1 footed chicken

[Beaupeep1311]

Hey everyone,
I need some help. I have a disabled chicken her name is Peggy-Sue, she had a run in with a raccoon and lost the ability to use 1 of her legs. Now I somehow managed to nurse her back to health along side of her strong will and resilience. I want to give her the life she deserves. Can someone provide me with ideas for a roosting are for her? She is not yet trying to fly, she does hop around while flapping her wings.. I don’t want her to be to high off the ground in case she doesn’t stick the landing with her 1 foot…
Every idea is appreciated thank you,

 

[N F C]

Several years ago I had a girl that was lame in one leg. The others in the flock pestered her badly so I ended up providing her with her own little coop (ground level and no roost) and run. She was next to the flock so they could all see each other, but she couldn't get pecked.

eta: We lived in FL at the time so with the warm weather and situated away from the wind, she was cozy.

 

[Beaupeep1311]

Several years ago I had a girl that was lame in one leg. The others in the flock pestered her badly so I ended up providing her with her own little coop (ground level and no roost) and run. She was next to the flock so they could all see each other, but she couldn't get pecked.
View attachment 4206553

Thank you, I took her in she was my brother's chicken he had quiet the flock and I didn't want to risk putting her back in with them. I got her two chicks, so hopefully when they grow, they won't know the difference.

 

[N F C]

Thank you, I took her in she was my brother's chicken he had quiet the flock and I didn't want to risk putting her back in with them. I got her two chicks, so hopefully when they grow, they won't know the difference.

That will be interesting to find out how the chicks view her since they'll be growing up alongside your girl. Very nice of you to take her in.

Keep us posted!

 

[Beaupeep1311]

That will be interesting to find out how the chicks view her since they'll be growing up alongside your girl. Very nice of you to take her in.

Keep us posted!

Thank you. I had them separated as I was afraid that she might be aggressive towards them during her healing process, also because she hadn't laid her first egg yet. But believe it or not, the chicks managed to find their way to her; they sleep side by side every night. Almost like their emotional support chicks. I will be back with updates. Thanks a million for your input.

 

[texsuze]

Kudos to your perseverance with this girl! I often wonder if someone couldn't create prosthetics for chickens and small critters using 3D printers (of which I have zero understanding). Wondering if there is a type of splint or brace which could be created with rigid foam, tiny dowels, vet wrap or whatever that can be used during the day and removed at night. Something that would give a little support but not so large or rigid to impeded movement or rub sensitive skin. Even a "soft shoe" to be worn during the day so toes stay in place and footpad is protected. OK , enough thinking out loud!

 

[Beaupeep1311]

Kudos to your perseverance with this girl! I often wonder if someone couldn't create prosthetics for chickens and small critters using 3D printers (of which I have zero understanding). Wondering if there is a type of splint or brace which could be created with rigid foam, tiny dowels, vet wrap or whatever that can be used during the day and removed at night. Something that would give a little support but not so large or rigid to impeded movement or rub sensitive skin. Even a "soft shoe" to be worn during the day so toes stay in place and footpad is protected. OK , enough thinking out loud!

I couldn’t agree more, I have pondered this with my brother because he has a 3D printer. But Peggy-sue has quiet the injury, I have tried to do chicken physio therapy with her, essentially all that is, is trying to stretch and straighten her leg out, as she still has her injured leg but she tucks it up and only uses the good one. So I also thought about sewing her a sling, to help relief some weight of holding her leg up but the problem is with that is she does lower a bit when she lays down. So her sling would then work against her in a way.. darn raccoon took a really good bite out of her drumstick..poor girl

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Kudos to your perseverance with this girl! I often wonder if someone couldn't create prosthetics for chickens and small critters using 3D printers (of which I have zero understanding). Wondering if there is a type of splint or brace which could be created with rigid foam, tiny dowels, vet wrap or whatever that can be used during the day and removed at night. Something that would give a little support but not so large or rigid to impeded movement or rub sensitive skin. Even a "soft shoe" to be worn during the day so toes stay in place and footpad is protected. OK , enough thinking out loud!

@DonyaQuick

 

[DonyaQuick]

@DonyaQuick

Thanks for the ping!

I often wonder if someone couldn't create prosthetics for chickens and small critters using 3D printers (of which I have zero understanding). Wondering if there is a type of splint or brace which could be created with rigid foam, tiny dowels, vet wrap or whatever that can be used during the day and removed at night.

The short answer is yes, it's definitely possible to 3D print splints and prosthetics. Here are two examples, a prosthetic and a brace used on chickens specifically:

"Creamy the hen and her 3D printed foot":
https://libnews.umn.edu/2018/07/creamy-the-hen-and-her-3d-printed-foot/

A chicken leg brace design someone on reddit used (there are pictures of it on the chicken in use):

https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1aez1mc/chicken_leg_brace

The fine print of the process is that those kinds of models often have to be designed on a case-by-case basis, and rubbing/sores over time is a huge risk for long term usage. So usually it's better to avoid braces/prosthetcis if there's any other option to help the bird compensate or recover. For short term usage like correcting curled toes in newly hatched chicks over a few days that risk is negligible but the design process becomes much trickier for adults.

For injuries that can potentially heal (vs amputation, etc.), it's also questionable whether to even employ any kind of prosthetic or cast. Too much assistance or comopensation can prolong the recovery in some cases for soft tissue damage where range of motion and muscle strength can become a "use it or lose it" situation.

In this case, it sounds like the hen is able to hold her foot up or pull it in rather than letting it flop - which is very important, that means some things are still working and this sounds like it isn't a paralysis or missing limb segment situation, so I would actually advise against designing a support brace or similar kind of thing. I once dealt with a bad soft tissue leg injury in a hen that took months to heal (badly torn muscle and damage to ligaments around the knee). I initially kept her in a kennel-style rabbit cage with a liner filled with shavings and hung small food and water containers on the side so she didn't have to move much to get access. Once she had some ability to amble about and needed to move back out with her flock, she got a 12"x15" platform at roost height (~20") that was accessible by a ramp with a strip of rubber mat on it for grip. I only let her have access to that once it was clear she could survive a crash landing if she made a poor choice. As already mentioned, the recovery process took MONTHS for the joint to firm up and muscles to get their strength back. Ultimately she healed very well but still get limpy in cold weather and still makes use of the ramp and platform. If you want to put the hen to roost with other adult chickens but are worried about her getting picked on or trying to get onto the roost and injuring herself more, if your coop design permits you can put a small pet carrier inside the coop and place her in there before everyone goes to roost, then take her out later.