One Legged Chicken

[Superbex]

Hi all!

I'm completely new to this forum, and to keeping chicks for that matter! I have 3 lovely girls Mildred Enid and Ethel, they are now 6 months old. Unfortuately Enid (I believe a black cochin bantam) has taken to only using 1 leg! We have checked for mites, scaly foot and she seems comfortable when I straighten it for her but she hops around on just the one leg with the other tucked well underneath her. Am I missing something obvious? The in-laws have always kept chickens and they have said to leave her and see how see gets on. Its been over a month now and I feel bad that I havent done anything! She seems perfectly content otherwise and the others aren't picking on her so I'm at a loss as to what to do, if anything?!

Thanks, in advance

 

[chrismahon]

Welcome to the forum Superbex.

Could be a hip injury or bumble foot. Hip injuries can mendon their own -we had one limping for 6 weeks. That was 4 years ago and she is running around the enclosure as we speak. Bumble foot is a swelling of the pad with an external scab and will need a vet. Often caused by perches being too high and damaged caused when jumping off.

 

[Superbex]

Thank you for your response. I really cant see anything wrong with her foot, it looks exactly the same as the other one and thats fine! I'll just keep an eye on her I suppose. She wont use the perch so I know she hasnt been jumping around! I have very lazy chickens

 

[Marigold]

If she is active, eating and pooing OK, and isn't being picked on by the others, and is not in evident pain, then maybe she actually hasn't got a problem you need to do anything about, at least for the time being. At 6 months old she should be coming into lay by now - any sign of eggs yet?

 

[Superbex]

I've just started getting an egg a day the last couple weeks. Literally never been so excited when I saw the first one! But I'm not entirely sure who it is? I've only ever seen one of them in the nest.

 

[Marigold]

Brilliant, how exciting! Cochins lay brown eggs, so that's Ethel sorted. What breeds are Mildred and Enid? If they are different, or if not al of them are bantams like Ethel, you should be able to tell who is laying what. Of course they may lay brown as well, but usually you can still tell the difference by the shade of brown as well as the size and shape of the eggs.