- Dec 18, 2010
- 19
- 6
- 79
I'm really second guessing myself and having a hard time with the decision that I made to put down my chicken. Obviously, this is not an emergency, but I was hoping that some of you that have more experience could weigh in and help either reassure me that I did the right thing, or let me know otherwise, as I've been really tormented thinking that I let the vet talk me into the wrong course of action. I would really appreciate any feedback that you all might have to offer.
I had a 2 year old RIR that was very healthy and was one of my most friendly birds. I've been raising chickens for about 10 years and she was really a special individual. She was also the most adventurous and liked to find new hiding spots and get as high as possible. Well, last Saturday she jumped down from a spot about 6 feet up and broke her leg. I have video cameras in my run so I know that's what happened - once she jumped own she really didn't move again - just stumbled a bit on one leg. I thought maybe it was just a sprain, because I couldn't feel any broken bones. She was eating and drinking fine so I put her in the coop. Here's where I really messed up - she was trying to fly up on the perches and falling down so I thought it might be a good idea to put her in one of the lower nesting boxes (about 2' off of the ground). She often sleeps in the nesting boxes, so I thought she might settle down and sleep it off. Well, she jumped out and after that never stood again. I took her inside and sort of built a chicken sling for her. She seemed more comfortable and did sleep. On Sunday I gave her an warm epsom salt bath which she seemed to enjoy and both of her toes were able to grip my hand while she was floating in the water. I returned her to the coop and she seemed happy - very vocal to see her two sisters - and I set her up with everything in reach. She was eating a drinking like a champ. Also one thing that I want to note is she was not pooping on herself. Both inside the house and while she was in the coop she would hold her poop until I put her down in the grass and then it was normal, but huge like a broody poop.
I took her into the vet Monday afternoon and they x-rayed her. She had broken both legs. The first break was more serious - it was her femur and on the xray you could a floating bone not really lined up with the other bones at all. The second was a smaller fracture. By this time at the vet, after an hour car ride and the stress of everything she was panting and distressed. The vet told me that it might be possible to do surgery at the state university (another 2 hour drive), but she didn't think that it would be successful. She told me I should put her down and that it would be cruel to let her suffer. I could feel her quivering when I was holding her and I didn't want her to suffer so I agreed.
I am heartbroken.
After I came home I scoured the internet and read so many stories of chickens recovering from injuries that seemed more serious and I have really been second guessing myself. I can see her in my mind still sitting up right before I took her to the vet. Obviously not normal because she wasn't moving around- but she was eating, her eyes were bright, she was talking, and her tail was up and she even laid an egg on Sunday. I feel like I gave up on her too soon and killed my friend. I'm also second guessing my vet - even though I told her it was caused by a jump, she doubted it, and asked my if she could have gotten hit by a car (we don't live by a road) and then she suggested that maybe a hawk attacked, picked her up and dropped her. I don't think that she really knew a lot about chickens - I mean that's not how hawks work. I've had several attacks over the years and hawks don't fly off with full grown chickens.
If you've read this far, thank you, I know nothing can be done now, but if any of you have any advice maybe I can learn from this experience so that it doesn't happen again.
I had a 2 year old RIR that was very healthy and was one of my most friendly birds. I've been raising chickens for about 10 years and she was really a special individual. She was also the most adventurous and liked to find new hiding spots and get as high as possible. Well, last Saturday she jumped down from a spot about 6 feet up and broke her leg. I have video cameras in my run so I know that's what happened - once she jumped own she really didn't move again - just stumbled a bit on one leg. I thought maybe it was just a sprain, because I couldn't feel any broken bones. She was eating and drinking fine so I put her in the coop. Here's where I really messed up - she was trying to fly up on the perches and falling down so I thought it might be a good idea to put her in one of the lower nesting boxes (about 2' off of the ground). She often sleeps in the nesting boxes, so I thought she might settle down and sleep it off. Well, she jumped out and after that never stood again. I took her inside and sort of built a chicken sling for her. She seemed more comfortable and did sleep. On Sunday I gave her an warm epsom salt bath which she seemed to enjoy and both of her toes were able to grip my hand while she was floating in the water. I returned her to the coop and she seemed happy - very vocal to see her two sisters - and I set her up with everything in reach. She was eating a drinking like a champ. Also one thing that I want to note is she was not pooping on herself. Both inside the house and while she was in the coop she would hold her poop until I put her down in the grass and then it was normal, but huge like a broody poop.
I took her into the vet Monday afternoon and they x-rayed her. She had broken both legs. The first break was more serious - it was her femur and on the xray you could a floating bone not really lined up with the other bones at all. The second was a smaller fracture. By this time at the vet, after an hour car ride and the stress of everything she was panting and distressed. The vet told me that it might be possible to do surgery at the state university (another 2 hour drive), but she didn't think that it would be successful. She told me I should put her down and that it would be cruel to let her suffer. I could feel her quivering when I was holding her and I didn't want her to suffer so I agreed.
I am heartbroken.
After I came home I scoured the internet and read so many stories of chickens recovering from injuries that seemed more serious and I have really been second guessing myself. I can see her in my mind still sitting up right before I took her to the vet. Obviously not normal because she wasn't moving around- but she was eating, her eyes were bright, she was talking, and her tail was up and she even laid an egg on Sunday. I feel like I gave up on her too soon and killed my friend. I'm also second guessing my vet - even though I told her it was caused by a jump, she doubted it, and asked my if she could have gotten hit by a car (we don't live by a road) and then she suggested that maybe a hawk attacked, picked her up and dropped her. I don't think that she really knew a lot about chickens - I mean that's not how hawks work. I've had several attacks over the years and hawks don't fly off with full grown chickens.
If you've read this far, thank you, I know nothing can be done now, but if any of you have any advice maybe I can learn from this experience so that it doesn't happen again.
I'm so sorry this happened. But please don't agonize over your decision. It really sounds as though you made the most humane decision for your little one. Two broken legs for this bird, who loved to go high, and would have jumped down again, would have only led to more injuries and pain, had you tried to save her. She is at peace and you have your memories. In my opinion, you did the right thing.
