# Ricky has a broken leg...I think, help please



## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

This morning when I got home from work at 8am this morning, went into the bird room and found Ricky near her nest/eggs unable to move. She was trying to stand but couldn't get up on her feet and was trying to use her wings to pull herself along.

She's not ill, acting fine otherwise, and her left leg is totally limp and pulled up into her body somewhat.

I tried to make a sling of sorts, but that failed and as per FRICKIN usual it's a weekend, and Good Friday so everything is closed I can't think of how to make a sling that will work and with materials I have at hand. 

I have to try to keep her immobilized and still so she can eat and drink and poop without soiling herself. Speaking of poops, she hasn't pooped all morning that I've seen since I found her like this. She's not egg bound because she is on two new eggs since last Sunday.

Any suggestions, ideas would be most appreciated.


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## SueC (Jun 9, 2005)

Oh dear! I don't thing I can help but I hope Ricky will recover from her current situation soon.

Healing thoughts being sent.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, Brad, in domestic pigeons who behave themselves real well, you don't actually have to splint them if the leg is already in a somewhat normal presentation. I just had to do this a few months ago with Pattie Cakers. I just made a towel nest for her and put her food and water within reach. She would try to stand up on the one leg to poop and remain standing until I cleaned the poop out from under her and settled her back down. That works pretty well.

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I've got to go to an early lunch here in a little bit so I just want to tell you that you can calm down--it's probably not the horrible emergency that it appears to be at first. We can do more assessment today to figure out whether you need to actually splint it or not.

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

So, when you get a chance, go study the skeletal drawings here:

http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/skeleton.html

...and then carefully compare the solidity of the various portions of the bad let to the corresponding portions on the other side to see if you can find a looseness. With that, we can figure out what we need to do, if anything. I know you're going to feel like you're hurting her but it's not as bad as you think.

Pidgey


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thanks Pidgey, 

I managed to make a sling of sorts out of a cardboard box and a piece of cloth slung down inside the box. Then I cut an opening out of the material for her feet and bum. Another opening was cut out one end of the box for her head to poke out. Thought it would work and she was content for awhile while I watched her, but they she did manage to get out of it.

I tried feeling her leg, but I can't tell if there is anything broken, it feels ok to me. There is no obvious signs of a break in her toes, tarsometatarsus but I can't feel her leg further up in her body. 

Perhaps it's just sprained, she was hoping on it when she got out of the box, and wasn't able to even stand this morning. Not sure what that means overall. 

It's a bit harder to deal with this for her because of her weight. If she were lighter or a normal sized pigeon, she might be able to stand on one leg and hop a bit better but I guess she's too heavy to comfortably do that often. 

Also, it's very hard to keep her in one spot because she is still always trying to get to Eggbert on the other side of the room or be near him by the wall. As you can imagine, birds/animals do what they want to do, go where they want to go, even if they are injured and unless fully restrained.

Thanks for the optimistic thoughts, maybe it's not as bad as I think and she'll be ok with a few days resting on the floor. 

Thanks as well Sue for the good wishes, I appreciate them.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, you usually have to isolate them from other birds to keep that behavior down. For that matter, you usually have to cage or box them, as well. If they absolutely can't go anywhere nor can see any other pigeons, they will usually behave better. Dim light's good, too.

You can pillow the entire cage with towels and that way they're fairly comfortable just about anywhere they sit as long as there are enough layers to make plenty of fluff.

I suppose the other thing you might want to consider is the possibility of an arthritic process, which could mean Paratyphoid or some other bacteria. If the leg feels solid then you might want to start the bird on Baytril, just in case.

Pidgey


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Oh, Brad, when I saw the title of your thread, I just about had a heart attack! Not my favorite Runts! was my first thought!

I know Pidgey will help you all he can!

My first thought was a calcium deficiency, perhaps? Or some other mineral imbalance?? Just the first thing that occurred to me after reading other threads/posts over time...*especially* since she has eggs!

Will be avidly watching for positive updates and will send ALL MY HEALING THOUGHTS to the lovely Ricky with LOVE and HUGS to ALL pijies AND you too! 

