- Dec 4, 2012
- 7
- 3
- 9
Hello Everyone,
I am new the forum but I have read a lot of very helpful information on BackYard Chickens while raising my two Rhode Island Red hens. My hen, Thelma, recently had a bad leg injury. I wanted to share my experience with others because I could not find much information about dislocated or broken legs in hens...mostly just in chicks.
On Saturday Thelma suddenly was hanging her right leg. She had it bent backwards and kind of pulled up against her body. She cannot put any weight on it to walk, she balances on her wing. Her leg seemed to be in tact from the outside but the problem lies in her hip or thigh joint. My friend who works in conservation of imperiled raptors of florida made a hood with a sock, cutting a small hole for her beak we slipped it over her head and fasted it with a loose rubber band. This enabled us to inspect her leg without her moving about. You can practice this technique to subdue a nervous bird, it has a calming effect.
We inspected the pad and toes to see if there was any cuts or infection, or signs of bumble foot... nothing. When we put Thelma on her back we could feel that her good leg moved in the correct way, it extended and contracted properly. My friend put her finger in her claw and she closed her toes around her finger which is a good sign.
Now for the bad leg: it just seemed loose in the joint, turned the wrong direction actually. The leg seemed to be pointing down towards 3 o'clock rather than forwards at 12 o'clock. She had little strength to be able to pull it back up to her body, it kind of just hung/dragged. She was barely able to grasp a finger.
We stood Thelma back up and i supported her chest while my friend felt the leg. In a certain area she detected that when pressure was placed Thelma reacted....good sign. This is good because she had feeling and the pressure eliciting a response would give me more information to give to the vet.
On Sunday Thelma did not seem any better. I confined her and my other hen, made sure she had access to food and water, she could hop around enough to reach the bowls.
This morning I drove her and Louise over to a local exotic avian vet because there was simply nothing else i could do for her. I did not want her to be in pain or heal improperly. The vet actually confirmed that Thelma broke her fibula, which caused the leg to bend out at in the wrong direction. The vet is going to have to pin the bones together and cast or spint accordingly. I asked if she could just splint but she explained that in birds, the bones will just re-break if they are not pinned properly. 'll try to add pictures if possible so you can see the angle of the leg.
Overall, a stressful and expensive experience (upwards of $500 total) for my dear Thelma. But I couldn't help but say yes to the treatment. It is amazing how attached we get to these beautiful chickens. I care for them, they know me and cluck to me and we have a special friendship. I didn't have the heart to put her down if she could live a relatively normal life. Her leg will most likely be very stiff but she will be able to hop on it or use it as a crutch. I didn't want to take her away from her only friend, Louise.
I hope that you never have to experience the sadness that is related to a dear chicken incurring an injury like this, but if you do i hope you bring him/her to the vet so that he/she can live a long happy life. Good luck.
I am new the forum but I have read a lot of very helpful information on BackYard Chickens while raising my two Rhode Island Red hens. My hen, Thelma, recently had a bad leg injury. I wanted to share my experience with others because I could not find much information about dislocated or broken legs in hens...mostly just in chicks.
On Saturday Thelma suddenly was hanging her right leg. She had it bent backwards and kind of pulled up against her body. She cannot put any weight on it to walk, she balances on her wing. Her leg seemed to be in tact from the outside but the problem lies in her hip or thigh joint. My friend who works in conservation of imperiled raptors of florida made a hood with a sock, cutting a small hole for her beak we slipped it over her head and fasted it with a loose rubber band. This enabled us to inspect her leg without her moving about. You can practice this technique to subdue a nervous bird, it has a calming effect.
We inspected the pad and toes to see if there was any cuts or infection, or signs of bumble foot... nothing. When we put Thelma on her back we could feel that her good leg moved in the correct way, it extended and contracted properly. My friend put her finger in her claw and she closed her toes around her finger which is a good sign.
Now for the bad leg: it just seemed loose in the joint, turned the wrong direction actually. The leg seemed to be pointing down towards 3 o'clock rather than forwards at 12 o'clock. She had little strength to be able to pull it back up to her body, it kind of just hung/dragged. She was barely able to grasp a finger.
We stood Thelma back up and i supported her chest while my friend felt the leg. In a certain area she detected that when pressure was placed Thelma reacted....good sign. This is good because she had feeling and the pressure eliciting a response would give me more information to give to the vet.
On Sunday Thelma did not seem any better. I confined her and my other hen, made sure she had access to food and water, she could hop around enough to reach the bowls.
This morning I drove her and Louise over to a local exotic avian vet because there was simply nothing else i could do for her. I did not want her to be in pain or heal improperly. The vet actually confirmed that Thelma broke her fibula, which caused the leg to bend out at in the wrong direction. The vet is going to have to pin the bones together and cast or spint accordingly. I asked if she could just splint but she explained that in birds, the bones will just re-break if they are not pinned properly. 'll try to add pictures if possible so you can see the angle of the leg.
Overall, a stressful and expensive experience (upwards of $500 total) for my dear Thelma. But I couldn't help but say yes to the treatment. It is amazing how attached we get to these beautiful chickens. I care for them, they know me and cluck to me and we have a special friendship. I didn't have the heart to put her down if she could live a relatively normal life. Her leg will most likely be very stiff but she will be able to hop on it or use it as a crutch. I didn't want to take her away from her only friend, Louise.
I hope that you never have to experience the sadness that is related to a dear chicken incurring an injury like this, but if you do i hope you bring him/her to the vet so that he/she can live a long happy life. Good luck.
