Limping hen

[nicole9024]

My 24 week old Leghorn hen is limping today. Do I separate her out ? Or Do I let her stay with her flock? She is still active and eating/drinking normally. I’m just worried about her getting down from the roosting area in the morning. Any suggestions ?

 

[sloanbychoice]

Check her foot carefully and check the bottom of it for injury or bumblefoot.

 

[Isaac 0]

Sometimes it's best to go ahead and put the hen in a soft padded area, which reduces her mobility to the point where she can't reinjure the leg as compared to just wandering around the run where she can make the problem worse.

A video of the hen limping would be good, but if it happened overnight, I would be inclined to think she sprained or strained the leg, which can sometimes happen when they get off the perch or get their leg caught on something. Bumblefoot could also be a possibility, so it would be good to check her foot pads for any lesions or swelling and check her legs to make sure they bend properly and see if the leg affected is warmer compared to the other one.

Just as a basic treatment for a sprain/strain, you can keep the hen situated in her own little soft padded pen area, with feed and water. Soaking the leg in Epsom salts may help reduce swelling and warmness. Administering vitamins, specifically riboflavin (B2) can help with leg health as well.

While there are things you can do, a lot of the time, rest is the ultimate cure.

Regarding the leg band on her leg, have you made sure it's not too tight? Having something like that on her foot could greatly increase the chance of her getting her foot caught in the wire, and subsequently injuring her foot.