Sore leg - what do I do?

[Blondiechic]

Walter has a sore leg - I don't know how she did it but yesterday she was limping a little bit, by the end of the day (they free range) she was sitting more than moving about with the others but still eating and quite happy in herself.

Today I have left them all in, I can't see what is wrong with her leg as she is a neurotic drama queen, but while she was eating I was looking at it, and her toes are all very close together, there doesn't appear to be any swelling and as she eats both feet are down - do i just rest it/her and leave her in for a few days?

If I let the other two out and leave her in will it cause her distress? The other girls seem to be looking out for her rather than being mean. Or, do I take her to the vet?

Advice please!!!

 

[CMV]

Check the foot/leg over at night when she goes to roost. If you see no obvious problems (wounds, swellings, hot spots, bruising) then give her a few days to get over the problem. If she is still limping after week or so then she may need further intervention, but she will likely be fine by then.

Good luck.

 

[Blondiechic]

ok - thank you!
I checked her, she was sitting down so I am not sure if the warmth is from that? I think her foot was a bit swollen - do I rest her or risk a trip to the vet? she is the least tame of my girls and will take it personally!
If she gets rest, do I leave her in the shed they sleep in during the day or put her in a cat carrier to stop too much movement and is there anything I ought to feed/administer her? She is eating and drinking and talking just fine
Since I found this site I realise how very little I know about chickens - its daunting!
Thank you for your help.

 

[CMV]

I wouldn't waste my money on a trip to the vet. Most vets know little about birds. Leg injuries are pretty common and usually heal up on their own without any intervention on your part. Why spend the money, and stress the bird by going to a vet unless it is absolutely necessary?

Minimizing her movements in the cat crate might be helpful, but I wouldn't even do that unless she is limping really badly. Did you make sure she had no wounds on the bottom of her foot? The most common cause of limping and foot swelling in birds is bumblefoot. It shows up as a small black wound sitting in the middle of a very swollen area on the bottom of the foot. It is a staph infection that must be cleaned up or it will get worse and worse.

 

[Blondiechic]

Well, I have left her in for the last two days and the other girls out - its not so bad as their shed has chicken wire on the front so she can see the others, because our weather is so out there, its been pouring with rain later in the day and so she gets to come out for about an hour ( while I try to get the other two back in!). Anyway, the point of this post is, she seems to be improving so I am quite hopeful!
She hasn't even grumbled too much - probably likes having so much food to herself!