Help! Our favorite chicken has injured hip??

[Feather Fluff]

Background: 1 week of worsening leg limping and leg turned outward in 14 week old silkie chick.

Went to only vet that would see our chicken today and she said that she can only tell she's in pain from her hip from her exam. She recommended x rays with surgery or euthanasia (harsh!) stating that she may heal on her own but if she didn't is due to trauma which will require surgery (quoted more than I can afford). She then continued with, "if you cost is an issue, I recommend euthanasia for the chicken"

THIS IS OUR FAVORITE CHICKEN (shouldn't have favorites but I do) our 5 year old LOVES her so much. We want to save Trust, our silkie.

Online vet recommended aspirin in water for random online post you can see here - I can make it and give her that for pain if anyone had any reason not to please let me inure l know.

She is eating and drinking but losing Mobility. Rest of flocck is fine. There is a ladder she'll need to climb to go into the coop.

I can isolate her with bedding in a tupperware that's 4 sq feet

How long do I isolate her? Any other advice welcome. I'm new to chicken hip injuries.

Please refrain from judging my inability to afford her potential surgery.

 

[BobStuart]

What type of hip injury?
Dislocation?
Fractured?

 

[CHlCKEN]

It probably isn’t broken if she’s able to walk still- there may be a sprain somewhere. Did your vet examine to rule out dislocation?

You can definitely do the aspirin to help with pain.

I would bring her inside and make her an isolated “hospital wing” in something like a dog crate. If this is just a sprain it may just need time to heal. I’d set up a sling for her so that she doesn’t have to hold weight on it (I’ll get you a link to what I’m talking about here in a minute)

What do they eat? There’s a possibility her leg is messed up because of a vitamin deficiency. You could give a B complex tablet from a regular pharmacy to see if that helps at all.

 

[Feather Fluff]

What type of hip injury?
Dislocation?
Fractured?

The vet didn't know without the x ray. They said "pain" in hip. I don't know how she could've gotten injured except from maybe the chicken ladder? It's an omlet ladder

 

[CHlCKEN]

The vet didn't know without the x ray. They said "pain" in hip. I don't know how she could've gotten injured except from maybe the chicken ladder? It's an omlet ladder

They should have been able to feel it if there were a dislocation so it may just be a sprain. Chickens can get themselves injured in the most impossible ways, it likely was just an accident and not something you could have prevented.

 

[Feather Fluff]

It probably isn’t broken if she’s able to walk still- there may be a sprain somewhere. Did your vet examine to rule out dislocation?

You can definitely do the aspirin to help with pain.

I would bring her inside and make her an isolated “hospital wing” in something like a dog crate. If this is just a sprain it may just need time to heal. I’d set up a sling for her so that she doesn’t have to hold weight on it (I’ll get you a link to what I’m talking about here in a minute)

What do they eat? There’s a possibility her leg is messed up because of a vitamin deficiency. You could give a B complex tablet from a regular pharmacy to see if that helps at all.

They eat layer crumbles, black oil sunflower seed, dry meal worms mixed. Sometimes, weekly, they get scrambled egg and watermelon rinds. Regarding Vit B, that's a very helpful suggestion thank you so much! Any vitamin B? There are so many. And just put it in water?

Pre thanking you for the sling link!

 

[CHlCKEN]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/post-18356950 Link to a thread about slings, there is another good example a little below this reply

 

[Feather Fluff]

How long do we keep her in the sling?

isolate her 24/7?

 

[CHlCKEN]

They eat layer crumbles, black oil sunflower seed, dry meal worms mixed. Sometimes, weekly, they get scrambled egg and watermelon rinds.

Does the feed have vitamins listed in the ingredients? Also, what is the protein percentage? You don’t want to give too many treats while they are still growing, it’s important they’re getting enough real feed and not filling up on other things. It’s totally fine to treat them a few times a week but I don’t recommend doing it every day.

Regarding Vit B, that's a very helpful suggestion thank you so much! Any vitamin B? There are so many. And just put it in water?

Any pharmacy Vitamin B complex that doesn’t have a bunch of crazy extra stuff added will work. I’d start by giving her 1/4 of a tablet daily. I personally give pills by sneaking them inside of a blueberry which acts as a pill pocket. They eat it in one bite and never notice it was laced lol.

 

[CHlCKEN]

How long do we keep her in the sling?

isolate her 24/7?

A few hours at a time, just enough to allow it to rest and heal. You’ll want to keep her active still, have her walk around because physical therapy is definitely necessary for healing.

If you think she’d try to run around if left with the flock, then I wouldn’t put her back. I definitely put more emphasis on the importance of isolation than some others do, though, so that is just my opinion.