Broken leg/chicken sling

[amandajo]

So. This 12 week old roo broke a leg after being tackled by my 7month old pup. So our options were cull or try to rehab. ..we first started with a simple splint made of gauze and popsicle stick...however he was essentially laying in his own poop...so my brain got to working and I thought of making a chicken sling.....i will be tweeking this idea as the weeks go on......as of now he's happy and clean and eating and drinking....any suggestions or similar experiences with injured chickens?

 

[sylviethecochin]

This might not be helpful if you don't have the right materials, but we once made a very effective sling out of k'nex (a plastic construction toy for boys) and a sponge. The hen could even push herself around a bit, once we put wheels on the bottom. Slings are definitely useful.
And I like that one.

 

[amandajo]

I'm hoping he eventually regains use of his foot....from the joint on his leg down it is limp.....as he recovers a bit I will be making a harness out of old t shirts that will loop on the top and I can hook a dog leash to it and snap the clip on the wire on top so he will essentially be able to walk around a bit as he's able too... hopefully we are only 3 days out from our injury....hes eating drinking and being pretty vocal so all things point to recovery so far.....poor guy I haven't even had him more then 2 weeks and this happens.....he didn't even get to know me as the awesome food lady...i brought him home and terrorized him and the others by bathing them all and blow drying them....he had barely recovered his trust of me from that now I have to constantly poke and prod him.....

 

[mobius]

Really nice job! Wonder how long it will take til he is fully healed? I am impressed with that sling, and the idea that he will be able to eventually move around!

And ultimately if it doesn't work, there are a LOT of one-legged chickens out there doing just fine...

 

[amandajo]

Thanks! Fingers crossed he heals well. Even if he limps I will be ok with that we can accomadate him....

 

[mobius]

Now for that puppy...I trained my little dogs to leave the chickens alone. And there are lots of posts on how to train dogs to behave around chickens...I raised my chicks where the dogs could see them but not get to them so they were pretty used to it by the time the chickens went into the coop...and now they all just ignore each other...of course my dogs are about chicken size themselves...

 

[amandajo]

It was an accident....he was running around a corner and the chicken came around the other side :-( he ran smack into him.....

 

[mobius]

Awww, I mis-spoke, sry...I was thinking bouncy puppy wanting to play....pls excuse me making that assumption....

 

[amandajo]

Nope it's ok

 

[amandajo]

Well first design didn't quite work out so here is attempt number 2