Help with injured Peacock

[Ryeyard]

Hi
My Peahen developed a limp a couple of weeks ago which has now got much worse to the point that she can't put her weight on her injured leg at all. She still roosts high in the trees at night with her male and their four offspring. I suspected that she may have damaged her leg flying down and landing heavily in the morning but today, to my horror, she's developed something like a pointed white-ish male spur sticking out the back of her leg. I'm fearful that it might actually be a piece of bone and that she's broken her leg. Has anyone else had a leg break that looks like that?

 

[Eggcessive]

Could you post a picture of the spur or bone fragment coming from her leg when you can? Is there a way to see a vet? Would it be possible to limit her activity in a pen or crate to rest the leg for a week or two? I am not familiar with pea fowl, but someone like @casportpony or @KsKingBee could give better advice. You can also post on the peafowl forum here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/peafowl.51/

 

[KsKingBee]

I have dealt with more broken legs than I like to admit. A close-up photo is essential at this point. Broken legs heal very fast but a compound fracture is a whole nuther ball of wax.

 

[Ryeyard]

Could you post a picture of the spur or bone fragment coming from her leg when you can? Is there a way to see a vet? Would it be possible to limit her activity in a pen or crate to rest the leg for a week or two? I am not familiar with pea fowl, but someone like @casportpony or @KsKingBee could give better advice. You can also post on the peafowl forum here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/peafowl.51/

 

[Ryeyard]

This is the large very sharp spike which has appeared on her leg.

 

[Eggcessive]

Hopefully, @casportpony or @KsKingBee will respond. Have you been able to confine her to limit her jumping and rest her leg?

 

[Ryeyard]

I've managed to make a vet appointment. All I have to do now is catch her.

 

[KsKingBee]

Save the vet bill, that is only a spur, not a bone spur, just a regular spur and very normal. There is nothing wrong with anything in that picture that would cause her to limp, no swelling or sign of injury. The cause of the limp is above the hock and may ease up over time or may not. Do have a vet check her out if you like but there is nothing a vet can do to 'fix' a sprain in the upper leg area. I think you have more to lose than to gain in the act of catching her. I was doing my annual NPIP testing one year and the vet thought I was too slow and decided to 'help' by catching a hen. Unfortunately, she caused a sprain that never healed up. That poor hen was called Limpy after that and never did get any better. If you do decide to catch her, be very careful not to try to contain her by holding onto her legs, which is very hard to do. They always struggle and can cause more harm than good.

 

[Ryeyard]

Save the vet bill, that is only a spur, not a bone spur, just a regular spur and very normal. There is nothing wrong with anything in that picture that would cause her to limp, no swelling or sign of injury. The cause of the limp is above the hock and may ease up over time or may not. Do have a vet check her out if you like but there is nothing a vet can do to 'fix' a sprain in the upper leg area. I think you have more to lose than to gain in the act of catching her. I was doing my annual NPIP testing one year and the vet thought I was too slow and decided to 'help' by catching a hen. Unfortunately, she caused a sprain that never healed up. That poor hen was called Limpy after that and never did get any better. If you do decide to catch her, be very careful not to try to contain her by holding onto her legs, which is very hard to do. They always struggle and can cause more harm than good.

Many thanks for everyone's advice. I've done some further research and apparently older girls can suddenly produce leg spurs especially if they have a protein rich diet. She's otherwise healthy and seems to be getting around with her chicks and sun bathing happily even although she's still limping. I'm wondering if the sudden production of this large dagger on the back of her leg is somehow affecting the nerve function of her leg?? I'll keep monitoring her progress.