Should I cull? I don't want to, but what can I do? Feeling sad.

[chickenmeg1]

I've made previous posts about my poor hen and you all have been so helpful. I am feeling so torn as to what to do and I need some advice. Please be kind as I am really trying my best and really struggling with this.

My Delaware hen is about 8 months old now. She only has one good leg. The other leg is straight (won't bend) and is jutting out behind her. Previously, she would just hop around and was eating and drinking fine, so I decided to just let her live and give her a chance.

At this point, we're having more problems. She has a bare patch on her chest (I'm guessing from feathers rubbing), some irritation and feather loss on the "bad" leg, and some irritated spots from her wings rubbing on the ground. She's quite thin but eats, drinks, and poops normally. During the very cold nights in the winter, I brought her inside.

She seems to be hopping about less often, though. I think she is struggling with her bad leg, and having a hard time balancing. I have put Hen Healer on her raw spots, wrapped them with gauze and sports tape periodically, and help her get in/out of coop and make sure she has access to food and water.

I want to give her a chance, I do. But now with these skin problems and the trouble balancing I wonder if I'm making the right choice. I just don't know what to do. I mean, she made it through winter and I thought maybe the warmer weather might help her feel better. Is there anything I can do to help her feathers regrow and help her learn to balance on her leg?

 

[No Coop No Problem]

I personally find a swift death to be more compassionate than forcing a crippled animal that would have died in the wild to live disabled and in pain

 

[Mantisquailman]

I personally find a swift death to be more compassionate than forcing a crippled animal that would have died in the wild to live disabled and in pain

I agree. But that's soooo sad

 

[AmyJane725]

Hi, chickenmeg1. I'm very sorry to hear about what you and your hen are going through.

This is probably a dumb question that would be answered if I had seen your previous threads, but why doesn't her leg bend? Is that an addressable issue? (I'm guessing not or you would have done that already, but just trying to fill out my understanding here.)

To address your actual questions: Is there anything I can do to help her feathers regrow and help her learn to balance on her leg?

1. I don't know of a way to stimulate feathers to grow back if they're not trying to come in, but if her body is trying to grow them back then a boost in protein will help her replenish them. My hen is molting right now and she's getting extra protein treats.

2. Is there any kind of splint or mechanical device you could apply that would make the leg point down instead of out so she could actually use it?

And I completely understand your torn feelings on whether to cull or keep letting her go on. I don't want my animals to suffer, but I also don't want to take away their only chance at life if they "don't mind" their issues and would still rather live. If an animal is obviously actively in the process of dying I'd definitely say cull, but if she hasn't given up yet I probably wouldn't have the heart to do it. If she doesn't seem overtly miserable then I'd let her be and just try to help her manage her issue.

 

[Barbours]

I've made previous posts about my poor hen and you all have been so helpful. I am feeling so torn as to what to do and I need some advice. Please be kind as I am really trying my best and really struggling with this.

My Delaware hen is about 8 months old now. She only has one good leg. The other leg is straight (won't bend) and is jutting out behind her. Previously, she would just hop around and was eating and drinking fine, so I decided to just let her live and give her a chance.

At this point, we're having more problems. She has a bare patch on her chest (I'm guessing from feathers rubbing), some irritation and feather loss on the "bad" leg, and some irritated spots from her wings rubbing on the ground. She's quite thin but eats, drinks, and poops normally. During the very cold nights in the winter, I brought her inside.

She seems to be hopping about less often, though. I think she is struggling with her bad leg, and having a hard time balancing. I have put Hen Healer on her raw spots, wrapped them with gauze and sports tape periodically, and help her get in/out of coop and make sure she has access to food and water.

I want to give her a chance, I do. But now with these skin problems and the trouble balancing I wonder if I'm making the right choice. I just don't know what to do. I mean, she made it through winter and I thought maybe the warmer weather might help her feel better. Is there anything I can do to help her feathers regrow and help her learn to balance on her leg?

It honestly depends on what you think is best. We had a chick who his leg was crushed and had a bad infection. We even brought him to the vet they said to put him down cause one legged chickens don't live. He was full of life and had potential though. So, we went with the amputated path put him on antibiotics. Cared for him in the house for about 7 months. It was a tun of work constantly bandaging his nub making sure he was alright and very cleanly. He had a hard time learning to hop. But eventually got better and learned. He is now an older rooster and perfectly fine. Yes he will probably run into problems as he gets old but he has had a amazing life and a lot better one then he would have had being put down as an older chick. Not saying this is the right choice for all situations but it definitely was for ours

 

[gtaus]

I am feeling so torn as to what to do and I need some advice. Please be kind as I am really trying my best and really struggling with this.

I just have to honest with myself and ask what is best for the animal under my care. It's OK to feel sad if you have to cull an animal, but if you know it's the right thing to do, there is no shame in fulfilling your responsibilities. If I can cure an ailment, I will certainly try. But if the animal is suffering and I cannot help the animal, then I will cull it.

FWIW, I had to cull one of my favorite hens last summer. I have been raising small animals on and off for 50 years, but still, I hate to have to cull anything. There is no joy in taking the life of an animal, but I know in my heart that she was suffering and there was nothing more I could for her. The best I could do for her was to end her needlessly suffering.

Most of the small animals I have raised over the years were meat animals. I learned how to kill and butcher animals before I ever actually raised them myself. So, from a very young age, I had developed skills to quickly dispatch an animal without it suffering. Those were good skills to know when I had to cull animals under my care. I just remind myself that I did the best for the animal under my care when I had it, and I prevented it from needlessly suffering in its last days. That makes me feel better about what I have to do.