Shi


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## myrpalom (Aug 12, 2004)

Pigeonpal2002 said:


> Thanks Pidgey,
> 
> 
> I tried feeling her leg, but I can't tell if there is anything broken, it feels ok to me. There is no obvious signs of a break in her toes, tarsometatarsus but I can't feel her leg further up in her body.


Could be a lack of calcium, my blind pigeon Gana got paralysed every time she layed eggs, because she does not want to eat grit or minerals.
Now I regulary give her calcium with vitamine D, a product that is made for human consumption (women in menopause) and she is doing fine.
Myriam


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Brad, I'm so sorry to hear about this! Is it possible this is some form of egg laying paralysis, as Myriam's hen experienced? I've heard of it but haven't actually seen a case. Anyway, I hope Ricky will quickly improve.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Brad, like Shi, my alarm system went into overdrive when I read your title. Does Ricky do much flying and could she have just landed hard and bruised her foot a little. I, too, thought of the connection with egg laying because I have heard of leg paralysis after laying an egg but have no idea how long a period it would be between the time the egg is laid and paralysis sets in.

You can bet I'll be thinking of our lil girl and hope she is standing tall again really soon.


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

Brad,

I had the same response as Shi and Maggie. Yikes! The first thing that comes to mind for me is egg laying paralysis.

I checked the Flying Vet and he says that it is caused by the egg pinching off the sciatic nerve during the laying process. The nerve then gets inflamed causing anywhere from partial to full paralysis of one or both legs. It can take from 3 days to 3 weeks to resolve. Hens that are overweight or lay big eggs are vulnerable to this. He recommends that the hen be placed in a box or nest of soft straw(or fluffy towels)to prevent pressure sores, with food, water and calcium grit where she can reach them.

If there is no fracture, then this might be considered. I wonder if Metacam might be in order for an inflamed nerve?

Margaret


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Margarret said:


> Brad,
> 
> I had the same response as Shi and Maggie. Yikes! The first thing that comes to mind for me is egg laying paralysis.
> 
> ...


That's what I was thinking too.


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Brad,

I'm so sorry I can't be of any real help, but I sure am sending my best wishes that this is just a minor and temporary thing with Ricky.

I sure hope she'll be okay soon.

Linda


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thank you so much everyone for the ideas and good wishes for Ricky.

I know you all mean well and are trying your best to help but I've ruled out a lot of the ideas. Simply because I'm the person here who knows and sees the bird all the time.

Hi Pidgey, I don't believe this is any kind of a bacterial related paralysis. Ricky has been perfectly well and active up to this and even during. She's not behaving ill at all and her poops are very normal. She did poop several times today later on so that was a relief.

As far as leg egging paralysis or calcium deficiency, I can't see this either. Ricky laid these eggs nearly a week ago and she's been just fine. Also, she doesn't lay nearly as often as her sister. This is only her second set of eggs since the beginning of the year and last year she went a couple of months during Nov and Dec without laying at all. She also eats her grit and I give her the vit D/calcium supplements like her sister.

Hi Maggie, Ricky doesn't do much flying but she does fly of course. I can only think this was caused from some kind of crash landing. I believe that she might have got caught in the mesh fence and perhaps her leg got stuck in it for a while and hurt it that way. Ricky stills tries desperately (at times) to get to the other side of the room and to Eggbert. I've seen her many times start climbing the mesh divider, flapping and climbing at the same time until she gets tired, then will do a push off and fly back down. I think she must have caught her leg somehow or at least it has something to do with a crash landing some other way.

Well, I watched her until about 4:30 this afternoon and then I had to go to bed. She seemed a little better. She rested on the floor most of the time, just laying beside the divider. Then she started to hop again and managed to get up to her nesting area, which is only about 14 inches off the floor but she 
did and went to sit on her eggs for a bit. Then she got off of them and just sat besides them and that is how I left her. I checked on her just a bit ago and she's still in the same spot, seemingly to be resting comfortably. 

Hopefully, this is only a sprain or pulled muscles or something similar. I will let you guys know tomorrow if there is more improvement or she's the same. I'm also EXTREMELY reluctant and leary about going anywhere near my vet again. I just can't seem to swallow the thought of going back to that woman after my last encounter there and Henny's death. 

