Swollen knee joint, won't put any weight on leg.

[Sjisty]

I have a pullet, about 20 weeks old, who won't put any weight on one leg. This has gone on for some time. I have looked several times for bumblefoot, but there is no sign. Tonight I noticed her knee on that leg is much larger than the other one. I can't feel a break or any fluid. It feels hard like bone, but is just much larger. I don't know how long it has been larger, but she has limped for a couple of months and just in the last week started hopping, not putting any weight on the leg. She is a very heavily feathered Brahma, so I didn't find it sooner.

Symptoms - Hopping, won't put foot to the ground at all.

Eating - Fine, eats with all the rest. Weight is maybe a little thin, but not much.

Poop - Normal.

I have amoxicillin. Should I give it a try?

 

[Sjisty]

Since no-one answered, I'm trying the amoxicillin. Hopefully whatever is making the knee joint swell will be taken care of soon. Otherwise she will have to be culled, and it would be a shame because she is a beautiful girl.

 

[walbarbsa]

I have a rooster with the exact same problem. He limped for along time; I soaked his leg/foot in epsom salts for several days, doctored him with neosporin, wrapped up his foot after watching a youtube video. After soaking I found a little wart-like nub on the side of one of his claws. It came out easily. After that he walked much better but, as of this date, nearly four months have gone by, he still limps and, yes, has a swollen joint. Otherwise, he eats, drinks, attempts to mate and seems quite happy....I've decided that, as long as he is not in pain or stops eating, etc., he'll just live each day.

 

[tdgill]

I have a rooster with a swollen knee also. I have him crated and on a soft bed of straw. I have given him one fourth of a baby aspririn, crushed up in a grape. Going to administer baby aspirin and rest. I am going to lower my roosts today, even though I have a large platform they can hop down to halfway, they often skip it and hit the floor kinda solid. I had put a nice layer of straw for their landings but they seem to avoid that and prefer the harder more stable surface landings. Maybe I will put a straw bale in there first and see how they take to that for a halfway point. One of my concerns with higher roosts is that they have enough of a landing/wing flapping strip - which I don't think they have.

 

[hilaryeve]

It is very likely the chicken has slipped a tendon. Give half a baby asprin to reduce swelling and then fully extend the hurt leg. You can find videos on YouTube. I had the same problem with a hen and she recovered immediately. GOod luck