newly lame chicken

[llnmaw]

she is 16 weeks old and been in seemingly excellent health.

We have a set of 3 older hens and the 3 16 weekers all in the run. It was a reasonably smooth transition and the babies have learned to stay out of the way of the 'boss'. It is not unusual to hear some noise though, but today it was louder and more frequent. Someone was being chased much of the day.

Around 5 this evening I found my chicken limping and working hard to stay out of the way.

I isolated her in a bunny cage hoping that resting her leg she would heal. Figured she just got injured while trying to get out of trouble.

Just now (4 hours later), I went to lock everyone up and she can no longer bear any weight!! She flapped out her wings trying to gain some balance and then plopped down. I put her back in the bunny cage for the night.

What should I be looking for?? She seems healthy in every other way......

~L.

 

[chirpingcricket]

she is 16 weeks old and been in seemingly excellent health.

We have a set of 3 older hens and the 3 16 weekers all in the run. It was a reasonably smooth transition and the babies have learned to stay out of the way of the 'boss'. It is not unusual to hear some noise though, but today it was louder and more frequent. Someone was being chased much of the day.

Around 5 this evening I found my chicken limping and working hard to stay out of the way.

I isolated her in a bunny cage hoping that resting her leg she would heal. Figured she just got injured while trying to get out of trouble.

Just now (4 hours later), I went to lock everyone up and she can no longer bear any weight!! She flapped out her wings trying to gain some balance and then plopped down. I put her back in the bunny cage for the night.

What should I be looking for?? She seems healthy in every other way......

~L.

Hopefully it's not broken, just sprained. Look her over in the morn.
I would give her extra protein, canned cat food, canned tuna/salmon and hard boiled crushed eggs for calcium to boost healing...hydrate her well, sugar water, pedialyte or Sprite mixed half with water to give her an energy boost. Keep her calm and still over the next few days to monitor recovery.

Do you have safe areas within the pen that the younger ones can access without the older ones following? like an old bench, a few concrete blocks lined up in a corner that they can crawl through or under something to hide? A 5 gallon bucket placed on it's side so they can get to it out of harms way?

Also, good idea to have separate/add'l water/feeding areas until the young chicks can brave meal times with the older chicks. This may take a few weeks, helps if you can be out their to give the older chick a poke/peck on the head if it's getting too aggressive. If necessary, remove the most agressive hen a day or two and she will have to come back to a new pecking order, etc.

Hope this helps, keep us posted!

 

[llnmaw]

I appreciate the thoughts! The problem is that is she is much worse than just a sprained leg.

She cannot bear any weight at all on either of her legs.

The dramatic shift in her condition is what prompted my post. I thought she had taken a little beating today and injured her leg in the getaway. She just needed some time to rest her limpy leg. But it seems much worse than that. I did notice at some point in the day her tail was being carried low and not perky as usual. I was not sure if the commotion I was hearing was indeed this chicken or not. About an hour later is when I noticed the limping. So in a span of 6 hours she went from healthy appearing to an immobile pile of feathers on the bottom of the cage.

I will try your suggestions on increased protein and sugar water in the am. Plan to keep her isolated and hope for the best seems to be the only course of action.

My young ones do have extra feed/water and places to escape to. I've even made the run larger to give everyone more room and make it easier for the babies to stay out of the way. I began integrating the babies with the big girls about a month ago. Most of the pecking order stuff is out of the way. Not sure what happened today......

I told my dh that I hope she is just dead in the am or is clearly improving. I hate this limbo of not having any idea what happened or how to help.

 

[chirpingcricket]

I appreciate the thoughts! The problem is that is she is much worse than just a sprained leg.

She cannot bear any weight at all on either of her legs.

The dramatic shift in her condition is what prompted my post. I thought she had taken a little beating today and injured her leg in the getaway. She just needed some time to rest her limpy leg. But it seems much worse than that. I did notice at some point in the day her tail was being carried low and not perky as usual. I was not sure if the commotion I was hearing was indeed this chicken or not. About an hour later is when I noticed the limping. So in a span of 6 hours she went from healthy appearing to an immobile pile of feathers on the bottom of the cage.

I will try your suggestions on increased protein and sugar water in the am. Plan to keep her isolated and hope for the best seems to be the only course of action.

My young ones do have extra feed/water and places to escape to. I've even made the run larger to give everyone more room and make it easier for the babies to stay out of the way. I began integrating the babies with the big girls about a month ago. Most of the pecking order stuff is out of the way. Not sure what happened today......

I told my dh that I hope she is just dead in the am or is clearly improving. I hate this limbo of not having any idea what happened or how to help.

You and the hen are in a real tough spot. One thing I have learned llnmaw, chickens are pretty resilient. If she does have a small fracture(s) keeping her immobilized will help it heal, and should do so fairly quickly. If she will still eat/drink for you, then that's 50% of the battle.

If you can place a ziplock bag/cloth of ice up against one hip side or the other, it should help keep her cool and give pain relief...If she will let you. If not just place the ice bag near her head/chest area to provide some cooling. Keep her area dark mostly.....I sure hope she pulls through for you, hang in there! Thanks for responding and stay in touch if you like.

 

[llnmaw]

Okay, so she is not worse this morning and *maybe* slightly improved?? She will hobble around her little cage and is eating and drinking. She never fully stands up but is using both legs to propel herself around. So I guess that is good news??