Thanks very much again, Pidgey, Shi, Myriam, Cathy, Maggie, Margarret, Linda and Charis. I probably seem very difficult and I'm sorry but again, it's just that I'm the one here and seeing things. I'm sure it's a physical injury, I just don't know exactly what it is, or how bad.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Brad, been doing this long enough to know that all we can do is provide you with ideas and information, bearing in mind that you're the one with the patient. 

Pidgey


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Pigeonpal2002 said:


> Thank you so much everyone for the ideas and good wishes for Ricky.
> 
> I know you all mean well and are trying your best to help but I've ruled out a lot of the ideas. Simply because I'm the person here who knows and sees the bird all the time.
> 
> ...


You don't seem difficult at all, Brad, just worried. From what you say, it does sound more like an injury. I have seen what appeared to be sprains or strains on birds in my loft, though not as bad as what you describe. Like us I think they occasionally bang into things or take a wrong step. Anyway, I hope Ricky will recover on her own. Perhaps the large size of Runts makes them more prone to injuries?


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

I definitely understand your worry, and frustration. I'm thinking this is a crash landing scenario, too. She really should get better fine, if that's all. I had a hen that couldn't walk well for weeks due to a bruised hip and eventually she was running and flying around.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thanks again Pidgey, Cathy and Philodice, 

Ricky is doing better today, she's certainly not recovered but there is improvement so I'm relieved.

She was sitting on her eggs this morning and most of the afternoon. When she did get up, she used her bad leg, very shakily, but she could stand for the most part. It's definitely hurting her, but she's taking it easy today herself. I haven't seen her get off her nesting platform all day either. I've got her food and water dish up there too so she doesn't have to move far.

Yesterday she didn't seem to want to stay put and was trying to move around so much I thought. It was awful to see her struggle with her wings to move and that is why I wanted to put her in the sling. I guess today she is more used to what's happened whereas yesterday she was probably shocked as to why she couldn't move properly. 

Sorry for freaking out, there is very little you guys could do anyway really. When I found her yesterday morning she had me so worried at first. I didn't know if she was extremely ill but when I realized it was her leg, I did think she was paralyzed at first.

If she continues to take it easy herself she should be ok. It's also good that she's got eggs right now and that is her priority. It's making her sit on them and keep still. Still would like to know what happened to her for sure.

thanks everyone.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

They _really_ don't like being in slings. I had Jedd in one for a week and he fought it beak and nail. That's why I mentioned that if they'll behave themselves, it's often better just to let them lay around in softness with food and water close. I've done several that way.

Pidgey


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Glad to hear that Ricky is coming along, Brad! Give that LADY BIG HUGS AND SCRITCHES for me! Of course, the same to all others, but extra ones for her!

With all the sitting that Squeaks does when he's in daddy mode, I don't know why he isn't walking funny! Guess he gets enough exercise, hopping into the litter box to eat and coming out to the living room area to poop and get water! (well, speak of the devil...guess who just meandered out! I swear that bird _knows_ when I'm talking about him!  )

Shi


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## Rooster2312 (Mar 8, 2006)

Hi Brad,

Just caught this post tonight. I too am sending healing prayers for Ricky's continuing recovery.

Lindi


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Just saw this post as well, I'm really glad to hear Ricky's leg seems to be feeling better. What a scare it is to find one of your pigeons that is ill or injured. Positive thoughts and prayers on the way!


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thanks Pidgey, Shi, Lindi and Maryjane for good wishes...

Pidgey, I thought at first Ricky would do well in the sling, she was so calm in it, much more than I expected and for about 20 minutes she remained perfectly still. Then, she started getting antsy and got out of it easily. I could have restrained her wings and that might have worked, but I think you're right and it's best for them to heal on their own if possible.

Ricky is pretty much the same as of yesterday morning. She can stand though and she has a bad limp. The good part is, she is staying pretty calm on her own. She is tending to her eggs on and off and mostly staying on the nesting platform on the soft carpet. 

