[NATHAN]

This chicken keeping is proving a bit of a worry. One of my hens seems to not be able to pull her wing into her body. It is not dragging on the floor behind her but is not tucked in as it once was. She seems reluctant to stretch it but when i hold her and extend it, it seems to move normally with no pain although she makes no effort to pull it back as she once did.
Otherwise, she seems to be eating and doing ok. What shall i do about this?? Could it be broken ?? or do chickens sometimes do this - he asks hopefully.

[Aunt Sally]

The will sometimes hold a wing or wings open a bit if they are hot to help the  cool down, but this does not sound as if it is the case.  

Have you gently felt along the bones of the wing ?  If you inspect her other wing first it will give you an idea what a normal wing would feel like.  She may not have any broken bones but may have renched it or brused it somehow.  If she doesn't start using har bad wing normally quite soon I'll get a vet to have a quick look at her.

Let us know how she goes  

[alan42]

broken bones in chickens are not to seriouse they can be fixed very easily by a vet and healing is very fast indeed. i had a show bird dislocate its hip and the vet explained it would have been better if it had broken it. it went on to win stokesly show 2004.
alan