Really bad leg

[Penguinsofty55]

Sigh, so to start, this is not my bird. I'm helping a new chicken keeping family in my neborhood. I visited today and saw this. It's obviously slipped tendon curly toe that went wayyyyyyyyy to long. Be kind they did what they could with what is out there. No vet that works on birds here. What can I do to help this bird. She's healthy and active aside from the leg. Is there a way to slowly train it back to a correct posture. The kids love her. She's been an inside pet so they do have the time to immobilize and feed and watch her. Any suggestions aside from Stew pot freezer bird. This is a 5 month old heritage easter egger. She sits on that leg it's completely sideways.

 

[Eggcessive]

Has she had this since hatch or did she show symptoms recently? If it is recent, B complex vitamins 1/4 tablet daily crushed into a spoonful of water might help her curled toes. A shoe splint might have helped early on, as well. Leg bone deformities in one or both legs are common. Those include varus or valgus deformity, and twisted tendon, but those are not usually treated successfully. Slipped tendon is one seen at hatch, and also very hard to treat. Unfortunately if the B vitamins do not help after a couple of weeks, she may be stuck with this for life. A chicken sling or homemade wheelchair are things to consider. Here is a good link with examples, posts 5, 11, and 12 especially:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

Here is some info on leg bone deformities:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ctious-skeletal-disorders-in-poultry-broilers

 

[Penguinsofty55]

Has she had this since hatch or did she show symptoms recently? If it is recent, B complex vitamins 1/4 tablet daily crushed into a spoonful of water might help her curled toes. A shoe splint might have helped early on, as well. Leg bone deformities in one or both legs are common. Those include varus or valgus deformity, and twisted tendon, but those are not usually treated successfully. Slipped tendon is one seen at hatch, and also very hard to treat. Unfortunately if the B vitamins do not help after a couple of weeks, she may be stuck with this for life. A chicken sling or homemade wheelchair are things to consider. Here is a good link with examples, posts 5, 11, and 12 especially:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/versions-of-chick-chairs-please.1166308/

Here is some info on leg bone deformities:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ctious-skeletal-disorders-in-poultry-broilers

Thank you so supper much. No she didn't hatch that way, they said she injured herself wich has me suspecting b vitamin deficiency weakens that tendon. I gave her some liquid b complex today. I'll see what they are willing to do. It seems that the leg is positioned that way to help her mobility, like it became that way because of failure of early treatment. Thank you again. I'll keep this updated.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you straighten the leg or the foot and toes? Or are they frozen in place? She might have injured or broken a bone and caused nerve damage. If it has been like that for awhile, I doubt that it would improve much. But it is worth a try. Resting her leg by limiting activity for several weeks could help heal an injury. I would try the B complex. A vet might be able to xray the leg and foot.

 

[Penguinsofty55]

Can you straighten the leg or the foot and toes? Or are they frozen in place? She might have injured or broken a bone and caused nerve damage. If it has been like that for awhile, I doubt that it would improve much. But it is worth a try. Resting her leg by limiting activity for several weeks could help heal an injury. I would try the B complex. A vet might be able to xray the leg and foot.

Her toes do move. The leg is functional but when I feel the joint it has muscle and specific protective growth around it that prevents me from rotating it back into place without causing pain and possibly breaking something. I will keep on the vitamins, try some muscle relaxation soaking in Epsom salt water some heat and massage and some physical therapy movements. Maybe over time I can get her to a better mobility. I'll help them build a sling for her. Maybe a gradual brace that can slowly reposition that leg. Kinda like bonsai or espiling trees. Slowly but over time. She's still growing so maybe something will work. They say they don't mind having a disabled chicken. So we'll work with it. Such a pretty bird.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sounds like you are really the right person to help her. Let us know how she gets along, and I hope that she does make improvements.

 

[Penguinsofty55]

Sounds like you are really the right person to help her. Let us know how she gets along, and I hope that she does make improvements.

Np, I think she wants to live so ill try for her.