My baby girl's legs are bending the wrong way at the "knee"

[Larrysmama]

We have a 2 month old Rhode Island Red who was injured yesterday. Her and her 47 sisters were being moved to a larger home. We noticed she couldn't walk and her legs were bending the wrong way at the "knee". She is eating and drinking and pooping normally. The legs can be folded back to the normal position but they won't stay that way and so she can't walk. Is there anything I can do to fix her???

Thanks,

 

[MTchick]

That sounds very odd. The only thing I can think of is that she has a slipped ligament or tendon. That would force the joint to move in very unusual directions because the tension will be operating on the wrong locations. For instance, if the bad tendon used to run on the top/front of the leg, and it has slipped somehow to the side or back of the leg, when she tries to straighten her leg the bad tendon would instead pull her to a sitting position.

If I'm right, this would be very very painful I think. I have no idea how you would help her, although immobilizing the joints with a cast of sorts could potentially allow the joint to heal itself. A visit to the vet might be in order. Maybe someone else has a better guess.

-MTchick

 

[Larrysmama]

Thank you for your reply. I was thinking a cast of some sort I'm just not sure how to do it. I thought about a visit to the vet but the last time I took one in (hen had a bad gash on her side) they laughted at me and said no one ever brought a chicken in before. All my friends laughed too. They just don't understand is all.
Thanks again... I'm hoping more people will respond to my posting. I think if I don't do something soon it won't be able to be corrected.

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

Maybe you can modify a common item to make casts. I read here previously on BYC that someone used drinking straws for a chick-split them down the middle and then taped them up.
How is the bird doing now?

PS: You may want to up her vitamin intake and try Polyvisol-lquid chicldrens vitamins. I think it is about 3 drops 2 to 3 times a day-but don't quote me on that. Just use the search function at the top of the page and searc h "polyvisol" which should give you an idea of the amount.

It seems as if it is either a genetic issue, or a vitamin issue.

Best wishes

 

[Larrysmama]

We tried one kind of "cast" but that didn't work. I will have to try something else. She seems to be in more pain today. Thanks for the reply.

 

[bayouchica]

Hi there, are there any avian vets in your area? I wish I could be of more help.
Here's a link about a member who had a similar problem with a chic.She ended taking it to the vet to get the chic's tendon fixed.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4362
Maybe try & seperate her from the rest where she can have water & food so she won't get picked on.
I don't know what else to tell ya.I hope she gets better.
Miriam

 

[kstaven]

If you look up spraddle leg and the hobbles used for it and then attach an elastic to each hobble at the ankle and then pull them up and over in front of the wings like suspenders it will keep the legs in the right position. No guarantees it will ever heal properly but I have had it work in a few cases in the past.

 

[Larrysmama]

We have decided to take her to the vet this afternoon. She is eating, drinking and pooping still. I cut an ace bandage in half and wrapped it around her body (wings out) with the legs in the correct position. So far that has kept them in place but we will have to see what the vet says. Thanks for all the help! We got chickens because we were told they were low maintenance. Yeah right.... but we still love em!

 

[bayouchica]

That's great news

I hope all goes well.
Please give us an update later.
Miriam

 

[thechickenwhisperer]

Hi, how'd it go? What did the vet say?