Yesterday morning, a wooden plank used as a ramp to the hen house fell on one of my hen's legs and cut it. She was limping, and would lay down, but she didn't seem in too much danger. This morning, I went out and saw that she was laying down. When I went to catch her, she jumped up and (holding her leg up) hopped away on one leg as fast as she could. She looks kind of exhausted (panting and laying around) and she's not able to compete with the other hens for the food.
I picked her up and and examined her foot. Her leg is cut pretty high, but it's scabbing over and doesn't seem infected. However, her foot is very swollen. She won't walk on it, and it feels warm to the touch. She pecks me when I touch her leg, so I know it hurts pretty bad.
^^ The cut; you can see how swollen her foot is compared to the other. Sorry about the webcam quality.^^
Any suggestions? Is this a big deal, or will her leg eventually heal on its own? I have 9 other golden sex link hens the same age that came from the same feed store - they don't seem to be bullying her. I also have a much older Ameraucana (I think - she's adopted from a friend) hen who is obviously higher in the pecking order, but she doesn't seem to be bullying the hurt hen either. The rooster seems oblivious to it all.
I'm worried for the poor thing, but I don't want to traumatize her worse by separating her from the flock unnecessarily and causing her pain by trying to treat her wound (which - I wouldn't even know how to go about that, any guidance)?
I picked her up and and examined her foot. Her leg is cut pretty high, but it's scabbing over and doesn't seem infected. However, her foot is very swollen. She won't walk on it, and it feels warm to the touch. She pecks me when I touch her leg, so I know it hurts pretty bad.
^^ The cut; you can see how swollen her foot is compared to the other. Sorry about the webcam quality.^^
Any suggestions? Is this a big deal, or will her leg eventually heal on its own? I have 9 other golden sex link hens the same age that came from the same feed store - they don't seem to be bullying her. I also have a much older Ameraucana (I think - she's adopted from a friend) hen who is obviously higher in the pecking order, but she doesn't seem to be bullying the hurt hen either. The rooster seems oblivious to it all.
I'm worried for the poor thing, but I don't want to traumatize her worse by separating her from the flock unnecessarily and causing her pain by trying to treat her wound (which - I wouldn't even know how to go about that, any guidance)?
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