Swollen hen foot, need treatment advice

[MIchickenlady]

Her leg is broken.
We forgot about her being chased into a fence a week ago, I pulled her out, her foot was caught and bent backward. Shes been fine until yesterday. I feel terrible.
You can see the leg swelling and where the scales protrude a little in the middle of the leg it wiggles. Broken
So--now what? Does the redness indicate infection? How pricey is a vet for this?
I gave her half an aspirin(*edited-baby aspirin) in a grape last night and again this morn.
Shes in her Hen Hospital, occasionally panting. I turned thermostat down to 66.
Now what????

 

[MIchickenlady]

I found this video. Gives me hope she will heal with time and be alright.

We splinted it, I'm giving 1/4 baby aspirin 2x day, she will be in Hen Hospital at least 2 weeks from the sound of it.
She is panting on and off, temp is 66 in here...would a fan be a bad idea, isnt air blowing on them a bad idea?
Think redness means she needs antibiotics? The foot pad is less swollen today, still pink.
Also, should i take her outside?? She in the crate in kitchen right now, she misses her family though. Poor Ethel. Advice welcome!!!

 

[MIchickenlady]

Have had a few limpers that appeared to have a strain/sprain.
If limp is really bothering them by inhibiting their normal activities too much, I will isolate them in a crate to 'force' rest for a day or two. Letting them out late in day, an hour before roost time, to give them a stretch and evaluate their mobility, then decide if they need another day and put them back in crate off roost after dark. Repeat stretch and eval the next day until they are better. Keep crate in coop so bird can remain 'with' the flock. It can take weeks for limp to totally go away.


Best to put crate right in coop or run so bird is still 'with' the flock.
I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

since we now know her leg is broken and weve splinted it, I'd love your thoughts on what to do over the next couple weeks or so...keep her isolated in the house? take her crate out to a corner of the run during the day? what about the temp difference? She has been panting on and off...thoughts? @aart

 

[aart]

She has been panting on and off...thoughts? @aart

Panting can be over-heating or stress or pain.
She would not put any weight on that leg for a week after the fence event?
It doesn't look that red or swollen as I would think if it was broken.

Sorry, I don't know anything much about splinting...maybe @Eggcessive or @casportpony or @Wyorp Rock does?

 

[casportpony]

Is the fracture here?

 

[MIchickenlady]

Panting can be over-heating or stress or pain.
She would not put any weight on that leg for a week after the fence event?
It doesn't look that red or swollen as I would think if it was broken.

Sorry, I don't know anything much about splinting...maybe @Eggcessive or @casportpony or @Wyorp Rock does?

She ran around fine after the incident and for a week! I suspect it fractured a little then and she broke it hopping off the perch or off the top of the secondary coop she like to sit ontop of-3 feet tall. Yea, the bone wiggles in the middle where it should be straight.

 

[MIchickenlady]

Is the fracture here?
View attachment 1998283

Yes, thats where it wiggles, feels quite warm too.

 

[casportpony]

Yes, thats where it wiggles, feels quite warm too.

That is a hard one to splint properly. May I suggest that you splint it like this?

Source - https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/veterinary-science-and-veterinary-medicine/tarsometatarsus

 

[Eggcessive]

I would try to keep her inside a dog crate with food and water outside with her flock if possible, so that she remains close to them and part of the flock. If the coop is too small, I would try to let her spend time inside a crate every day with them. It can take several weeks for a broken leg to heal. There will be a hard callas where the bones heal back together, and that will feel like a hard knot on the leg bone.

 

[MIchickenlady]

She just sits in one spot all day.
Should she be on a perch 2 inches off floor in her hospital crate? It does allow her to poop without getting it on her. Would she heal better if she just laid on the floor of the crate-with a padded rug?
What can I do for entertainment? She cant just sit in one spot for weeks with nothing to do?
I'm going to get some higher calcium layer feed for her while shes healing. I got a diaper for her she sh can sit and watch tv with me at night Oh Ethel.

I would try to keep her inside a dog crate with food and water outside with her flock if possible, so that she remains close to them and part of the flock. If the coop is too small, I would try to let her spend time inside a crate every day with them. It can take several weeks for a broken leg to heal. There will be a hard callas where the bones heal back together, and that will feel like a hard knot on the leg bone.

Thank you! Shes just sat in one spot all day today-she cant just do that for weeks while she heals. My hubs said he'd make her a therapy wheelchair sling.
What about the temp difference indoors and outside-too much of a shock for her? Its 66 degrees indoors, cold 20 degrees or less and windy outside.
I'm trying to figure out how to take her out to the run during the day...?
Thanks again for the imput. I feel so bad for her red swollen leg/foot.