Our Girl is Limping. :( (7 Weeks)

[speckledegg728]

Today I came home to find that Pippa, our beloved Speckled Sussex, is limping and sad. I'm not home on the weekends and just got here, but the people I live with say that she wasn't limping like this last night. We've examined her leg and there are no scratches or marks to indicate injury but of course she is hobbling and not quite her normal self. She is trying to keep up with everyone but not *quite* managing. She had to sit down a few times and is complaining in her sweet, musical chirp that we love so much.

Is there anything I can do to help her? Please, please let me know.

 

[henny1129]

She could've possibly sprained her ankle/foot which is causing her to limp. I'm not sure there is to much you can do for this, besides allowing the sprain to heal on its own and rest. You might be able to wrap her foot/ankle part so it can't move around as much or get sprained again, but I'm not quite sure if in this case you are supposed to wrap it. I'm sure if you look up foot splints you will find tons of info on wrapping and splints; I've seen a lot of info around BYC. Hope I've helped!

 

[Little Fuzzy]

My white Leghorn was limping one morning for no apparent reason. I think she may have hurt herself jumping from the roost. She limped for a month then she was fine.

 

[Jensownzoo]

You might find this website of interest: https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Today I came home to find that Pippa, our beloved Speckled Sussex, is limping and sad. I'm not home on the weekends and just got here, but the people I live with say that she wasn't limping like this last night. We've examined her leg and there are no scratches or marks to indicate injury but of course she is hobbling and not quite her normal self. She is trying to keep up with everyone but not *quite* managing. She had to sit down a few times and is complaining in her sweet, musical chirp that we love so much.

Is there anything I can do to help her? Please, please let me know.

I agree with the above posters. Most likely a sprain.

I have found the best way to treat sprains/leg injuries that do not require wrapping and or splinting is to separate the chicken. Place her in a wire dog kennel inside the run so that she is still part of the flock and can be seen. Give her her own feed and water. Add some poultry vitamins to her water - Poultry Nutri-Drench is usually what I use. If you have higher protein food like all flock/flock raiser or even chick starter give her that. If not offer her a bit of extra protein like egg, tuna, mackerel or meat. Keeping them less mobile they will generally heal in a couple of weeks, depending on the severity of the sprain. It takes longer if she is still trying to keep up with the others.

It does take a bit of extra care, but worth seeing them recover. I would let my girl out about 30mins before roosting so she could join the others in their nightly routine. She would also roost with the others, but I would go in and take her off the roost first thing in the morning so she didn't jump. This is how she injured/sprained her leg in the first place. I think she learned her lesson, she usually roosts on a lower level now

Also take note, if the limping becomes worse or she becomes lethargic, won't eat/drink or has a general unwell appearance, then it's most like not a sprain and you will need to seek further care.

 

[aart]

Ditto Wyorp rock...have used wire crate to force rest, for 2-4 days...letting out once or twice a day to assess recovery and give some exercise.