Can a chicken have a good quality of life with just one leg?

[mnelle]

Hello BYC Community:

As some of you may have read, we have a chicken that we've been working hard to save after a raccoon attack. Her leg was hurt very badly and we've been working hard - along with our vet - to save her and save her leg. Well, it's not looking that good today and we should know in a few days whether we have to make a choice to put her down or amputate her leg. One of the vets at the emergency center where we first took her said that they can get a long ok with one leg. I just can't imagine it. Our chicken vet also said that birds just don't do well with one leg. While we've been working very hard and spending a lot of time and money to save her life, we don't want to make her suffer for a low quality of life.

Do any of you have experience to share that might inform our decision if we're forced to make it?

Thanks,
Lynn

I am searching for the same thing. I took in a chick with deformed feet. one foot is not as bad as the other. I am concerned she will never be able to roost or scratch and peck.

 

[Bobby v]

Wow, i just registered today and was gonna wonder almost the same ?.......only our hen seems to have a broken leg and only realized today that it was actually broke. Our son told my husband yesterday, but he didn't take a good look at it until this morning and sure enough.

So, my ? is, can we actually do anything to help her - a splint?.....don't have the finances to take her to a vet. She is eating and drinking and even layed an egg today. We have her separated from the other girl's for now so she can rest, but i think at the same time we need to get her up and about a little - so i will try tomorrow. She will stand on the other leg for a little, but it seems a little hard for her to get about. Though i did find her on top of the roost area this morning.......... i really don't think it will heal - it seems to be broke above the "elbow" area. She seems alert and not crabby.....this is a hen that is very people orientated, very friendly, so it is sad to see her injured, especially for our son. He prayed for her tonight.
So, i too, would like to know if anyone has experienced this and what advice is there other than putting her down.......which may be the case.

Lynn~e Z.

I made a splint on a baby chick out of qtip pieces and he grew up to be # 1 roo in our group...you can do the same with grown chickens...clean leg good...add 2 pieces of wood or splint material and medical tape it but not real tight.....6 weeks later ...bingo...we named our patient SPLINTER...silver phoenix duckwing standard rooster...