"Older" Chicken, Possible Splay Leg? Slipped Tendon?

[ChickChicksMom]

Hi Everyone!

I'm new to the site and looking for some help. Backstory in a nutshell: I live in Chicago and found a chicken on the side of the road, she was in REALLY bad shape. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and the most exposure to a chicken prior to that day was in a petting zoo. I've had her for just over two months and we've made many trips to the vet. She gained about 4 lbs (she's just over 6 lbs now), and is now free of the mites, open wounds, anemia, and giardia! I have no idea how old she is, nor does the vet. I will upload a couple of pictures that I have an maybe some of you with lots of experience can give me an estimate!

Anyway, her left leg was a little odd when I found her, I assumed it was an injury she'd gotten while on the street and would heal with time (X-rays showed no broken bones, just slight swelling) but it hasn't gotten any better. Honestly, I partially blame myself because I had no idea how to properly care for a chicken and I put her on all of the wrong surfaces :'( I was hoping to get her back to healthy before giving her to a farm because I heard that other chickens will just kill her if they can sense that she's sick. So I've had her for two months in a studio with no yard (yes, I feel horrible about it, but I'm trying. I take her to my parents with a yard when I can!)

The following pictures are from the first night I found her, about a month later, and then now. I'm hoping someone has tips on ways for me to straighten her leg and I hope it's not too late. Everything I've read about splayed leg deals with chicks under a week old, and she's way past that point.

Thank you in advance!!

 

[Eggcessive]

I am not an expert on chicken breeds, but she looks possibly like a meat chicken, and they can often have leg bone deformities. She appears to have a severe varus deformity or a twisted leg. There is no treatment unfortunately. Meat birds are not usually meant to live more than a couple of months before being butchered. Some people do try to limit their feed to let them live longer, but some have leg problems and may have heart attacks very young. Here is some reading about leg bone deformities:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul.../noninfectious-skeletal-disorders-in-broilers

 

[ChickChicksMom]

I am not an expert on chicken breeds, but she looks possibly like a meat chicken, and they can often have leg bone deformities. She appears to have a severe varus deformity or a twisted leg. There is no treatment unfortunately. Meat birds are not usually meant to live more than a couple of months before being butchered. Some people do try to limit their feed to let them live longer, but some have leg problems and may have heart attacks very young. Here is some reading about leg bone deformities:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul.../noninfectious-skeletal-disorders-in-broilers

Thank you so much for the info! I did have another person mention that her breed are raised purely for meat but I didn't know how reliable they were. Well! Looks like I've got a special needs chicken lol If anyone knows of a good wheelchair maker, that will be my next project!

Thanks again!

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are a few pictures of chicken wheelchairs:

 

[ChickChicksMom]

Here are a few pictures of chicken wheelchairs:View attachment 1895110

Ha! I found those! And I found the ones that were around $375 but I think I’m going to go with this model. I honestly did not think it was going to be so easy to find but the first 3 google search hits were perfect! Thank you!