My hen is limping but she doesn't seem to have a wound fitting the reaction

[Sibruk]

(this is my first time posting so I'm sorry in advance if there are any problems)
Three days ago I noticed that one of my 10 month old hens seemed a little off.

When I went to give them their food that morning she was standing on top of one of my brooder boxes; looking a bit sulky
so I finished feeding and then went to check on her and happen to notice that she was holding her foot close to her body and when she tried to walk, she seemed to hesitate then slowly stretch her foot forward to place it down, only to instantly pull it back up after she placed any weight on it

So I took her inside and gave her a look over, the pads of her feet were fine and she didn't have any missing claws or anything, she had a very small scrape on her upper shank but it was very shallow and there was no blood nor any scabbing and she didn't seem to feel any pain there, but besides that there are no cuts or other abrasions anywhere else, I'm at a loss for what might be causing this, I thought maybe she could have been picked on but she's near the top of the pecking order if not at the top, could my rooster have jumped her and hurt her? She's currently in my bathroom in a dog crate but she spins in half circles trying to walk so I'm not sure what to do.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Welcome to BYC, you're for sure going to get to the bottom of it via the helpful peeps here!! You've heard of Bumblefoot, right? Have you ruled that out? Do you have a pic?

 

[Sibruk]

She doesn't seem to have bumble foot, her foot is a little pink though? I thought it might be a hip/thigh issue

 

[SandyRiverChick]

You're right I don't really see a bumble but everything looks swollen. It doesn't look like scaly mites either though. I'm going to tag some chicken experts to weigh in. I'm not as experienced with foot issues outside of bumblefoot. Thanks for providing a good pic!

@Wyorp Rock
@azygous
@Eggcessive
@casportpony

 

[Eggcessive]

How does the other foot look? It sounds like she injured her leg. I would make sure that she is not overusing it. Normally, when they are hurting they will be less active.

 

[azygous]

It appears to be superficial bruising and abrasion at this stage, but it certainly could progress to something more serious if staph bacteria isn't controlled.

This is how I treat such things. Soak the foot for ten to twenty minutes in warm Epsom salts and Betadine or some other disinfectant. This will remove bacteria and ease pain.

Then spray the foot several times a day with Vetericyn wound spray. If possible, restrain the chicken from unnecessary activity while still keeping her in the flock for her own sense of well being and so that she doesn't lose her rank in the social order.

Repeat the soak the second day if it appears she's still in pain, which would signal that there's still bacteria in the wound. Continue with the Vetericyn.

 

[WingsysRoost]

Hello and welcome to BYC. Glad to have you here.

To rule out a hip or thigh issue, I would check that there are no obvious issues - hips or thighs being uneven, swelling, bruising, anything like that. When she tries to walk, is she able to put any weight on it at all? Does the leg drag out to the side or behind her, or can she keep it under her? Does she have a previous history of hip or leg issues or did she seem to be walking fine before now?

That pink portion of her foot looks like it could be the beginning of bumblefoot. It can start out that way, with no visible scab, and I've definitely seen a few chickens where it looked like that. The way she's behaving also sounds like how some of mine did when they had it, before I started treatment. It definitely looks swollen regardless, so I would think that is most likely the reason why she is limping if there is no clear hip or leg issue otherwise. Does the other foot look the same? Even if it does, that doesn't necessarily rule out bumblefoot since it can happen in both feet, but it might provide some clues about what's going on.

For bumblefoot, the treatment that works best for me is to soak the foot in warm water with Epsom salts at least once a day for 15-20 minutes. This will help with any swelling, inflammation, or infection that may be there. (I usually add 1 drop each of tea tree, lavender, and oregano essential oils to the soak as well, but that isn't required.)

 

[Wyorp Rock]

she had a very small scrape on her upper shank but it was very shallow

Can you post photos of both her feet, the tops/front of them and the scrape on her upper shank?

 

[Sibruk]

To rule out a hip or thigh issue, I would check that there are no obvious issues - hips or thighs being uneven, swelling, bruising, anything like that. When she tries to walk, is she able to put any weight on it at all? Does the leg drag out to the side or behind her, or can she keep it under her? Does she have a previous history of hip or leg issues or did she seem to be walking fine before now?)

(sorry for the delay) Her hips don't look uneven and I didn't see any bruising, there looks to be no swelling either, as for the way she walks, when I first found her; she kept her foot close to her body but would stretch it in front of her when she'd take a step but would put pressure on it for as little time as possible, but now she stands on both feet and when she walks( I've been trying to keep her from unnecessarily walking but she insists on moving around in her crate) she lifts it and hops using her remaining foot. She's never had any health issues before this. For now I'm giving her epsom soaks twice a day but if I should bump those numbers up let me know

 

[Sibruk]

Can you post photos of both her feet, the tops/front of them and the scrape on her upper shank?

I'm not currently home but here's the picture I snagged of the scrape (as of now it's fully closed)but by the time I snapped one it had already scabbed over.