Please help dog pen fell on my 10 week old chick

[Mbart83]

Anyone think they can help me?

 

[Mbart83]

Anyone think they can help me?

 

[sourland]

I would guess that she may have severe bruising or even fracture of her pelvis/hips. She does not appear to be in severe pain. Time will tell the tale. As long as she is eating and drinking I would give her the chance to recover. Depending upon the severity of the damage that may take a relatively long time. Good luck to you and her.

 

[Mbart83]

Thanks- I put her in with her friends for a bit- they are really loving that- she is still resting but not nearly as much- she is fine like they aren’t hurting her but I am nervous to leave her out there ....thoughts? If she is still eating and drinking and less stressed- should I leave her?

 

[micstrachan]

Aww, poor thing does look injured to me, but I can’t tell exactly where the injury is. If you gently press the side of your finger against the bottom of the bum foot, does she push and/or grasp it? If you gentky palpate (feel) her all over, does she flinch or squawk in pain?
I would not make her move around and have her on a non-slip surface. Something nicecand comfy. Have her food and water within reach so she can eat without getting uo. She may soil herself, so keep an eye on keeping her back end clean. Supportive care, like Nutridrench or similar would be good. Is she on a grower feed? Do you know the % protein?

 

[Mbart83]

I know poor Sweet Pea - she is the best! She responds and grabs my fingers or pushes back- she just can’t walk right. I have used a cold red laser light (natural healing) and she seems to like this- she also let us massage her and did stretch out- tonight she is limping a little better. Her poop is good and normal and she is eating and drinking a bunch! I am so thankful, I hatched these babies- and yikes, they are y babies- she did fine in wth her other friends but I felt like I couldn’t be as helpful to her without her inside with me, so I did get her and bring her back in. I have read amazing things about vitamin b for chickens- and that it’s essential for legs so I have added some to her drinking water. She is on blankets and towels. She is pooping, then moves and then squaks at me and I come and pick it up lol I just don’t want to miss something that should be immobilizes if she need one .....I don’t want her to be affected long term you know

 

[Natanya]

From the videos I think your baby chicken just has some muscle damage and/or connective tissue damage (cartilage, tendon, etc.). Every day, at least once a day, until she's walking normally normally you should do a little physical therapy with her. Just hold her and slowly and gently take her legs through their full, natural range of motion, making sure every joint is flexed. If you reach a spot where she indicates she's in pain as you move her don't push past that point until the day she doesn't signal pain when you move that joint to that position. This will help her retain flexibility as she heals, since she's spending a lot of time squatting and she's not using her normal range of motion. As potential scar tissue forms it'll tighten her range of motion and possibly cause future mobility restrictions, unless it's stretched out.

Quick disclaimer, I'm just a laymen when it comes to physical therapy and chicken rehabilitation, but this is what I do whenever I have an injury like a sprained ankle, and it helps a lot. I imagine it'd help your baby hen quite a bit as well, and it'll help you find her tender spots and where she's hurt most.

Absolutely adorable orpington, by the way. I've got a baby 3 month old buff orpington right now, and she's teaching me all the best things about orpingtons. Like how much bigger and more athletic they are than silkies. (And how much she really, really wants to eat the bandage off of my injured finger. Feisty little thing.)

 

[Mbart83]

Awesome! I am doing this and she is a bit better today, not using her wings so much to balance, actually really at all but still limping badly-I am giving her time on the three season porch with her hatch mates- this is where they were before we had the nice weather and I chose to try introducing the my pol’s outside- this is where the babies will stay now until better weather. I keep bringing her in every few hours and massaging and moving her legs and wings and she seems to like it and then I am feeding her inside too, just to make sure she is full enough and drinking enough. I thought she was not going to make it- I am so thankful for all of you!

 

[Mbart83]

From the videos I think your baby chicken just has some muscle damage and/or connective tissue damage (cartilage, tendon, etc.). Every day, at least once a day, until she's walking normally normally you should do a little physical therapy with her. Just hold her and slowly and gently take her legs through their full, natural range of motion, making sure every joint is flexed. If you reach a spot where she indicates she's in pain as you move her don't push past that point until the day she doesn't signal pain when you move that joint to that position. This will help her retain flexibility as she heals, since she's spending a lot of time squatting and she's not using her normal range of motion. As potential scar tissue forms it'll tighten her range of motion and possibly cause future mobility restrictions, unless it's stretched out.

Quick disclaimer, I'm just a laymen when it comes to physical therapy and chicken rehabilitation, but this is what I do whenever I have an injury like a sprained ankle, and it helps a lot. I imagine it'd help your baby hen quite a bit as well, and it'll help you find her tender spots and where she's hurt most.

Absolutely adorable orpington, by the way. I've got a baby 3 month old buff orpington right now, and she's teaching me all the best things about orpingtons. Like how much bigger and more athletic they are than silkies. (And how much she really, really wants to eat the bandage off of my injured finger. Feisty little thing.)

I am totally in love with my Orpington’s they are amazing! Awesome personalities!

 

[Eggcessive]

Good luck on your little pullet’s recovery. Resting her legs and frequent visits with her buddies hopefully will help. Google chicken chairs to make one that she might use to get her upright with her feet touching the floor.

Also if you can get a vet to xray her legs and hips, that would be good to see if splinting might be helpful, but vet care is not always an option for chicken owners.