Chicken foot is broken

Posted by Theresa McCullough on December 31, 2010 at 12:25pm

Happy New year to everyone. 

 

I came home yesterday and my chicken is not walking on 1 leg.  I checked the leg for a cyst or infection and there is nothing. Her leg is moving but her foot is not, it is just hanging there.  Has this happened to anyone?  I am wondering if I should put a splint on it.  She just closes her eyes when I touched it but does not make a noise and does not peck at me at all.  This is very unlike her because she is my mean chicken... but I love her.  Any advise?  I am open to anything. 

 

Thank you for your help,

Theresa

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Replies

  • Theresa McCullough January 3, 2011 at 8:36am
    Thank you for the help.  It is comforting to know that this has happened others and there is great advice out there. She is drinking a lot and eating here and there.  Her coloring is great.... really red comb and her legs are nice and yellow as usual, clear eyes.  I am currently keeping her in the coop with the others because they have not bothered her yet.  She is a mean one.  She seems to be getting restless since she has gone into the run a few times.  From what you have said about the behavior it sounds like she may recover which would be wonderful.  Thank you again and have a wonderful 2011!
    • Evelyn Navarro > Theresa McCullough January 5, 2011 at 8:19am
      I had a dog/chicken incident and our mean rooster had his leg injured.  I splinted it with popscicle sticks and surgical tape so he could bear some weight and get around.  It took a few months before he lost the gimp but he was fine! It humbled him for a bit too.
  • David Kennedy January 1, 2011 at 9:09pm

    One of my chickens was injured recently when my dog accidentally ran her over while chasing after a tennis ball.  The chicken ran right into her path and was basically trampled.  Big Red emerged with what I thought was a broken leg or at least a terrible injury to it.  Upon examination, we didn't see that anything was broken, and she reacted similarly to what you described when you touched your chicken's leg.  She wouldn't put any weight on it.  If she had to move, she would jump on one leg.   This prevented her from moving around.  For the next week, she was pretty sedentary, sitting for most of the day, and she "roosted" on the ground at night.  I was really worried.  Fortunately, she was still eating and drinking water.  Then, after a week, she started to put a tiny bit of weight on the injured leg and began limping.  It's been 3 weeks now, and her incremental improvement is to the point where she will now scratch, jump, and roost. 

     

    It must have been one heck of a sprain.  As Kelly stated, it's taken quite a while, so I would be patient with yours as long as she is eating and drinking.  I hope she recovers! 

  • Kelly Liston December 31, 2010 at 1:02pm
    I had a chicken that hurt her foot.  I wasn't sure if it was broken, so I didn't do anything.  She hobbled around for a while and then she started using it again.  It was a while though.  Surprisingly she was able to get around quite well.  She never lost her appetite and the other hens didn't bother her.
  • Bethany Lobocki December 31, 2010 at 12:53pm

    Here's what I would do if I wanted to save her:


    Isolate her so the others won't pick on her.  Keep her quiet and warm (maybe in your house, at least in a draft free area).  Offer food and water.  If she won't touch the food, put some electrolytes (general livestock electrolytes you can find at the feed store) and a bit of corn syrup in water.  If she got through 2-3 days and appeared to be eating/drinking, then maybe try splinting it.  If it were me, and she showed no interest in food/water or no improvement after a few days...then she'd go to freezer camp. 

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