Swollen hen foot, need treatment advice

[casportpony]

Should she be on a perch 2 inches off floor in her hospital crate?

No

She cant just sit in one spot for weeks with nothing to do?

The last two I treated did spend two weeks sitting in one spot, so yes, she can sit there.

 

[MIchickenlady]

No

The last two I treated did spend two weeks sitting in one spot, so yes, she can sit there.

Ok, good to know. I'll take the perch out. Ethel wont like it, but I think youre right. Thanks!

 

[casportpony]

Ok, good to know. I'll take the perch out. Ethel wont like it, but I think youre right. Thanks!

That bone heals best when they stay really still.

 

[casportpony]

Oh, watch the aspirin dose, the amount you have been giving seems to high, all of my literature says the aspirin dose for chickens is ~2.3 mg per pound 3 time a day.

 

[aesch]

Hopefully the leg will heal correctly and that all goes well. I'd like to address the shaking head and walking backwards since no one else has mentioned this. Please check her ears for ear mites as long as she's laid up and you have easy access. They are miserable for an animal.

 

[MIchickenlady]

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.

Would it possibly cause respiratory distress to move her from 67F indoors to cold windy Michigan winter outdoors?? Should I leave her either in or out? Night time is the bugger, my coop is small, no place for a crate, shes bottom of pecking order, other girls might pester her if I leave her on the coop floor or in the nest box. What do you think? Indoors at night, out in the run in a crate during the day? Or indoors only for a while?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would bring her in to a cool room at night and place her outside in a crate during the day.

 

[BarredRockMom]

Oh poor Ethel! I just saw this thread & wanted to say what a good Chicken Mom you are to tend her injured leg!

You're doing a good job, getting good advice and though Ethel will be bored sitting still for a couple of weeks, when she recovers all she's going to remember is that you two are best friends & that you love her!

I look forward to hearing that her healing is progressing!

 

[MIchickenlady]

Oh poor Ethel! I just saw this thread & wanted to say what a good Chicken Mom you are to tend her injured leg!

You're doing a good job, getting good advice and though Ethel will be bored sitting still for a couple of weeks, when she recovers all she's going to remember is that you two are best friends & that you love her!

I look forward to hearing that her healing is progressing!

Thank you so much for saying this. I am doing everything I can to help her, but I still worry. It is interesting that shes my most skittish hen, but right now shes docile and friendly. Maybe that will be the good that comes from this, we may finally be good friends Thanks again! @BarredRockMom

 

[MIchickenlady]

So I dragged a dog pen into the run and Ethel is hanging out with her family in Hen Jail today since its fairly warm out. I took her off the brick and removed it because I didn't want her hopping up and down. She digging in the dirt and talking to her sisters, doing fine except for leaning to one side.
I talked to a MSU vet and he was reassuring about what were doing. Fingers crossed the redness and swelling go down and she heals well. I got egg maker calcium rich feed for her today. I guess now we wait.
Thanks all SOOOO much for the advice and help with this! Appreciated very much-BYCers Rock!!