Limping hen, HELP!

[Pet Duck Boy]

Everything was fine when I left for school, and then I come back and find one of my hens with a bad limp! She was just great when I left, but now she refuses to walk around much but still eats and drinks fine. It's her right foot. It has a small fresh wound which looks like it was scraped, halfway down her leg. This doesn't bother her when touched. She just can't put much pressure on her right leg. I'm really worried about her and I already have too many things to worry about....did she just maybe sprain her leg? What do I do?! I took her in the house in a bin but all she wanted to do was get back to the others. Please help!!!

 

[tammye]

flush out the wound with diluted peroxide/water, warm. Put some antibiotic cream on the wound, isolate her from the rest of the flock. Give her some electrolyte solution for some added strenght. Keep her warm

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

I have her in a dog kennel right now, seperated from the others. I'm worried, but other than that tiny scratch mark, her leg is unscathed. I washed it with some water/iodine just incase though. I think she sprained it. Because the perch is 6 feet tall and they often jump down on top of the feeder. (Even though the ground is just dirt)

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Please help? I thought she was getting better but she still had a bad limp, and it's almost gotten worse. Why the favorite one? Help....

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Well, no one answered...

I let her out with the others since she seemed so miserable. She's hopping around now with the others, pickin at stuff. I can tell that leg is bothering her though...but it looks just fine?

 

[chickenlady08]

Have you looked at her foot to see if maybe it may be Bumblefoot? This is an infection that chickens get it is can cause them to limp if it is severe enough. Look at the bottom of her foot to see if you see a dark scab on the pad or any other place. If so there are many threads to help you, because the scab has to be removed and the infection (which is a cheesy looking substance, it is not liquid and it is stringy)

good luck and hope your bird is feeling better

 

[Nostalchic]

Chickens, just like any animals -including human animals - limp when there is a painful injury to the foot or leg. Limping is, after all, a way of taking the stress off an injured part in order to promote it's healing, and pain is what triggers limping - all in all, it's a very good system. If she's bearing some weight (which would indicate that there is no fracture) and eating and drinking, and there's no sign of an infection or abscess (increasing redness, swelling, firm lump or draining pus, or obviously increasing disability or limp) then probably no treatment is the best treatment - leave her with her friends to limit HER stress, and let her heal.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Update - Her limp has gotten worse as far as walking goes, but I guess you could also say she's doing a good job of resting it too. She doesn't like to move around much but she's fine as far as the limp goes....he leg is fine, same for her foot. She's not holding back at laying either. I hope it'll correct itself in a few weeks...I'll be devastated if this is long term. She can put pressure on it at least.