Disabled Chickens Forum

[countryladyNH]

Was she able to move around in the grass with it? Looks like a nice way for her to have some mobility. I was on the hunt for one of the wheelchairs when I saw them. I can get one for a dog for $175 but the one for the duck was $350. I just told them I had no idea it would be that expensive especially considering the cost of the ones for the dogs.

Hannah did not have the strength to move on grass, especially ours which is not a level lot, but she was happy as could be sitting in it and being with us and some of her pals. We would move her around the garden if we were working in there. We purchased everything we needed to make this for a bit less than $100. I believe. That was early this past spring. If you go to the link you can see photos of us actually making it. We feel ours is better than some we have seen online for lots of money. It's adjustable and we like how we designed, made, and attached the sling.

 

[MugsyM]

I'm not a handyman but I will take a look and see if I can figure it out. Our duck can get to a spot in the yard but she doesn't let us near her. She's just too scared and she starts trying to get away then she winds up walking on her wings. But she gets away because I am more scared than her. I am afraid she will hurt herself more. But I can't stand her just sitting in her pen all the time.

 

[countryladyNH]

I'm not a handyman but I will take a look and see if I can figure it out. Our duck can get to a spot in the yard but she doesn't let us near her. She's just too scared and she starts trying to get away then she winds up walking on her wings. But she gets away because I am more scared than her. I am afraid she will hurt herself more. But I can't stand her just sitting in her pen all the time.

We had not done anything like this before. We looked at some photos etc. Hubby and I just knew we could do it. We took one step at a time, thinking it out. Our email address is on our website. If you want to do it and need some help you can email us and hubby will try to help you! I made the sling, and I am not a seamstress, lol! If I could do it anyone could, and my sewing machine is a Singer from the 70's gotten at a yard sale!
Photos of us making it are here. Email is on every page of website.
http://www.thecountryladyantiques.com/contact.php

 

[Suzanne Dunn]

I believe there are many members with disabled and geriatric limited mobility chickens that need a place to go to ask questions and share ideas with others experiencing the same challenges.

While I understand there may be a reluctance to add another forum, I would ask you to consider this request analogous to the "raising baby chicks" forum. Raising baby chicks could be in "managing your flock" or specific to feeding and water issues; in "feeding and watering your flock". My guess is that it a separate category because almost everything about raising chicks is different than when the chicks become adults. The same is true for the disabled chicken, how and where they sleep, what they eat, housing, security, wheelchairs and other aids to get around; all of it is different than the healthy non-disabled chicken.

I just adopted my second disabled hen. She is unable to walk. Sometimes she can hop but not far. I spent a considerable amount of time using the search function on BYC to find others who were raising disabled chickens to get ideas about how to improve her quality of life. I found some after an hour of searching, but this is not a sustainable method for getting help for these special chickens. I was more successful finding resources on Google.

 

[Suzanne Dunn]

Hi, I also have a disabled hen. She sounds just like your hen. She can't walk much. I also have spent much time researching her condition online. I think that forum would great!!

 

[MugsyM]

I took a look and get the general idea. My mother and my grandmother could sew anything. They made a lot of costumes for me when I had tap and ballet recitals, they even made some of my formals in high school and I couldn't sew a handkerchief. I have all their sewing machines. I keep them nice, dusted and closed for more reasons than one now. I am waiting for DH to get back from the mailbox. I'm so excited to show him and find out just how handy he is.

 

[KGandE]

I believe there are many members with disabled and geriatric limited mobility chickens that need a place to go to ask questions and share ideas with others experiencing the same challenges.

While I understand there may be a reluctance to add another forum, I would ask you to consider this request analogous to the "raising baby chicks" forum. Raising baby chicks could be in "managing your flock" or specific to feeding and water issues; in "feeding and watering your flock". My guess is that it a separate category because almost everything about raising chicks is different than when the chicks become adults. The same is true for the disabled chicken, how and where they sleep, what they eat, housing, security, wheelchairs and other aids to get around; all of it is different than the healthy non-disabled chicken.

I just adopted my second disabled hen. She is unable to walk. Sometimes she can hop but not far. I spent a considerable amount of time using the search function on BYC to find others who were raising disabled chickens to get ideas about how to improve her quality of life. I found some after an hour of searching, but this is not a sustainable method for getting help for these special chickens. I was more successful finding resources on Google.

I would be happy to join!

 

[QODTMWTD]

Good idea. I had two pullets with lameness issues this past spring and was disappointed by the lack of information out there. There’s a need for better prosthetics and temporary bracing devices, too.

 

[countryladyNH]

I took a look and get the general idea. My mother and my grandmother could sew anything. They made a lot of costumes for me when I had tap and ballet recitals, they even made some of my formals in high school and I couldn't sew a handkerchief. I have all their sewing machines. I keep them nice, dusted and closed for more reasons than one now. I am waiting for DH to get back from the mailbox. I'm so excited to show him and find out just how handy he is.

We got most of our supplies from Amazon. Shopped for just the right thing and best (low) prices.

 

[triciayoung]

One of our original 4 hens, Hannah, a Buff Orpington was 7 years old this past spring. She was the sweetest of hens. She could no longer walk, and we moved her into a box in our bedroom for her last months. We felt she needed to be outside at least watching her pals and enjoying the nice days as much as possible when we were out doing things in the yard. The 'chicken wheelchairs' we saw were much too pricey, so we decided to design our own similar chair but just what we wanted and make her one. We had no experience, measurements, etc., but just made our own design using common sense. Hannah ended up loving her chair and could scoot around on smooth wood floors for a little bit. She did love sitting in it on summer days in the yard, alongside a little dog kennel with 3 several week old chicks in it, keeping them company. We feel the "wheelie" as we called it made her final days happy. She passed away quietly in her sleep in June. Here are some photos. If you would like to see more of us making it, you can visit this page of our website and scroll down: http://www.thecountryladyantiques.com/contact.php

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I am so sorry for your loss. It is a loss that is heart wrenching. Only those of us with chickens/birds, that are dependent, understand what a privilege it is to take care of them. Hannah is so beautiful and looks happy in the picture. My sister just made my Penny a wheelchair. For two nights, she got a bunch of co-workers together to help. We are still acclimating to the chair.