Chicken can't walk straight

[Sachipiller]

I have recently noticed that one of my chickens is struggling to walk straight. If she sees the bucket of mealworms she can run to me just fine but she struggles when walking.

INFO

- 1 year old
- red sex link or production red hen
-she has something on her nose - see photo
- i free range in my yard almost all day

 

[M-H-Fielding]

Is it possible that her leg was injured? Maybe broken? My hen walked like that after her leg broke.

 

[Sachipiller]

theres plenty of elevation changes for her to jump from. how would I check if her leg is broken?

another thing that I forgot to mention is that she's moulting and growing quite a few wing feathers

 

[Eggcessive]

I think that your chicken may have what is called varus leg bone deformity for sure in the left leg, and I am not sure about the right one. Varus causes legs to bow aout, and the opposite condition valgus, causes the legs to have a knock kneed appearance. These deformities can occur in one leg or both. There is no treatment. Here is a good article about it with pictures:
https://www.researchgate.net/profil...roiler-Chickens.pdf?origin=publication_detail

 

[Eggcessive]

This is a picture of a pullet with varus deformity in the right leg:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/7829091/

 

[Sachipiller]

I think that your chicken may have what is called varus leg bone deformity for sure in the left leg, and I am not sure about the right one. Varus causes legs to bow aout, and the opposite condition valgus, causes the legs to have a knock kneed appearance. These deformities can occur in one leg or both. There is no treatment. Here is a good article about it with pictures:
https://www.researchgate.net/profil...roiler-Chickens.pdf?origin=publication_detail

I think you're right. The picture of the pullet is exactly what she looks like. What issues will she have(if any). She's very high on the pecking order at the moment.

 

[Eggcessive]

In my first post 4 above, the article can be downloaded to read and see more pics. The can be a chance that she may have more difficulty in walking, and may sit a lot. The tendon in the leg can slip out of place. The article may have more info. If she just has it in one leg, she probably has a better chance for a normal life.

 

[Sachipiller]

one confusing thing is that if she sees the mealworm box she runs just fine to me