Update:Hen with injurys is doing worse

[bossynbella]

We have a Barred Rock hen who is about 8 months old. Last fall she somehow hurt her wing. We kept an eye on her and after a few weeks she was holding it back up next to her body. She was eating and seemed to be doing good though she couldn't fly up off the floor of the coop.
Then a week or so ago we noticed she was limping. I am not sure if our Large Rooster was to rough and since she couldn't use that wing to balance with somehow hurt her foot or what.
We separated her and have her in with a couple calm silky hens so she isn't all alone. She eats and her poop seems fine. But she still limps and staggers when she walks around. She holds one foot a little crooked.
The other four Barred Rock hens are laying and have large red combs. Her comb is still small and pink.

I am not sure what else to do with her. No vets around here will see her without charging way more then we can afford and even then they said they don't know what they could do.

Are we going to have to cull her???? How long should we wait to decide???

Any help would be appreciated I really don't want to loose her but I don't want her suffering either.


She is now unable to stand on her foot much at all and basically is just scooting around with her good foot. She has still been eating and drinking every day . Any ideas would be helpful is there a chance she can get better or not?

 

[tiki244]

Its pretty hard to tell when a chicken is sick what they have.
From what it sounds to me she doesnt sound that bad. You would have to make that decision yourself. If she doesnt have a temp and is not actually ill she could just be deformed a little.Maybe it will take a little longer for her to grow up and start laying eggs because of her injury

 

[bossynbella]

Glad to hear you say that tiki. I just wish I could do something for her. We have lost two of our young hens we hatched out last year both my favorites and even though I am least attatched to the the barred rocks (because I can't tell them apart) I would hate to have to butcher such a young hen. Any ideas as to what I should be doing for her.

Do you all think she will recover from this???

 

[bossynbella]

updated today. Just bumping it up

 

[dlhunicorn]

you might consider giving her a good supplement... anytime a bird is feeling poorly there is usually some degree of malabsorption which will cause deficiency issues and complicate healing from the birds own immune system. If you have AviaCharge 2000 then give this as it is a complete supplement (though not with any therapeutic quantities, it DOES ensure that the bird will get the complete range of nutrients and micro nutrients and vitamins in the correct ratio to each other)... you can order it online at McMurray or Strombergs...

 

[Badhbh]

There's a story in Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance about something very similar. I can't relate the whole thing now, but he basically built a sling for the chicken to sit in while she healed. She could touch the floor, but didn't HAVE to, so she could heal up and exercise her leg at the same time. He put the sling next to his desk so they could hang out while she recovered. If you want to make that kind of time investment, that's another idea for you...

 

[bossynbella]

Both are good suggestions I am ordering chicks from McMurray so I will order some of the Aviacharge then. I don't think my DH would be very happy to have the chicken in the house. Sweet though he is he was raised that animals belong outside! I am lucky to have my cats inside. and of course baby chicks when we have them.

She seemed to be doing a little better today. I am just so suprised she is still eating and everything. She even ate up the crushed eggshells I gave her and her crate mates this morning. She is a fighter thats for sure. If it would just warm up a little I think it would help Seems like this winter will never end.

Praying for spring and a healthy hen.

Melissa

 

[All my hens are roosters]

I had a hen who wound up only using one leg. I kept her out of the pack and she was fine otherwise. I wouldn't do anything too radical unless she seriously deteriorates. Keeping her isolated is a good idea until she'd back at full strength.

One thing to check is whether she has leg mites. I was noticing some of my flock limping/hopping around or tucking their legs up and that's what it turned out to be.

I'd also recommend sugar water when they seem under the weather. I'm not sure what it does, but I've brought a number of chickens back from the brink of death by just adding a cup of sugar to 2 cups water.