NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! I think I just broke her legs!!!!!!

[dulcimer lady]

I feel like the biggest heel in the WORLD! The little chicken that I've had less than 48 hours, the one in my avatar, I think I just broke her legs! I was holding her and went to sit her down in her little pen which was on the ground. When she was about 4 or 5 inches from the ground, I lost my footing and my hands separated and she plopped on her butt. She gave a tiny squawk and then.....she couldn't get up. She's sitting flat on her butt and she can't get up at all.

You have no idea how bad I feel.

She's in her cage in the run with the other big chickens in the run too but they can't get to her. Should I move her to a more private cage? Has anyone EVER seen a chicken unable to stand that got over it after a while?

This is such a bad day.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

if she fell when she was 4-5 inches from the ground I doubt her legs are broken

 

[dulcimer lady]

Yes, she was very close to the ground when she fell.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

maybe she is just shaken up a bit. have you picked her back up to check her out?

 

[dulcimer lady]

I picked her back up immediately after it happened. I even gently moved her legs a bit and they seemed to move normally and she didn't act like it hurt her.

 

[BirdNut]

This could be hard to believe, but I've had MUCH worse happen and it turned out just fine. I dropped my week-old tiny quail baby, and it was more than just a few inches. He favored his leg for a couple of days, I thought I fractured it, but he recovered perfectly. I still have not forgiven myself. In other words, don't feel so bad.

She looks to be a teenager, so falling a few inches to the ground shouldn't harm her. She'll be fine, I'm pretty sure the reaction you're seeing is just being a little shaken up. She should start getting up and walking around on her own soon. Don't panic!

 

[dulcimer lady]

Ok, you guys are making me feel a bit better. She's still just sitting there. My day will be soooo much better if she gets up! I called a friend and she said she dropped a 4 day old chick from about 4 ft and was convinced she had broken every bone in it's body but after 3 or 4 hours it got up and was fine. I'll be going out and checking on her all day...

 

[donrae]

Have you tried pushing her to move? I'd nudge her to step foreward. Maybe she thinks she can't

I highly doubt you broke anything, I mean, they jump down from roosts/fences/trees all the time. Chicken bones are lightweight and very strong. I'm thinking she just needs some encouragement

 

[dulcimer lady]

Ok, but how can I nudge her to move when she's down on her butt? Should I try to stand her up?

 

[GoneHomeGrown2]

Does she have a favorite treat, you might be able to coax her to move for?