Limping Pullet

[britinpa]

Here's Jenny, she is the lowest in pecking order - she appears smaller then the others, but she doesn't look underfed (and she has stumpier legs).
This morning I noticed her limping a bit, and also sitting on the ground. I let her out of the run on her own, while I was with her, for about half an hour. She seemed to enjoy this and was picking about for a bit. This afternoon when I went out there she was sitting around again on the ground, so I have decided to bring her into the garage for the evening (she's not too happy about it). I've checked her feet, and can't really see anything that might be bothersome. I'm wondering whether she hurt herself when jumping down from the roost this morning. My husband also pointed out that her crown looked like it has been pecked (back of crown at base)- this might have happened while she was sitting around today, though not too sure, as it's not too easy to spot.
I have her in this dog crate, though not sure whether it's ideal as the bottom is a bit slippy, and the bedding will just come out the sides if I add more. My husband has also put a small roost bar in there, though not sure whether this is a good idea either as it will encourage her to jump with a sore leg. Shall I take it out? Any suggestions about what I might do from now on - I don't want her being away from the others for too long.

 

[Mrs. K]

Personally, I would put her back. Separating birds can cause a lot of problems. As long as she can walk, and the other birds are not attacking her, I would leave with her flock.

A lowest chicken can loose the their placing so fast. Keep an eye on her, make sure she is getting feed.

Mrs K

 

[britinpa]

Personally, I would put her back. Separating birds can cause a lot of problems. As long as she can walk, and the other birds are not attacking her, I would leave with her flock.

A lowest chicken can loose the their placing so fast. Keep an eye on her, make sure she is getting feed.

Mrs K

I don't think she will be able to jump up on the roost bar in the coop. Will she be okay to sleep on the ground. She really was hopping around slowly on that leg today and didn't seem to want to move around too much, and just thought this makes her vulnerable

 

[Mrs. K]

As long as she is in the coop and is safe from predators, I would not worry about her being on the roost or not. She can sleep on the floor for a few days. Although, I would be surprised if she doesn't roost. The urge to roost is pretty strong.

I have never had one hurt this way, (and my roosts are high) and you are there looking at the problem, I am not. But again, if you separate them, it can be the very devil to get a lower pecking order bird BACK into the flock. A real nightmare. I think she will do just fine in the coop, unless they are really pecking on her, and attacking her.

Mrs K

 

[britinpa]

As long as she is in the coop and is safe from predators, I would not worry about her being on the roost or not. She can sleep on the floor for a few days. Although, I would be surprised if she doesn't roost. The urge to roost is pretty strong.

I have never had one hurt this way, (and my roosts are high) and you are there looking at the problem, I am not. But again, if you separate them, it can be the very devil to get a lower pecking order bird BACK into the flock. A real nightmare. I think she will do just fine in the coop, unless they are really pecking on her, and attacking her.

Mrs K

I put her back in the coop just before dusk, she went out to the run for a drink then went into the coop with the rest of them. She did jump up on the roost. I watched for a while and the girl next to her pecked at her head, so I removed that one and she jumped up elsewhere. I'm going out right at dawn , so they're not in the coop any longer than they have to be tomorrow. Think I will be setting my alarm early every morning from now on. I took this photo of her head just before I put her back - it looks scabbed up.

 

[rosemarythyme]

No need to get up early. Those scabs aren't bad. Roost rumbles are normal and I wouldn't interfere unless someone is getting noticeably injured or prevented from roosting.

I have a hen with a gimpy leg right now and I suspect it's from a bad landing off the roost. She still roosts every night, but we go in after dark and manually move her to a lower roost to make the jump easier the next day. Otherwise she's not getting bothered by the other birds at all so no reason to separate her, other than a few minutes in the morning to give her a chance to eat in peace.

 

[aart]

I've had a couple heavy limpers, sometimes they need 'forced' rest, most the time not.
Keep in mind that it can take weeks for the limp to fully go away.


If limp is really bothering them by inhibiting their normal activities too much, I will isolate them in a crate to 'force' rest for a day or two. Letting them out late in day, an hour before roost time, to give them a stretch and evaluate their mobility, then decide if they need another day and put them back in crate off roost after dark. Repeat stretch and eval the next day until they are better. Keep crate in coop so bird can remain 'with' the flock.

Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Good on you for keeping such a close eye on her. Is she better today? It's hard to see in the pic: does she have feathered feet? Sometimes a foot feather will come in funky on a weight-bearing part of the foot, and they'll limp until it stops hurting.

