Chicken Limping

[cicipitcher7]

Pictures & video included……One of my hens is limping. She hardly wants to put any weight on one of her legs. I checked for bumble foot and to see if she had any cuts or anything on her foot or legs but nothing looks wrong from the naked eyes point of view. When she tries to walk she crosses and steps on the limp foot and acts like she’s stuck and can’t go anywhere so she results to just laying down rite there. This is something new to me as a chicken owner. She’s eating, drinking, using the bathroom and laying eggs like normal. I’m stumped on this one. I do have her in a cage by herself to rest but it’s been 4 days and nothing has gotten better. I have been mixing poultry cell in her food and giving her electrolytes in her water since we are in Texas and it’s hot even in the shade where she is. Please help me.

 

[Atlas The Chicken Tender]

Do you notice any swelling in her thigh?If so, it might be an upper leg injury. If not, there are several other possible causes. You might need to check to be sure she hasn't accidentally swallowed any metal, because when some metals break down in the crop (iron and lead are two big ones), they can cause metal toxicity. Try giving her some B vitamins, either 1cc of liquid direct in her beak or 1/4 of a poultry B-complex vitamin tablet. If she gets better within a day or two, you'll know it's working. If she's just getting worse, it's probably something more serious that will need veterinary intervention. I hope some of this helps, friend.

 

[mysticaingeal]

When our chicken was similarly limping with no sign of bumblefoot or anything obvious wrong our vet put her on a painkiller+anti inflammatory and rest and that worked.

Good luck!

 

[cicipitcher7]

Do you notice any swelling in her thigh?If so, it might be an upper leg injury. If not, there are several other possible causes. You might need to check to be sure she hasn't accidentally swallowed any metal, because when some metals break down in the crop (iron and lead are two big ones), they can cause metal toxicity. Try giving her some B vitamins, either 1cc of liquid direct in her beak or 1/4 of a poultry B-complex vitamin tablet. If she gets better within a day or two, you'll know it's working. If she's just getting worse, it's probably something more serious that will need veterinary intervention. I hope some of this helps, friend.

No swelling in the thigh and I looked over her for a good 45min when I first discovered her doing this. Well I give her rooster booster poultry cell that has a lot of vitamins in it but do they sell just vitamin B at tractor supply? I do have a vet that sees chickens but I’m trying to hold off because it’s expensive. Other than her leg her comb is bright red and she’s eating and drinking perfectly. It’s just so odd but she is a free range chicken along with her sisters and they roost really high up in the barn I’m wondering if she flew down and landed wrong. But thank you for all the info

 

[Atlas The Chicken Tender]

No swelling in the thigh and I looked over her for a good 45min when I first discovered her doing this. Well I give her rooster booster poultry cell that has a lot of vitamins in it but do they sell just vitamin B at tractor supply? I do have a vet that sees chickens but I’m trying to hold off because it’s expensive. Other than her leg her comb is bright red and she’s eating and drinking perfectly. It’s just so odd but she is a free range chicken along with her sisters and they roost really high up in the barn I’m wondering if she flew down and landed wrong. But thank you for all the info

They do sell vitamin B at tractor supply, that's where I got mine from! I hope all goes well with your hen!

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? Was she vaccinated for Mareks? Injuries are more common, so I would continue to treat her with rest, and the vitamins. B complex is under $9 in the vitamin aisle at Walmart. Do her legs look straight when she walks or does her foot turn in, or does her leg seem bowed or knock kneed? Do you have a rooster who may have injured her? How high are your roosts?

 

[cicipitcher7]

How old is she? Was she vaccinated for Mareks? Injuries are more common, so I would continue to treat her with rest, and the vitamins. B complex is under $9 in the vitamin aisle at Walmart. Do her legs look straight when she walks or does her foot turn in, or does her leg seem bowed or knock kneed? Do you have a rooster who may have injured her? How high are your roosts?

She’s only 2 years old. She was vaccinated. I am going in the morning to get vitamin B and start her on that. Her legs are straight. When she limps or tries to walk her good leg steps on the bad one and then she tries to walk but can’t so she lays down. I do have a rooster but she is currently away from him and resting in a safe cage. Also she free ranges and so at dusk her and her sisters go in the barn and roost pretty high up. I think she may have flew down and landed wrong on that leg but I’m not 100% sure. I am gonna give her till the middle of next week and if something doesn’t change I will be taking her to the vet to see if her leg is broken and what I need to do.

 

[cicipitcher7]

When our chicken was similarly limping with no sign of bumblefoot or anything obvious wrong our vet put her on a painkiller+anti inflammatory and rest and that worked.

Good luck!

What pain killer and anti inflammatory did he give her exactly? Can I get something similar at tractor supply?

 

[Britzyo]

She’s only 2 years old. She was vaccinated. I am going in the morning to get vitamin B and start her on that. Her legs are straight. When she limps or tries to walk her good leg steps on the bad one and then she tries to walk but can’t so she lays down. I do have a rooster but she is currently away from him and resting in a safe cage. Also she free ranges and so at dusk her and her sisters go in the barn and roost pretty high up. I think she may have flew down and landed wrong on that leg but I’m not 100% sure. I am gonna give her till the middle of next week and if something doesn’t change I will be taking her to the vet to see if her leg is broken and what I need to do.

Hi! Whatever happened to your chicken? Mines got a very similar situation.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@cicipitcher7 this thread is from Oct of 2024, but do you have any updates about your chicken?
Thanks!