My hen's leg is twisted backwards.

Hey y'all! this is my first post and I'm hoping that SOMEONE can offer some useful advice. I first noticed that "Tumbleweed's" leg was twisted back in April. She couldn't balance and kept falling backwards. I took her to the vet, (yes, I did) and he told me her leg was deformed. He tried to tape it for a couple of days, but when I took her back it was a little swollen so he removed the tape. We went through this for about 3 weeks. He gave her a little vitamin shot with calcium to make her bones stronger. My main concern that she not be in any pain. She eats and drinks and hops around, but even two toes on her good leg are bent and look broke. The vet says she was born like this. I do not have the heart to put her down. That is not even an option. Is is it possible that her leg was just popped out of joint and could be reset? She shares her coop with another hen named Peeps, but sometimes it seems that Peeps runs all over her. You can see in the picture her right leg and the toes on her left foot. She looks pitiful, but I promise you, she has a safe home. Even the coons and possums can't get to her. She eats like a horse, and has a constant supply of clean water, and of course lots of love from me.
Thanks for listening.
Tammy

Hi! I'm fairly new here, too, but welcome! How old is Tumbleweed? She looks fairly young. How old was she when you got her? It sounds like she had been walking fine, otherwise you would have noticed this problem when you got her. I found vets don't always know as much about poultry. There are avian vets out there somewhere. I have always understood not to give calcium to young hens as it could damage their kidneys or bones, so if your hen is under 4 - 5 months or so, I'd be skeptical about that vets knowledge. I'm fairly new to mothering hens (we had turkeys growing up and they didn't live long, if you know what I mean.....), so I'm no expert. You came to the right place, though. I've learned a lot from this website. Best of luck, and please let us know what you find out. Laureen

She is very young. Around April. She was 1 week old. She was a stargazer, and when the mom pushed her out of the nest and started pecking her it broke my heart. Peeps is/was a stargazer, too, but she is fine. They both came from my friends farm. I don't breed chickens, I just get the ones no one else wants.

A stargazers' neck is bent back so the top of their heads are usually touching or close to their backs. That is why I didn't notice her leg at first. I thought her balance problem was because her head was bigger than her body and she kept rolling backwards. It was comical. Hence the name. It should have only taken her a week or so to get strong enough to hold her head upright. I thought her leg was extended because she was using it for balance. Poor little chicken. : (

Maybe the mother was pushing her out of the nest because she knew she wasn't healthy.

I would imagine you don't have to be an avian vet to know whether any animal's leg is out of joint.

Poor little thing. But if she's eating well, I would guess she's not in any pain.

I have one with a deformed leg
Doesent seem to be in pain and gets around pretty darn good......
I don't have the heart to kill her....
I just keep her with the bantam whites so no one picks on her

I have one to. It seems to not hurt at all. It eats and drinks fine, but usually spills them. I put it in its own little coop in the older chickens pen, so it can get an idea of how they are. It's kind of starting to work for it, one day I left it in with the of chickens outside with my close watch and nothing happened, they just ignored it. But the problem is if I leave it by itself they might see that I'm gone and starting pecking at it because it can't defend itself. Chickens like to peck on defenseless ones.

So I keep it in its own little coop-like thing in my garage. And every morning I put it in its other little coop outside in the older chickens pen, every night I put it back in its little coop in the garage.

A few days ago I picked it up, and I saw that under its twisted leg there was a callus of some sort. I really don't know if it hurt it because it gets scared if you flip it upside down. It formed right in the area that hits the ground when it hops. I feel sooo sorry for all of ares, I hope a miracle happens, and poof their all healed.
Eric

So hows Tumbleweed doing Ldrixole? Mine fine nothing new.
Eric

Ldrixole, haven't heard from you in a while. How's Tumbleweed doing?

I am so sorry I haven't replied lately. I've been in Tunica for the last 6 days for a Clinton Anderson clinic. Tumbleweed is just fine. She is such a sweet chicken. It breaks my heart that she'll never be able to stand and scratch. I'm glad your baby is fine as well. She was having a hey day today. I fed her a bunch of little bugs that I had found under something I was cleaning. She is full, happy and sleeping.
Thanks- Tammy