Three Week Old Chick Leg Injury

[glacialGhost]

I recently adopted a chick that had trouble standing on its right leg, and formed a nodule on its ankle from walking on the wire mesh inside the brooder. She can't move her ankle straight, and usually hangs at a 90 degree angle, but can be bent upward a little. She has difficulty walking, combining hopping and wing flapping for locomotion. I've currently bound her legs in vetwrap/coflex, to protect the swollen wounded ankle, and also keep the one leg from splaying out (it rotates inward when not wrapped, "pinky" side to the floor). It doesn't seem infected (as far as we know), and she is still getting blood to her foot. She is eating and drinking. Our working ideas on what it is are:

Congenital Bone/Cartilage Defect that prevents her ankle from moving and led to the injury
Early Break that didn't heal correctly (it doesn't seem to be a compound fracture, the nodule moves independently from her leg bone)
Or an acute infection we can't see from inexperience.

I'm fully responsible for her health, wellbeing, and quality of life, so any assistance would be great. Thank you so very much in advance.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive , any advice?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can we see a picture of her standing up?

You mention that the chick formed the nodule walking on wire mesh, do both legs have a sore place? So it was walking on it's hocks is that correct?

Without seeing the legs in their natural position, the description of the leg rotating inward, makes me think leg bone deformity, but once there's more photos, I might change my mind

Have you put anything on that lesion on the hock?

 

[glacialGhost]

Thank you all for responding! The wound is only on her right leg, the other is unaffected. She is using the joint of the hock to rest on. I’ve been putting neosporin when I’ve changed the wrap- the nodule seems to be coming off and has fresh tissue underneath, so it’s just a waiting game for it to come off naturally. Here’s some more photos of her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The leg looks like it may be twisting to the inside(?) It's very hard to know the cause of most leg issues-genetics, incubation problems and parent stock nutrition all play a part.

You can try poultry vitamins that contain B2(Riboflavin) or if you need to you can crush 1/4 tablet of human B-Complex vitamin daily and add it to her feed.

If she is struggling to get around, she may benefit from a chick chair for a few days, this may help strengthen the legs, get her upright and take pressure off that sore. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/
When I first saw the sore, I thought of Mycoplasma Synoviae, but that is usually on both hocks and sometimes there's foot swelling too.

Keep in mind, that sometimes even with our best efforts some issues can't be fixed. Chicks that have leg issues often times have other unseen problems and fail to thrive. It can be heartbreaking, but all you can do is give her love, supportive care and hope for the best.
Please let us know how it goes.

 

[glacialGhost]

The leg looks like it may be twisting to the inside(?) It's very hard to know the cause of most leg issues-genetics, incubation problems and parent stock nutrition all play a part.

You can try poultry vitamins that contain B2(Riboflavin) or if you need to you can crush 1/4 tablet of human B-Complex vitamin daily and add it to her feed.

If she is struggling to get around, she may benefit from a chick chair for a few days, this may help strengthen the legs, get her upright and take pressure off that sore. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/
When I first saw the sore, I thought of Mycoplasma Synoviae, but that is usually on both hocks and sometimes there's foot swelling too.

Keep in mind, that sometimes even with our best efforts some issues can't be fixed. Chicks that have leg issues often times have other unseen problems and fail to thrive. It can be heartbreaking, but all you can do is give her love, supportive care and hope for the best.
Please let us know how it goes.

Thank you for the feedback, I’ll be sure to be back with an update, hopefully with some good news! But I do understand if she doesn’t become fully mobile.

 

[glacialGhost]

Here we go! Fingers crossed.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That is the cutest sling I've ever seen. Nice work on that set up. Hope it works.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That is the cutest sling I've ever seen. Nice work on that set up. Hope it works.

X2! Very nice job and the sling
Please keep us posted.

 

[glacialGhost]

Update: Good news and sorta bad news! Good news is the wound on her hock is healed, and there's no bone protrusion and the swelling has gone way down. Bad news is after scouring a bunch of other forums she does seem to have a slipped hock tendon, and shes about 4 weeks old now. At the very least I know the problem, and I'm gonna keep up on chicky physical therapy, and hopefully in some time I'll be back with only good news.