I hope she makes it.................

~L.

 

[chirpingcricket]

Okay, so she is not worse this morning and *maybe* slightly improved?? She will hobble around her little cage and is eating and drinking. She never fully stands up but is using both legs to propel herself around. So I guess that is good news??

I hope she makes it.................

~L.

Hey, I was just coming in to check on you. Was up late last night, couldn't sleep. So glad to hear that, I think that is very good news. Sometimes they will sprain their legs jumping/landing on the ground etc., then hobble about until the muscles relax. Just the same, keep doing what you are doing, and hopefully she will be up and about in the next 48 hours.

 

[llnmaw]

Thought I'd update since lame chickens seem to be a common problem, at least from the reading I's done in this forum.

Day 3 and she is no better, no worse.

Continues eating, drinking, pooping and has bright eyes and vocal. We made her a sling to sit in yesterday. It was a cardboard box, with a towel draped over it and stapled. 2 holes in the towel for her legs to dangle. She seemed comfortable in it, but after about 2 hours she managed to get out and was found perched on the side! how she manged that I'll never know. I am keeping her isolated in the bunny cage or letting her out in the yard with her buddies (the chickens who are the same age) so she never needs to defend herself or get away.

I stumbled on to an old thread about vitamin B deficiency and figured it couldn't hurt.Today I started the vit b. I've been giving her regular feed, plain yogurt, garbanzo beans and tuna for extra protein.

She manages to walk on her elbows or are they called knees?? Anyhow, she moves herself around surprisingly well. I put her one spot and within 10 minutes will find her 3-4 feet from where she was placed. She even managed to up a small, 3-4 inch, step. I also noticed today that the one leg that she began limping on when this all started seems stronger today! Yesterday she would offer no resistance when we moved that foot. It dangled almost like the hand/arm of a person who has had a stroke. Today?? She was laying in the grass and rolled to her side and used that foot to scratch her face!!

So, all in all, I guess she is stable? But still cannot walk properly. I'll take it. Will continue the vit B and extra protein.

Can I give her too much protein??

~L.

 

[chirpingcricket]

Hey, that is good news and improvement! Vit B in moderation, protein fine for now whilr she's healing. You said she still walking on ankles....but able to scratch with her feet.

So, she has use/sensation of her feet? Will she squat, over her feet yet? Meaning, is she able to bend her legs/feet into position and hold/balance a sqat? Or does she roll over off of them? Also, great idea and alot of work on the towel suspension...good that she had strength to maneuver out of that and perch.

Because you said she perched, that gives me hope that it was sprain/small fracture/etc. That's why I asked if she could squat. I'm hoping a few more days will find her up and about. Thanks for keeping me posted.

 

[llnmaw]

Hey, that is good news and improvement! Vit B in moderation, protein fine for now whilr she's healing. You said she still walking on ankles....but able to scratch with her feet.

So, she has use/sensation of her feet? Will she squat, over her feet yet? Meaning, is she able to bend her legs/feet into position and hold/balance a sqat? Or does she roll over off of them? Also, great idea and alot of work on the towel suspension...good that she had strength to maneuver out of that and perch.

Because you said she perched, that gives me hope that it was sprain/small fracture/etc. That's why I asked if she could squat. I'm hoping a few more days will find her up and about. Thanks for keeping me posted.

Yes! IT as really surprising to see her scratch at her face like she did!!! But she will not walk on her feet. He toes just curl up when she moves herself forward.

I keep placing her in the sling contraption in order to give the legs a full rest and she always manages to get out and I find her perched on the edge! Which...is good?? I think her feet must touch the floor of the box which allows her to pushup and escape. I need to look next time I find her and see if she is actually using her toes to curl around the edge or not. It is possible she is just using the towel sling to keep her balance and not actually perching

When she is in a sitting position she always has her legs under her. The area where the feathers end and the leg bone is just covered in skin, I'm calling that joint her knee. That is what she sits on and walks on. She is always in a squat position and never fully extends her legs to move about.

I've been keeping an eye on that skin to make sure there is no breakdown.

I agree that is she can perch there is a really good chance for her!

Thanks for checking in on us!

 

[chirpingcricket]

Yes! IT as really surprising to see her scratch at her face like she did!!! But she will not walk on her feet. He toes just curl up when she moves herself forward.

I keep placing her in the sling contraption in order to give the legs a full rest and she always manages to get out and I find her perched on the edge! Which...is good?? I think her feet must touch the floor of the box which allows her to pushup and escape. I need to look next time I find her and see if she is actually using her toes to curl around the edge or not. It is possible she is just using the towel sling to keep her balance and not actually perching

When she is in a sitting position she always has her legs under her. The area where the feathers end and the leg bone is just covered in skin, I'm calling that joint her knee. That is what she sits on and walks on. She is always in a squat position and never fully extends her legs to move about.

I've been keeping an eye on that skin to make sure there is no breakdown.

I agree that is she can perch there is a really good chance for her!

Thanks for checking in on us!

How old is she again? Let's give her the weekend to see if she can start to control those feet, If not, may need to go to a splint that she have her ankle bone/leg shank taped in a 90 degree position so that she lands flat footed, for a week or so. It's best to see if they can "work" it out and get to landing on thir ankle//feet. That high up could be more difficult to "set" on her own. I'll keep checking in, and if you could snap a photo or two that would help.