Amputate chicks leg?

[ThaJuicyJuice]

My 3 week oLd chicks were attaced Sunday night. 3 were killed and one was seriously injured. It's foot was almost entirely bitten off and now dangles like an old leaf. The chick eats and drinks normally and stands on one leg, but does spend a great deal of time sitting. The foot itself was swollen on Monday but has now seemed to tun hard. The area around the inpalement is much harder. It seems that common sense says to amputate the leg; however I am no vet and also fear that the chick may succomb to bacterial infection. After smelling the foot just now it definitely smells like an infection. What should be done?

 

[spish]

is its foot hanging off? the smell of infection is a worry. could you perhaps get a photo of the chick leg. do you think ther is any chance the foot/leg could be saved or is it definatly dead and hanging. whereabouts is the injury (ankle, foot, knee, thigh?)? the lower down the leg the better for the chicken. amputation should be the very last resort.


in my personal opinion, unless you are prepared to care for a disabled chicken for the rest of its life (if it survived having a leg amputation), i would cull. as the chick gets bigger and heavier it will put more and more strain on the one good leg. its no life for a chicken to hop around with one leg, or spend its life sitting down. it'll never be able to run from predators, it'll get knocked over by the others in the rush at feeding time..not to mention it could be picked on by the others for being different so may need to be kept alone, thus needing attention from you all the time..i could go on...but i wont.. this comes from experience of having a one legged chicken many years ago. no fun for anyone involved.

 

[kitchwitch]

I agree with spish. Dogs and cats have 3 other legs to compensate when one is amputated. Chickens are a two-legged creature and I feel you will do her more harm than good by amputating her leg and hoping she survives to live a miserable existence. Unless you make her a housepet.