Rescue pullet with backward leg

[lgyure85]

About a month ago, I was given 8 young pullets from the local TSC that were limpy or otherwise compromised. 7 of them are doing great, and completely healed, but one looks like her leg is on backward. She may have slipped a tendon when she was very small that wasn't corrected quickly enough, or it may have been a break at the joint. I have tried everything I can think of to at least protect the joint from getting infected and to get her to use the bad leg a little bit, but nothing seems to help. When she tries to walk with it, that leg goes out backward. She calms down when I hold her, but frequently freaks out and flaps her wings so hard she gets blood everywhere and I worry she's going to bleed to death. At the moment, I have in my lap wrapped in a dish cloth. Pictures attached. I've tried the following- a sling to stretch that leg, hobbling her legs together (I've tried at multiple joints), pool noodles wrapped around the leg to give her lift and joint protection, and just wrapping it in vet wrap to protect the joint and let her learn to compensate as she can.

I don't know how much longer I should keep trying and working with her. She has a great appetite and is quite spunky, but I hate to think that she lives in constant pain. (I do have her on metacam)

 

[rebrascora]

Unfortunately she looks like a meat bird (broiler) in which case the leg is only going to become more of a problem as she gets older and bigger and whilst light weight birds like leghorns and legbars (I had one) can learn to hop, your heavier bird will need two legs to support that extra weight. Even if you impose a strict diet, meat birds are prone to leg and joint problems once they get to and beyond butchering age, so I'm afraid you may have a heart breaking decision to make soon.

I can't offer any solution to fix the leg unless you can find a very good vet and lots of money, but if I am right and she is a meat bird then the chances of her having a long and healthy life afterwards are slim.

I'm sorry I can't offer you any hope. I currently have a tiny pheasant chick with a similar problem, but at least she is light enough to manage on one leg, although I still think he/she will most likely not make it.

 

[lgyure85]

Unfortunately she looks like a meat bird (broiler) in which case the leg is only going to become more of a problem as she gets older and bigger and whilst light weight birds like leghorns and legbars (I had one) can learn to hop, your heavier bird will need two legs to support that extra weight. Even if you impose a strict diet, meat birds are prone to leg and joint problems once they get to and beyond butchering age, so I'm afraid you may have a heart breaking decision to make soon.

I can't offer any solution to fix the leg unless you can find a very good vet and lots of money, but if I am right and she is a meat bird then the chances of her having a long and healthy life afterwards are slim.

I'm sorry I can't offer you any hope. I currently have a tiny pheasant chick with a similar problem, but at least she is light enough to manage on one leg, although I still think he/she will most likely not make it.

Thanks. I was afraid of that. She is definitely a meat bird, unfortunately. I appreciate the frankness, though. I just want her to have the happiest life possible, for as long as is reasonable.