Leg Injury

K

kitty

New member
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
62
Reaction score
0
Hi all, looking for some advice as one of my hens has injured her leg this morning. While I was cleaning the run I heard my blackrock appear to crash land after flying off the top of the run (which is about 4/5ft high) making a squawking noise. Since then she has been able to stand on one leg only, with the injured leg tucked up to just below her feathers.
I am hoping that this is just a sprain as it doesn't appear to be damaged and there are no cuts visible and I'll obviously ensure she has easy access to food and water. Any other however help would be appreciated, thanks in advance.
By the way, she is able to hop around ok.
 
See how she is after resting it overnight..she might surprise you. Keep us posted though in the morning, then we can have another think if she is still having problems.
 
Update! She managed to scramble into the coop last night and was lying in one of the nest boxes this morning. I gently picked her up and placed her in the run so she can have access to food and water and she is eating ok but obviously hardly moving at all. Her leg is swollen on the joint where her leg meets the foot and I suspect that it is either dislocated or broken, so I think a trip to the vets is on the cards for Monday morning. In this time I'm hoping she might show some improvement if its just a sprain or something like that, but to be honest I'm preparing myself for the inevitable.
Previously I have dispatched 2 of my birds due to illness myself, but I don't think I will be able to do it to her as her leg is obviously painful and I'd need to hold her legs to do the deed.I am gutted!!!
 
Hello Kitty,
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that it is just a sprain, and that she is OK.
It is so hard to dispatch a loved bird, and with the possible broken leg, or joint, it is impossible.
I had to dispatch a much loved, incredibly beautiful rare breed girl last week, and whilst it was horrendous, it was vital. I will get over it, but I will never forget it.
I hope the vet can help you.
 
Thanks for that, she manage to make it into the coop and the poor girl laid an egg. However, after I put her back in the run she has just lain there, but she is eating the food which I have to put in front of her but I can't get her to drink much water. I will have to carry her back in to the coop earlier than my other 3 girls so she can get her favourite spot.
 
So, been to the vet today and he can find nothing broken but he said the joint was a bit swollen and felt warm. He has given her an anti inflammatory and antibiotic injection and we've agreed that we will see how she goes over the next 2 days and then make a decision.
Since we've come back she does seem a little more interested in food and water, hopped her way into the coop,and laid another egg ( I know they can't be eaten for 30 days) so just have to keep everything crossed that she will pull through this!
 
A very minor improvement where she was able to put her foot on the floor very gently, so yesterday I got 3 more daily jabs of anti inflammatory one which I gave her yesterday but no further improvement this morning. I'll give her the remaining 2 today and tomorrow and if there is no further improvement by then, then,I'm afraid it will be back to the vets for the inevitable.
 
Good news!!! there has been a little improvement each day and she is usjng her injured foot a little more now not walking on it really, but using it to steady herself when eating etc. After carrying her into the coop to make sure she gets one of the nests to sleep in (most of mine use them instead of perching), I watched her get out of the nest box to return outside with the rest of the flock and she actually used both of her feet to climb over the perches and is now back outside.
If this improvement continues over the next week, I'm hoping she can get somewhere back to normality although whether she can make a full recovery I don't know. Any way there's a lot more hope now.
 
That's really good to hear, I had been wondering how she was getting on. In a sheltered home environment there's no reason why she shouldn't manage very well, even if she never gets the full use back in her leg.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top