I have a feeling it's going to take awhile for her to recover completely...sigh. I looked and felt her leg again and I can't feel or see anything wrong with it. Nothing is bruised, swollen or looks odd. Nothing feels strange either. I'm hoping it's just a sprain or something similar but sprains (in humans) are quite painful and slow to heal too.

Thanks again everyone.


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Healing thoughts out to you!
Those eggs are the best thing for her right now, and healing could take weeks. At least it sounds like she knows she is injured and taking it easy.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thanks Philodice, 

Just a quick and good update on Ricky...she's recovering. It's going slow but progress is good. She's still limping, but it's improving every day so that she can walk better and with not such a noticeable limp. She must have sprained, pulled or twisted something in her foot/leg. She's been nice and quiet sitting on her eggs so it really was great timing that way. I'm very glad that she didn't break anything and that she's going to get better....phew!


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

She's actually right on the normal schedule for a broken leg, too. Anyway, glad to hear she's doing better!

Pidgey


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thanks Pidgey....as long as she heals, that's all I care about.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Thanks for the update, Brad. I was wondering how she was doing and I'm glad to hear she's recovering.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Brad, thank you so much for letting us know about Ricky.


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Brad,

So glad to hear that it looks like Ricky is getting better slowly but surely.

Thanks for the update.

Linda


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Glad to hear that Ricky is doing better. Hopefully she will be completely recovered very soon.

Terry


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

So glad to hear that Ricky is improving! When Mieke wrenched her leg, I ran through a similar list of possibilities and range of emotions. Given the heavier weight of Runts, I can understand your concern! Too bad plexiglass is so expensive, or you could put that several feet high along the base of the barrier. She would still be able to see the other birds, but less likely to get high enough to catch a leg. Pigeons can be very determined! Hopefully, she will be a bit more cautious about trying to climb in to join the other birds.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thanks Cathy, Maggie, Linda,Terry and Terri...

I'm so relieved that she's getting better and today, she's the best she's been. She is limping still but it's almost not noticeable. She's really been a good girl and staying calm for the most part. Today she was pretty active though and since she's abandoned her eggs now. 



TerriB said:


> Too bad plexiglass is so expensive, or you could put that several feet high along the base of the barrier.


Yes Terri, I thought about plexiglass before but you're right, it's pretty expensive stuff. It would be ideal though and keep her from climbing the wall and getting pecked through the screen by Eggbert. Right now, I have 1" mesh on the barrier from top to bottom and from the floor up to around 2.5 feet, I have that very fine screening used in screen doors. They've torn it apart though with the constant clawing and beaking. I think I'm going to buy some 1/4" mesh next to replace the fine screen and hopefully that layered overtop the other screening will help.


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Hi Brad,
I don't know how I managed to miss this thread...yikes!
I am glad to hear that Ricky is recovering though. Sending warm & healing thoughts her way...


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Seeing your bird room in the other thread ("Saying G'nite to Ricky"), I thought of another possible option to keep Ricky from catching her leg while climbing. What about the clear heavy duty plastic sheeting used as a drop cloth while painting a room? It provide less traction, so wouldn't shred so quickly as the screen mesh.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Thank you Karen and Terri...

Terri, I don't know if the plastic sheets would work or not. The reason I say this is because it would get really dusty and would be hard to keep clean. I think it would also bother Ricky to not be able to see Eggbert and Lucy, *clearly*. With the plastic sheets, and if they got all dusty, I would imagine that all Lucy would be able to see would be shadows. She might feel to alienated that way, would you agree?


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Pigeonpal2002 said:


> Thank you Karen and Terri...
> 
> Terri, I don't know if the plastic sheets would work or not. The reason I say this is because it would get really dusty and would be hard to keep clean. I think it would also bother Ricky to not be able to see Eggbert and Lucy, *clearly*. With the plastic sheets, and if they got all dusty, I would imagine that all Lucy would be able to see would be shadows. She might feel to alienated that way, would you agree?


Yes. They do like to be able to see other pigeons, even if there's some quarreling through the wire.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Yea, good point. Here's hoping Ricky settles down a it with age.


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