Need advice - Adult hen became lame 10 days ago, no signs of injury

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I had a hen that started limping a few months ago, no injuries or anything visible. I left her with the flock for a handful of days thinking a possible sprain, but she wasn't getting any better. So I put her in the house in a dog crate for about 4-5 days and it did the trick for her and she was fine.
 
Thanks for the suggestion of confinement Eggcessive. I will try this. Casportpony, I've never seen or experienced a slipped tendon, yet, and have only found posts about chicks with this problem, not adults. Since there is no swelling, I'll rule that out. While I think a proper exam is within my realm of experience with 18 years of emergency response, I won't claim to know the fixes on the anatomy or physiology of a chicken without at least personally seeing the injury once. Thank you for the skeletal diagram. That is definitely useful and helpful information.

Yes, I've checked her entire body for injuries/swelling but find nothing. She is definitely trying not to apply pressure to the leg, hopping on one leg or simply laying still.

At this point I think I'll try confinement, soft splinting and supplements. Thanks for all the responses everyone. I mean that.
 
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FWIW, last week I found a hen that had a fractured tibia. I thought about splinting it, but decided not to since one must immobilize the joints above and below the fracture with animals or the splints do more harm than good. She's been in my bathroom since and the fracture site has a nice big lump of calcium on it now. I guess what I'm trying to say is that your hen might be better off not splinted since you don't know where the problem is.

Here is a link that has splinting info:
http://theiwrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Duerr_Splinting_Manual_2010.pdf

Here are some *excellent* online books on avian medicine:
(Harrison/ Lightfoot)

sidebar-clinical-avian-medicine.jpg

Clinical Avian Medicine

Greg Harrison, DVM, Dipl ABVP-Avian, Dipl ECAMS and Teresa Lightfoot, DVM, Dipl ABVP-Avian, have compiled the expertise and experience of 50 international contributing authors (and 50 reviewers) to produce an extraordinary two-volume reference, with over 1000 pages of text and over 1300 color images, for veterinarians and other avian health professionals.
The purpose of the book Clinical Avian Medicine is to provide some highlights of emerging thoughts, techniques and procedures that are currently being assimilated into avian practice.
These are printable .pdf's: Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader
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for free


Avian Medicine: Principles and Applications

Avian Medicine: Principles and Applications
Ritchie, Harrison and Harrison
This highly regarded was developed to provide a definitive reference text that blends the science of health with the art of clinical medicine.
By applying the information presented in the book, the competent avian practitioner will be able to effectively provide the highest quality care for his patients and guide the companion bird client or aviculturist in implementing and effective preventative health programme. Less experienced practitioners can learn basic evaluation, support and surgical techniques while developing an expanded understanding of advanced procedures that can be performed by specialists in avian medicine and surgery.
Avian Medicine: Principles and Application is the essential reference and the most comprehensive why to, when to and how to guide for companion and aviary bird management, medicine and surgery.
These are printable .pdf's: Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader
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for free


Good luck!
Kathy
 
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To check for a slipped tendon,run your thumb down back of leg from hock to shank,press down,if tendon has slipped you will feel it snap back into place. I have successfully treated this in an adult rooster.
 

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