Pullet with a limp

[sunflour]

One of my Welsummers, now about 6.5 months old has had a limp for 4 days.

I witnessed her running when this started - on a dirt outdoor "fun run area", she took 3-4 fast steps and then she started limping.

She is eating and drinking normally, can bear weight on the affected leg but is still limping. She can jump to roosts in the coop and run gracefully and jump down also gracefully. She sits on roost locations most of the daytime.

I did examine her - she has no evidence of toe, foot, ankle, leg or hip injuries.

Our weather has been a cold front this week -not really low but much colder than it was last week.

I have only ever had one chicken with a lower extremity sprain, it was warmer weather but her strain seemed worse and she recovered much quicker.

Should I be worried? Or give her more time to heal?

I'm thinking about bringing her in for an epsom salt soak to see if that may help.

Any comments or thoughts?

 

[ChickNanny13]

A soak won't hurt ... She could have sprained or landed hard or when she was running stepped on a rock or thorn? Check again under her foot, see if there maybe a bruise or thorn. If she's being "normal" in every other sense, I'd just keep a real close eye on her.

 

[sunflour]

A soak won't hurt ... She could have sprained or landed hard or when she was running stepped on a rock or thorn? Check again under her foot, see if there maybe a bruise or thorn. If she's being "normal" in every other sense, I'd just keep a real close eye on her.

Thanks for the reply.

Her foot has not even a bruise. I actually hoped it was a thorn. The area of the "fun-run" is primarily dirt, but does have sticks and un-level areas from other's dirt baths.

This pullet "flies low" - she runs/flaps and goes at 100% speed when out in that area.

Ok, will take her to the "spa" tomorrow. Was get concerned about how long she's been limping.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have had a couple of hens over the last 7 years develop a limp. One held her leg up most of the time, but managed to get around free ranging up and down our hill, and roosted at night 4 feet high. She took about 6 weeks to finally recover.

Another hen hurt her leg and limped on it for a long long time. I feel like she had a break somewhere, maybe a spiral fracture. She limped for 2 years, roosting, going all over with the flock, but preferring to lie down. Eventually, she started losing weight and couldn't get into the coop the last day, so I put her down. I am afraid she must have suffered more than I thought at the time. Hopefully, your hen will get better in a few days or weeks. Sometimes they need to be penned or crated to force rest, but some limit their own activity. Good luck.

 

[sunflour]

Thank you for the response, I would expect even a fracture to heal in a few weeks. DH thinks I'm too worried and should just be patient - she is bright eyed and is involved in all normal daily activities except she sits or roosts more than is usual for this gal.

I read if there were a fracture that she shouldn't be able to weight bear without using a wing as a crutch - and one would expect to see some deformity on the limb. A dislocation should also show a deformity or at least some skin changes over the joint.

Will do a repeat exam today.

 

[chickens really]

She probably landed wrong off the roost or slipped getting away from a bossy Bird...Generally its nothing to worry over...I'm sure it will be fine....

 

[sunflour]

An update - at one week she was still limping...so found a dosage for aspirin and 1/2 of and 81 mg tablet would be safe. So have given her 1/2 of the low dosage aspirin in a raisin for the past 3 days. Each day after a one dose she improved. and Today she is running and doing so much better