Possible broken foot?

[TiffanyJ]

I posted this situation earlier today and I was told to post a new thread here. I have one little hen I love verymmuch. She has her own pen but prefers to walk around our huge back yard with my dogs and the dogs usually just ignore her and let her be. Yesterday afternoon I noticed my dogs standing around my hen in a circle and I ran over to them and saw my hen sitting on the ground. She seemed unharmed there were no feathers missing, no blood, and no open cuts or anything. So I picked her up and placed her in her pen. When she stood and started walking I noticed she was limping and saw her right foot seemed kinda bent under her leg. She is now inside a cage so I can care for her but she's refusing to eat or drink all she does is sit in her cage and look around or sleep. What can I do please help I don't want to lose her!

 

[BantamLover21]

Could you post a photo of the foot? It does sound like it could be broken. Unfortunately, I don't have experience with broken bones in chickens--the best advice I can give you is to keep her isolated in a well-bedded place, with feed and water nearby, and with no roost. You could try to splint it somehow, too. Hopefully someone else with experience will post her and help!

 

[TiffanyJ]

I'll try to get a picture I tried earlier she did not like it

 

[Eggcessive]

When you say he foot was bent under her leg while walking, do you mean that her toes are curled under, and that she is walking on the tops of her toes on the one leg? Did she have a Mareks vaccine? She sounds as though she may be having some symptoms of Mareks disease. I suppose that she may have been hurt, breaking her leg and causing a nerve paralysis, but I would also think about illness. Check her for diarrhea, how much she is eating, any puffing up, and continuing lethargy. Here is some info about Mareks:
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/502

 

[TiffanyJ]

I'm not sure about any vaccines she was a gift from my uncle. And when I say her foot is bent under her leg I mean it looks as if she's walking on the top of that foot. She seems pretty aware right now but still won't move or eat.

 

[realsis]

X2 I would suspect mareks as well. Mareks can come on as subtle as a limp or as vigorous as paralysis.Mareks is a highly contagious air borne disease and sadly is every where. You might try putting her on a good multi vitamin to rule out a definency. Vitamin definency can bring about those symptoms as well. IF it is Mareks it does NOT mean your other birds will become symptomatic but it DOES mean they are likely now carriers and can infect other birds with the disease.mareks can stay on the land for years. If any more birds are brought on to the property I urge that they get vaccinated and are kept from exposure for at the very least 14 days while their immunity and antibodies build. Exposure would mean outside and contact with adult birds. The vaccine is NOT 100% effective but that and breeding for resistance are really our only defenses as of now. Remember knowledge is power so if she does have the virus I highly recommend reading as much as possible. Their is a wonderful thread on this forum called Not a emergency Mareks in my flock.these folks are dealing with Mareks in their flocks now and are extremely knowledge about Mareks and can lead you forward in a positive direction and answer any questions you may have. The only certain way to know if it's Mareks is through testing however certain symptoms are clues that the virus is present.mareks is like a chicken cancer and their are different forms but basically it causes tumors that can press on the nerves causing limps curled toes and even paralysis. I hope this post is of some help to you and wish you the best.

 

[TiffanyJ]

Thank you I'll read up on that. Where could I get some multi vitamins for her?

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you I'll read up on that. Where could I get some multi vitamins for her?

Most feed stores like TSC sell poultry vitamins to add to water. Avian Super Pak is a good brand available online. For a temporary fix, you can use PolyVisol without iron baby vitamins 3 drops daily by mouth.

 

[TiffanyJ]

I want to thank everybody for their posts today my hen is showing some improvement she seems much morealert today and even wiggled around some she wasn't moving at all yesterday. She's pecked some at her feed but hasn't really ate yet but hoping she will soon.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I want to thank everybody for their posts today my hen is showing some improvement she seems much morealert today and even wiggled around some she wasn't moving at all yesterday. She's pecked some at her feed but hasn't really ate yet but hoping she will soon.

Good to hear that she's doing at least a little better! Hopefully, she will continue to show signs of improvement.