Limping pullet with swollen hock

[ChickenChaser13]

These were taken a month ago, but her hock looks the same today.

 

[ChickenChaser13]

Here's some videos I took this morning of her trying to stand and walk.

 

[Eggcessive]

I’m sorry that she is still lame. I am not sure that she will improve since she has no diagnosis. You might want to chicken sling chairs to see if one of those might help her be able to be more upright and easier to eat and drink with bowls close to the sling. Or she might feel comfortable in a wire dog crate around the other chickens outside where they like to hang out. Here is a link for chicken slings, and look at posts 5, 11-14 especially:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

 

[Kbragg35]

Coming back here for more advice. Unfortunately, my pullet's condition has not changed, for better or worse. Her left hock is still as swollen as the above pictures, though the greenish bruising is gone. She has been in crate rest for over two months. All she does is sit all day. When I take her out and set her on the ground, it seems she cannot bend her swollen hock at all and uses her left wing to balance while elevating her left leg until she can stabilize herself to sit down. When she sits, I notice she lays her left leg flush with the ground so she doesn't bend her joint.

In terms of her attitude, she seems very content. She does not appear to be in major pain or suffering. She eats, drinks, poops just fine and lays around 4 eggs a week. Some times, I'll take her out of the cage and bring her to the dust bathing area and she happily attempts to bathe herself, though she has a little difficulty with her gimp leg. I would love to let her out of the cage for a day, but the other chickens kind of bully her and peck at her comb, and it's not like she would be doing anything different than sitting like she does in the cage. But I hate to see her living her life in that cage rather than being with the others free-ranging. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Any update on your hen? Going through the exact same thing with my 18 week old pullet.

 

[ChickenChaser13]

Any update on your hen? Going through the exact same thing with my 18 week old pullet.

Hi @Kbragg35. Sorry to hear about your pullet. Has she shown any improvement at all?

My hen's condition remains the same, unfortunately. No better or worse. Her hock is still swollen and does not seem to be getting any smaller. I don't have her in the cage anymore. She is free to move about in the coop and she does, albeit slowly and awkward. She doesn't seem to be suffering. She still lays eggs and eats and drinks good. I make sure to provide a separate container of feed and water so she has access to it. She never leaves the coop (though all of my chickens currently don't either because the gnats are so bad outside now). I will bring her outside on nice days to enjoy the sunshine and take a good dust bath.

I still have no clue what happened to cause this. My initial thoughts when this first started was Marek's or a type of Mycoplasma, so I'm thankful it's not either of those. Nothing seems to be broke and the tendon isn't out of place. She can move her leg but she refuses to bend her joint. I'm inclined to think it was something she was born with and either I didn't notice it or it became worse as she grew. She was hatched and raised by a broody so I never handled her as a chick. I guess I'll never know unless I bring her to a vet but there is no chicken vet near me. At this point, her leg is how it is and all I can do is supportive care. Hopefully, your pullet will make a full recovery!

 

[Kbragg35]

Hi @Kbragg35. Sorry to hear about your pullet. Has she shown any improvement at all?

My hen's condition remains the same, unfortunately. No better or worse. Her hock is still swollen and does not seem to be getting any smaller. I don't have her in the cage anymore. She is free to move about in the coop and she does, albeit slowly and awkward. She doesn't seem to be suffering. She still lays eggs and eats and drinks good. I make sure to provide a separate container of feed and water so she has access to it. She never leaves the coop (though all of my chickens currently don't either because the gnats are so bad outside now). I will bring her outside on nice days to enjoy the sunshine and take a good dust bath.

I still have no clue what happened to cause this. My initial thoughts when this first started was Marek's or a type of Mycoplasma, so I'm thankful it's not either of those. Nothing seems to be broke and the tendon isn't out of place. She can move her leg but she refuses to bend her joint. I'm inclined to think it was something she was born with and either I didn't notice it or it became worse as she grew. She was hatched and raised by a broody so I never handled her as a chick. I guess I'll never know unless I bring her to a vet but there is no chicken vet near me. At this point, her leg is how it is and all I can do is supportive care. Hopefully, your pullet will make a full recovery!

Sorry to hear that your hen remains the same. There is no change with ours either and we are in the same boat as far as being near a vet. We are going on 3 weeks, it’s like her leg is stuck in the bent position. She has feeling and hops around, but appears no closer to putting weight on that leg. Her hock is still swollen as well. She is still separated in the coop close to her food and water. She eats and drinks well and has normal poop. Just wondering if she had some nerve damage that is causing it. We have tried everything and anything under the sun, short of driving a long way to a vet that will treat chickens if this is even treatable. Thank you for getting back to me!!

 

[Eggcessive]

@ChickenChaser13 sorry that your pullet’s hock remains swollen and she is still not able to walk normally. It sounds like she can get around well enough to get food and water, and that you have taken good care of her.