Chicken limping....with no signs of injury

[picklestheduck]

Hey yall so I noticed yesterday my 7-8 month old light brahma was limping pretty bad. I have a duck currently dealing with bumblefoot so I immediately inspected her foot.....and found nothing other than a broken off feather on her toe. It really doesn't look that bad, but I have no idea what else it could be! I felt for ANY swelling along her whole leg and thoroughly inspected all of her toes and whole foot. I can try to get a video of the awful limping and a picture of her feet tomorrow if you think its needed but theres nothing to look at except a scab on a broken feather! maybe it is THAT painful? I have no clue. Shes just hopping around BADLY and want to help her! thanks!

 

[rosemarythyme]

My guess is maybe she hurt herself coming off the roost, like tweaking a joint - how high are your roosts, and how much padding is there for them to land on? If it's something like that it should resolve itself over time, though you'll want to try and minimize any jumping up/down she does, if possible.

 

[picklestheduck]

My guess is maybe she hurt herself coming off the roost, like tweaking a joint - how high are your roosts, and how much padding is there for them to land on? If it's something like that it should resolve itself over time, though you'll want to try and minimize any jumping up/down she does, if possible.

The one roost that she always sits on is not much more than a foot high....idk what else it could be

 

[Isadora]

Sometimes when they are having egg issues, they can develop a limp. Is she actively laying eggs right now?

 

[Lexicon]

Hey yall so I noticed yesterday my 7-8 month old light brahma was limping pretty bad. I have a duck currently dealing with bumblefoot so I immediately inspected her foot.....and found nothing other than a broken off feather on her toe. It really doesn't look that bad, but I have no idea what else it could be! I felt for ANY swelling along her whole leg and thoroughly inspected all of her toes and whole foot. I can try to get a video of the awful limping and a picture of her feet tomorrow if you think its needed but theres nothing to look at except a scab on a broken feather! maybe it is THAT painful? I have no clue. Shes just hopping around BADLY and want to help her! thanks!

I experienced the same thing with my Brahma when she was a pullet. I inspected her leg and couldn't see anything.
I soaked her foot and ankle in warm Epsom salts twice and made a soft intermediate landing spot between the roost and the floor. She would often stand at the end of the roost holding up her sore leg in the morning, so I started lifting her down.
Eventually whatever it was healed. I don't know about your Brahma, but mine is not the most agile girl around, so I assume she tweaked her leg jumping down from something.
I hope your pullet heals quickly.

 

[aart]

Is she eating/drinking/pooping OK?

If limp is really bothering them by inhibiting their normal activities too much, I will isolate them in a crate to 'force' rest for a day or two. Letting them out late in day, an hour before roost time, to give them a stretch and evaluate their mobility, then decide if they need another day and put them back in crate off roost after dark. Repeat stretch and eval the next day until they are better. Keep crate in coop so bird can remain 'with' the flock.

I like to use a fold-able wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller mesh(1x2) on bottom of crate under tray.
Then you can put tray underneath crate to better observe droppings without it being stepped in. If smaller mesh is carefully installed, tray can still be used inside crate.

 

[picklestheduck]

Thanks so much for the feedback! I think she is laying, I cants always tell since they are slowing down now due to it becoming cold, but I think she still is laying everyday. She seems to be doing everything normal still, eating drinking, pooping, roosting all the same. She even walks fine sometimes. But on and off she limp/hops everywhere and she even flaps her wings to try to take weight off of it I think. I could soak her since I am already doing my duck all the time, that shouldnt be an issue but do you think its necessary?

 

[Lexicon]

Thanks so much for the feedback! I think she is laying, I cants always tell since they are slowing down now due to it becoming cold, but I think she still is laying everyday. She seems to be doing everything normal still, eating drinking, pooping, roosting all the same. She even walks fine sometimes. But on and off she limp/hops everywhere and she even flaps her wings to try to take weight off of it I think. I could soak her since I am already doing my duck all the time, that shouldnt be an issue but do you think its necessary?

Regarding the soaking, I don't know if it's necessary. I just tried it in case it helped.
It did help the first time just because her feet were dirty and I wanted a really good look to rule out bumblefoot.

 

[picklestheduck]

Regarding the soaking, I don't know if it's necessary. I just tried it in case it helped.
It did help the first time just because her feet were dirty and I wanted a really good look to rule out bumblefoot.

Ok thanks! I might soak her one to get a good look since shes dirty.

 

[picklestheduck]

Hey yall shes just getting worse. She now stands holding her hurt foot up or lays all the time. my guess is I need to put her in a crate to force rest?