Penny's foot is nearly off. Can we save her? UPDATE: foot amputated.

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I amputated Penny's foot. It was really just hanging there by, but there was still one thin bone attached--a foot bone I think. The procedure was quick and she seemed to handle it well. I treated the wound with antibiotic ointment and wrapped it, but I can't get the wrap to stay on it.

Penny now has her mouth open a lot. Is this a sign of distress? I did give her an aspirin crushed in water and she drank some of that.

Hoping I did the right thing.
 
You can also try using surgical tape to keep the gauze on.
I hope Penny gets better soon!
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Be sure to give electrolytes in the water for a few days, and you could use the type of self adhering bandage used by vets (it looks like a roll of tape but very crinkled and it sticks to itself without adhesive. I would also start antibiotics to reduce risk of infection after the surgery- tetracycline would be fine- you may have already done that. I would just put down two waterers for her, one with antibiotics and one with electrolytes. Hope she doing well, and having the foot gone, since no chance of regeneration is the right thing. If you didn't remove it she would likely have suffered from infection as necrosis set into the appendage. There are several one-legged chickens that do just fine back with their flocks. You may want to reach out for advice concerning the roosting habits of these chickens (once you return her to her community) she may need a flater or wider surface on which to roost. I have a rooster who has a bad leg who roosts on a 6 inch wide roost. Best wishes for her.
 
Yes use the vet wrap. It is usually located by the horse supplies at you local feedstore or TSC. I would suggest wrapping her "Stump" and then taking the vet wrap and wrapping it all the way around her body and immobilizing the leg. It only sticks to itself so wont get all caught up in her feathers. Good Luck!
 
Great to know about the vet wrap. I'm going to go get some right now. I had it just wrapped in gauze and then taped, but her little stump is so short that it just falls off if she wiggles. I was going to rig something up to wrap it all the way around her, but I'll try that with the vet wrap.

We now have her in the brooder and she is trying to hop a bit but is very off balance of course and just kind of flails about. Hopefully she will pick it up!

She is a bantam in a coop designed for large fowl (remember we rescued her--never planned on a bantam) and while I've seen her up on the roost, more often than not she seems content to sleep in a nesting box. Wound still looks good. I don't have any antibiotics to give her. I've been putting antibiotic ointment on it. Can I get meds to put in her water at the farm store?

Here she is just moments after the procedure was over. Tough little sweetie she is!
 
Whenever you use vet wrap, be sure to put padding underneath it. Otherwise it will restrict circulation too much & also cause chafing & pressure.
Cotton pads make better padding under vet wrap than does gauze because it's fluffier. Another good option is small pieces of foam (non-cellulose) sponge (You can sometimes find this kind as kitchen sponges at a dollar store, but rarely at a grocery store. It is also the kind of foam used in cushions on furniture).
Tucking some padding in next to pointy parts of her body under vet wrap will help reduce pressure on them, too.
 
Wanted to see how your one legged chickie is doing? I have a duckling with a leg injury that is going to have to be amputated so I would love to ask you some questions. Hope she is well!
 

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