hens.
Roosters ages: Roo#1 - 1yr. 9mo.; Roo#2 and #3 - 10mo.; Roo#4 and #5 - 6mo.
Hens ages: Hen#1 - 1yr. 3mo.; Hen#2 (This is the one being spoken of) - 10mo.
Tell me if you think anything else is needed.

Thank you!
Louieandthecrew

PS. I am a female, Louie is my oldest roosters name, and the others are his 'crew'.

 

[chickbird]

Quote:
too many roosters for 2 hens.........................

 

[Louieandthecrew]

I know

I am going to sell three of them ASAP and I'm buying 15 Buff Orpington hens in the Spring.

 

[Judy]

With her history I doubt if it's bumblefoot, but you should check anyway; look for a dark place or sore on the bottom of her foot, if you're not familiar. It's quite treatable.

She would probably benefit from resting in a quiet place, but I hate to see her separated, because of the lowest in the pecking order thing. If the limp isn't causing them to peck her, I believe I'd leave her alone.

 

[Louieandthecrew]

Yes, none of the others are picking on her or anything, but I'll keep an eye on her and make sure she's alright. Do you know of anything else that could've happened though?

 

[Judy]

I would think the most likely cause is what's already been said, too many roos, being mated too much. But they can sprain or twist or strain or whatever, a leg or hip or ankle, fairly easily. Jumping off a high roost and landing funny can do it, especially if they don't have a lot of room to maneuver. Mine free range, will get startled by something simple like a songbird; wouldn't surprise me to see one come up lame. With her history this likely wouldn't take much; she probably has a weak knee or something already, maybe some scar tissue, maybe a tendon or ligament problem. And from their ages I'd say the heaviest mating hasn't been going on very long. You might have seen this if you had 20 pullets and one roo. She's a heavy breed and just now filling out to her adult size so this is the most weight she's put on the leg. It's just guesswork. Good chance that even a vet would not be certain.

I'm sure you'll take good care of her, again. Best of luck to both of you.

 

[Louieandthecrew]

Thank you

I'm almost positive your right. That is the most likely thing, I see, now that it has been explained

Thank you! I'm going to go to the coop today with my uncle (Who likes to take care of them when I'm away, he used to have chickens when he was little. Actually, he had Barred Rocks- just what my hen is!) and we are going to look at her leg and see if it's gotten better, worse, or just isn't anything to worry about anyways. I hope that you're right. If I can get a hold of her then I'll take a quick check for bumblefoot, but I doubt that that is the case. Thanks for any and all help so far!

(My coop - Doesn't really have any places high enough to fall and be hurt, or so I assume. :

And my pretty BR hen (Full body picture from two months ago) -

)

 

[Miss Lydia]

She is very pretty, can you move the roos your selling to another place so the girls can have a break?

 

[Louieandthecrew]

That'd be a good idea, but I really don't have another place for them.

 

[Louieandthecrew]

Hey guys!
So, I'm about to go see her again, and I've (with the help of many) come up with some ideas. BUT, if it's not as bad as I think, I'll just leave her as is.

Here's the list:
1.) Make a small, maybe 6ft. X 6ft., pen for both of the girls to go in during the day. Made wholly out of chicken wire.
2.) Put her in the old dog kennel, leaving the other hen with five roos.
3.) Put her in the old dog kennel WITH the other hen, leaving the five roos alone in the coop.

That's all I have so far. Any other ideas?