My hen is limping really bad!

[Chicks Galore3]

my 17 week old gold star is limping really bad! Usually she is a bit skittish, but today she didn't move, let me pick her up, and sat on my lap. When i got some oats, she stood up and gulped it down, but wouldn't move to go to them. I don't think she is sick. her leg looks identical to the other gold stars in my flock. I felt the leg, and i don't think anything is broken. what do you think it is? leg mites? Do you think i should put her in a box of solitude and watch her closely? is there ANYTHING i can do?

 

[TwoCrows]

Have you inspected the bottom of the pad for puncture wounds?? Feel the foot joint, the hock, the entire foot and leg, and compare the heat to the other foot/leg. If you can see no obvious injury, she may have pulled a muscle. If this is the case, you need to confine her to a small cage so she has limited movement for a week or two or when she heals. Keep feed and water nearby so she doesn't too much room to move around and can heal up what ever she pulled. You can let her out when she is no longer limping.

 

[zazouse]

I see this alot, it is usually from them landing the wrong way.
Just make sure she is getting plenty to eat and drink just in case the other start to bully her.
I bet she will be fine, i have 2 limping right now,course i got 100's of birds here so it is not an uncommon thing for me to see.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

i haven't checked for puncture wounds, i will. and come to think of it, another bird is limping to. so you think i should confine them both?

 

[TwoCrows]

Inspect these limping chickens. If they have no obvious injuries, it might not hurt to confine them both if it is really bad. If you have a really high roost bar, you might want to lower it as well.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

my first roost is 1 foot up, then the second is another foot, and the third is another foot also.
and, the one chicken is limping BAD, the other is just slightly.

 

[janinepeters]

Google pictures of bumblefoot, and check your birds' feet to see if that's what it is. There is a lot of info here and on other sites about how to treat.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

phew, it's not bumblefoot! I am making a box. does it matter where i put it? in the house, coop, barn, basement?

 

[Judy]

Reintegration will be easier if you keep them within sight and sound of each other.

There are a number of possible causes. I hope it is just some sort of sprain or strain. They can get an infection in the hip joint or any number of things.

This is an excellent article about leg and foot problems in birds:

https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

 

[Chicks Galore3]

thank you! me and my dad are going to build a little "infirmary" near the coop, so it will be eaiser to put it back in the flock and so it will be eaiser to take care of it along with the rest of the chickens.