Need Help Asap

[Mike32]

My RIR pullet has a hurt leg. I just went out to check on them and saw her limping around. She's still able to move around quickly because it took me awhile to catch her but it looks awful. She is 5 weeks old and I need to know what to do. Is there anything I can do? Can she be saved? I hate to put her down because she is still moving like nothing is wrong but I don't want her to be in pain later on down the road. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[sred98]

OOOWWW!!!!

Just want to keep this at the top in case anyone has any ideas.

Good luck!

Shelly

 

[thechickenchick]

Oh no! I am sorry I can't offer any advice, but someone will be able to help soon. Hnag in there.

 

[chickensioux]

Wow! That looks painful for sure. Is she bearing weight on it? It could be a break or a very severe sprain. Either way I would take her to the vet and if you want to treat it yourself, I would very carefully put it in its proper position and split it. Make the splint out of popsicle sticks covered in gauze and use vetwrap around the splint and leg. Keep her up in a confined space to keep her as quiet and still as possible. Make sure that she continues to eat and drink for you too. Offer special treats if she does not.
If she has broken her leg up at the hip area, she needs vet care.
She definately needs to be confined.
Good luck and maybe someone else can add to this.

 

[TheMatador]

I'm really sorry Mike. That's tough.

I'm no chicken expert and certainly not a veterinarian, but I am a paramedic. That looks like a dislocated knee to me which in a human is very serious injury. Again, were talking humans here, but if not realigned and taken care of the limb is in jeopardy and shortly after the whole patient. I suspect she's running on adrenaline and will start to look sick/like she's hurting soon.

I hope someone else can chime in and let you know if there's any way to deal with it but I suspect putting her down might be your only option.

If it helps at all, I JUST put down a hen I discovered was injured this afternoon. So I know how you're feeling.

 

[mypicklebird]

From the photos- it looks like she has a pelvic or hip fracture/dislocation, or a femoral fracture, or her knee/stifle is severely injured (fracture/dislocation). I can see her foot and hock, but they are backwards. This is not a splintable injury. These structures are too high and buried under muscle/skin in the chicken. This is unlikely to heal well on it's own, and the leg will be poorly or non functional. Standard chickens are too heavy (in general) to do well one-legged, and will usually get problems with the other leg if they have to bear all of the weight on it. I would recommend cull, if you cannot get this diagnosed (x-ray) and repaired by a vet.

 

[Mike32]

I hate to ask but what is the easiest and fastest way to cull her if I can't get her to the vet?

 

[missfitch]

ouch, I have heard beheading is the fastest way, no matter what you do, Im sorry this happened, makes ya wonder.....What did happen!

 

[Elite Silkies]

I would try some vet wrap first and brace it real good. Wrap it around her belly and around the leg. Do not wrap the knee part or she probably will not use the leg. Then go below the knee and wrap it there. You might want to prop her up somewhere.

PM aHappychick, she just wrapped hers and made him a box to use. See if she can send you some pics.