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young hen had leg pulled off by racoon. ideas for prosthetics? any one legged chicks out there?

post #1 of 2
8/8/12 at 12:20pm
Thread Starter 

I have a young mille fleur hen who was in her run when a raccoon managed to grab her through the fence and pulled her leg right off. OMG poor bird. I thought she would die either from blood loss or shock, but I bandaged her up in a pressure bandage and she is doing well.

 

but, now I have a bird with no leg. Not even a stump, which I think I could make a prosthetic for.

 

does anyone have any experience with a truly one legged bird? Any ideas of how to help her get around?

 

any ideas would help.  I just have a feeling that anything I can strap on to her would come off, so I'm a bit baffled.

 

She seems amazingly strong and does not seem in pain or distressed at all today! Chickens can sure surprise you with their resilience!

 

thanks

Lynn

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post #2 of 2
8/8/12 at 1:28pm

I don't have any direct experience, but what I have heard is that, given time, they will learn to walk/hop on their remaining leg. The adjustments you have to make are a very safe coop area (she'll be more vulnerable to predators), ramps instead of perches to get around the coop, a lower roost (maybe only a few inches up from the ground), etc. If she doesn't learn how to walk on her one leg, I personally would cull her instead of trying to invent a prosthetic. Though as you said, chickens are usually pretty resilient, so she may learn how to get around. Good luck roll.png

AKA The Chicken Whisperer

 

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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Emergencies / Diseases / Injuries and Cures › young hen had leg pulled off by racoon. ideas for prosthetics? any one legged chicks out there?