Limping Pullet

[RoseHawke]

P!nk has been limping for about a week now, reluctant to come down or up the ramp, and not really wanting to put weight on one of her legs. Of course, you usually think the first and worst ("OMG! Marek's!") Mr. RoseHawke is usually the one to let the girls out in the morning, and they're usually already in their coop when I shut and lock the door at dusk. However, this morning the Mr. slept in a bit, so I let them out. Everyone came down the ramp except P!nk. This gave me a chance to (more or less,) gently grab the girl and examine the leg in question.

No swelling I could feel, nor heat, and no noticeable wounds, but her stifle (knee) joint definitely pops some when manipulated, so, assuming it's not genetic she has somehow managed to hurt herself.

Is there anything I can do for this? The only thing I can think of is to separate her out into a smaller area (their run is 16x18 feet,) maybe putting her into the brooder bin, but not sure if that would really do any good. Can't hurt I suppose except possibly for having to re-introduce her assuming it even works.

Anyone else ever deal with something like this?

 

[MarlaMac]

Does the tendon pop in and out of position when you manipulate the leg?

How old is P!nk?

What is her diet?

 

[RoseHawke]

Does the tendon pop in and out of position when you manipulate the leg?

How old is P!nk?

What is her diet?

It might do, although I didn't want to mess with it too much. P!nk is just at 3 months, and they're fed Purina Organic Starter/Grower from TS with a bit of Cluck & Co. Organic scratch usually every day along with the occasional handful of dried mealworms. She seems to be eating and drinking fine.

 

[MarlaMac]

Having waited a week to address the issue, correcting (if it is a slipped tendon) may prove to be difficult.

Here is a link to get you started, but I would search on this site and on the internet in general about how to fix such issues.

http://bcpoultryhobbyfarmingnetwork.weebly.com/fix-slipped-tendon.html

There is a lot of knowledge out there and people on this forum very kindly share their knowledge.

I will tag one person who seems to know a lot about such issues. Perhaps they can get you moving in the right direction.

@Eggcessive can you help?

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you post a picture of her from the front or back with her legs side by side standing (hold her if necessary) and get it at eye level if possible? The link in the last post is good for slipped tendons in baby chicks. Leg injuries do occur, and Mareks symptoms could show up by 3 months old. Does she hold the leg up, or put it down and try to walk on it? Is she using her wings to balance? Can you see any swelling or green bruising along the leg or foot? A video of her walking uploaded to YouTube or a similar site might help.

 

[RoseHawke]

 

[MarlaMac]

She is beautiful. I hope she gets well.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did you check for any green bruising or swelling? I would try to limit her activity so that she is not jumping on or off the roost, or running around. A wire dog crate with food and water set near the other chickens can be a good way to limit her and also make her not afraid. I hope that it is just a sprain.

 

[RoseHawke]

Did you check for any green bruising or swelling? ...

None that I could see or feel. I think limiting her activity is really the only thing I can do.