One messed up leg in shipped chick HELP HOPPY *Update pg 2*

[superchemicalgirl]

I wanted to update everyone and say a big THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP with my little Hoppy. I got her with a really bad right leg on the 18th - the past few days the bruising on her leg/toes has gone and she is putting what appears to be full weight on that bad leg now. The joint is a lot less swollen and with minimal pus. She's able to stand and walk pretty good (going after crickets is her physical therapy). I know she's not out of the woods yet, and integration back into the flock is going to be hard, but she has gone from being unable to walk to almost needing a different name than "Hoppy."

 

[horsejody]

I'm glad she's doing well.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Yay! I've been following this thread and prayer for Hoppy!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Wanted to give anyone searching for a similar problem some hope. When I was looking on here I found a lot of helpful threads but they almost always left me hanging at the end. Here is the outcome so far.

Here is Hoppy a few weeks ago. As you can see she has healed up well and is a nice, normal chicken (for the most part). She is incredibly attached to me and I'm not sure if that's because she brooded alone for the first 2 weeks of her life (and I held her a lot to keep her warm those weeks) or for some other reason.

She still has scar tissue (her right leg) but the other girls leave it alone.

She is a beautiful chicken, with no limp or other problems associated with the leg.

To recap: No systemic antibiotics (but I would have administered them had I felt it necessary) - just cleaning with hydrogen peroxide and placing triple antibiotic ointment on her leg with some occlusive dressings multiple times per day. She did require a cast (of soft Coban like material) for a day to make her put weight on it. She had some chicken physical therapy (placing her on a mat and making her hop to my hands and later as she improved hopping/running after crickets and meal worms in her brooder). I had to keep her in a separate brooder for exactly 2 weeks until she was healed up enough to go in with her litter mates because they were picking on her something terrible.

She is a joy and my favorite chicken

 

[usschicago1]

Im so HAPPY for you and her

Hard work paid off

 

[Attack Chicken]

What a beautifull little girl there! Give her some hugs and extra treats for me

 

[Alabama ee]

She is so pretty!

 

[PamB]

I just wanted to commend you for doing such a wonderful job with that little chick. You are a very sweet, caring person to put so much time and thoughtfulness into healing her. What a good Mommy you are!!!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Thank you. I get 2 weeks off of work each year and I took my 2 weeks for when I got chicks. This little girl was lucky I did. She wouldn't have made it otherwise, I'm sure of it. Now if only I can ever live that down at work

Going somewhere good for vacation? Yeah, my basement.

Don't commend me on being such a good mother though, I neglected to mention the part where I accidentally cut the tip of one of her toes off during an epic struggle when I was trying to remove her cast. Her toe is healed and a few weeks ago the toenail started growing back in again. Due to the scar tissue it's growing out sideways and curving up. I'll have to clip it soon but I'll call in reinforcements and not try it alone this time!

 

[NC29mom]

Awwww, another happy chickie ending. I am so happy for her and for you!!! She will probably be your favorite just because of the experience you went through with her.

It's amazing to me how we chicken lovers/owners manage to find out how to care for the issues our chicks encounter. VET?? Vet who?? We don't have a poultry vet within 100 miles where I live. Thank goodness for the internet. What a wealth of information available at our fingertips. This forum is the best ever! I spend WAY TOO MUCH OF MY TIME HERE!! BUt, I learn, laugh and love every time I visit backyardchickens.com

Thanks to all, and again I am sooooooooooo happy for you!!!!!!

By the way, what's her name? What's the breed?