[loopy]

hi all, need some advice.  one of our chickens started walking with a limp a few days ago.  She was one of the ones we added to our flock this year, so still relatively young.  We have a Light Sussex cockeral and we suspect he might have jumped on her awkwardly.

We moved her into a separate coop in the hope she had just bruised it and would heal in a few days if kept away from the others/any further attemps by the cockeral.

We are concerned though that she is still limping and wondering how you can tell if it is muscle damage or whether she might have broken it?  How can we tell?  I don't want her suffering but at the same time, we don't want to cull her if she will recover from this.

She is still eating and drinking, and able to get up to the platform at night, although she isn't roosting, she is lying down at night.  She hasn't laid an egg since she was injured.

any advice?

[Mel]

Have you checked her feet over,there may be something stuck in her only we had one do the same last year and she had the tiniest piece of glass stuck under one of her toes! if this is not the case,gently feel her entire leg and move it slightly around to see if it moves in directions that it is not supposed to! I am unsure whether hens get cramps though I do know ducklings can!

[calamityjane]

i have a cockeral who we bought last month he has had a broken toe he limps abit but can run when he wants someone i know had a hen with a broken leg and she put a stookie on it and it has healed well it walks well i have put stookies on lambs and they have healed well hope this helps