pullet with leg sticking out to side--- please help

[a little chiken]

So I was looking for some silkie hens and I answered an add of of craigslist for some adult laying hens. I went to buy a few. When I got to this mans house I was very upset to see the conditions the animals were living in. small pens but most discouraging was the fact that he had 4 roosters in a small dog crate and 2 others in another dog crate and those crates were in a portable shed with the door closed. we live in Tucson, its so hot here even in March/April. He said he kept them their because he is not supposed to have roosters as he lives in the city. He has roosters because he incubates the eggs to sell the chicks.

so to the pullet. He had a crested duck and mentioned he has ducklings for sale and my boys begged me to see them. We go in and he has a brooder set up with ducks and chicks and has this little pullet that i am guessing is about 3 or 4 weeks old. He couldn't remember how old she is. Her leg is sticking straight out to the side. He said he tied her legs together but it didn't fix her and if we would take her we could just have her because he cannot sell her anyway.

I took her and we have named her chicken little. she is able to get around although she kinda hop flies to get where she wants to go. she can get partially up on her leg but it is definitely messed up/broken maybe. It does not feel broken but because I do not know how long she has had the issue and everything he tried to fix her maybe it has healed in this crazy way. My boys are already attached to her and we want to try and give her some quality of life. she will not be kept with roosters or anyone that will hurt her.

can anyone give me suggestions on how to help her. I am posting some pics. sorry I could not get closer pics by myself. I can do that with my kids help later if closer pics are needed.

Thank you so much in advance for any help you might have.

























any help is appreciated. thank you.

Mel

 

[CMV]

Was she born that way? I am assuming so since the seller stated he had tried to fix the issue before.

I am doubtful that anything can be done about it by this point, but you could try to treat the chick like she has spraddle leg and put a hobble on her. Here's a great site that may help you out: https://sites.google.com/a/larsencreek.com/chicken-orthopedics/leg-braces

For future reference, it is not a good idea to take the sick, runty and malformed birds from a questionable seller. This is how you get diseases that spread to your whole flock, and heartbreak when you can't save a pitiful bird despite your best efforts. Honestly, this bird has little chance of a meaningful life if it can't walk. A bird that cannot be with its own kind is a very sad bird. Human companionship is small comfort to a flock creature such as a chicken. I think you had better think long and hard before you let your children become attached to this bird. You may very well be putting her down before too long. I am sorry.

Good luck with her.