[Dreich Pete]

Our Cocker Spaniel and one of the hens had a collision this evening - totally innocent clash as the dog ran after a stick and the hen ran in front of her from behind a plant.

The hen is now limping, her claws are tucking under her foot sometimes and she is trying to prop herself up with her wing, but she isn't making any different sounds and when I picked her up she was calm - very odd as it's the first time we've managed to pick her up.

I've felt the upper leg and lower leg, and both seem stable & rigid, and she didn't object or struggle as I applied light pressure to the bones. Her claws were quite floppy but not disfigured and she didn't object to them being touched.

Can anybody offer me any advice on inspecting her and what sort of behaviour/pain response would be normal for a hen? If she's still limping in the morning she'll be making a visit to the vet but I'd rather have an idea if it's a sprain or something less serious than a break.

Thanks.

[in the hills]

I'm not sure how you tell for definite .... not without the obvious x-ray.

One of our growers somehow managed to damage her leg about 3 weeks ago. It was dragging along at times and yet at others taking some weight. She was eating and seemed bright. We confined her in a small indoor rabbit cage to restrict movement and keep safe from other hens. To be honest I thought we would have to dispatch her. Pleased to say that she is now recovered. Showed gradual but slow improvement over the first week or so.

Perhaps confine/restrict movement and protect from other hens until you get her to vet.