If a chicken is otherwise vibrant/eating/drinking/laying/being sociable, I like to let them clear up issues on their own rather than separate or handle them a bunch. So far, our feather-foot issues have always cleared up in a few days with no intervention, but I know some people end up soaking feet or doing other fancy things.

 

[britinpa]

Thank you all for your comments. I did panic, but she isn't doing too bad, still limping but getting about. She is probably getting a bit more picked on than usual, (I think she looks a little downtrodden compared to the rest) but she doesn't have any added wounds from the picture that I posted above. She's not underweight, just generally smaller in size than the rest - she does eat and drink I'm certain (when she's not getting chased away). The only other thing I noticed is that her feathers are not as shiny as some of the others, so maybe she is not taking care of her self as much. My husband made a mobile roost that I have placed in the coop the last couple of evenings, but she hasn't used it, and still chooses to go up onto the main roost with the rest of them. I have been there at roosting time (tonight and last night) and she places herself right by the door against the wall, and she turns herself towards the side of coop so they can't peck her so easily - they have done it while I have been standing there watching. We're going to be going away for just over a week next Thurs. and I know I shall be really worried about her, but hopefully their carer for the week will be able to keep a close eye on her for us. My mother in law has loaned us a big dog crate, and she does have a smaller one too that will fit inside the coop if I decide to go that route.

No issues whatsoever over the winter, but since Spring has arrived, we have had (what I think is) some feather picking, though that appears to have stopped. Jenny's bad leg, and today when I went to collect the eggs it appeared that an egg had been eaten (amongst the eggs was a wet patch of pine flakes that had also gone through to the floor of the nesting box with no egg or shell to be found). I'm a little frustrated really - I'm even considering selling 3 of them, but haven't decided 100% yet (I know I would feel really bad about it).

 

[HiEverybirdy]

Thank you all for your comments. I did panic, but she isn't doing too bad, still limping but getting about. She is probably getting a bit more picked on than usual, (I think she looks a little downtrodden compared to the rest) but she doesn't have any added wounds from the picture that I posted above. She's not underweight, just generally smaller in size than the rest - she does eat and drink I'm certain (when she's not getting chased away). The only other thing I noticed is that her feathers are not as shiny as some of the others, so maybe she is not taking care of her self as much. My husband made a mobile roost that I have placed in the coop the last couple of evenings, but she hasn't used it, and still chooses to go up onto the main roost with the rest of them. I have been there at roosting time (tonight and last night) and she places herself right by the door against the wall, and she turns herself towards the side of coop so they can't peck her so easily - they have done it while I have been standing there watching. We're going to be going away for just over a week next Thurs. and I know I shall be really worried about her, but hopefully their carer for the week will be able to keep a close eye on her for us. My mother in law has loaned us a big dog crate, and she does have a smaller one too that will fit inside the coop if I decide to go that route.

No issues whatsoever over the winter, but since Spring has arrived, we have had (what I think is) some feather picking, though that appears to have stopped. Jenny's bad leg, and today when I went to collect the eggs it appeared that an egg had been eaten (amongst the eggs was a wet patch of pine flakes that had also gone through to the floor of the nesting box with no egg or shell to be found). I'm a little frustrated really - I'm even considering selling 3 of them, but haven't decided 100% yet (I know I would feel really bad about it).

Ugh, when it rains, it pours, especially when you're about to go out of town

With the egg situation, it's strange the shell would be all gone and that there are other unbothered eggs around. You may want to check vents in case somebody is having a laying problem--have you seen Jenny lay an egg? If she's having laying issues, it could maybe affect her ability to walk and make her look unkempt.

It's also possible she simply needs a good molt, and that the wet patch came from an egg they cleaned up or a weird poop. Chickens will eat broken eggs if they find them, but fortunately that doesn't make them bona fide egg eaters. Just egg-cleaner-uppers.

Funny, I found your thread because I'm headed out of town soon, and our Brahma, Peep, recently popped up with a limp. I'm pretty sure hers is a foot feather but always like to browse BYC for due diligence. Coincidentally, Peep's the only older hen who didn't molt last fall, and she looks such a mess. However, she's sociable and eating and laying, so we haven't had to do anything special except keep an eye on her.

I need to be extra secretive packing the car so they don't see me and try to figure out what other trouble they can get into