Chicken Newbie

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beanivy

beanivy

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5 Years
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Jun 16, 2014
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Hi everyone! I'm hoping for lots of good advice, as I'm totally new to the whole chicken thing! I've got three month-old chicks that I rescued from my daughter's school. Each spring, third grade classes get an incubator full of eggs to watch hatch and grow. The farmer will not take any back that have any health issues, so I took them home. One was having trouble breathing, but after some TLC, is now doing just fine. The other two have curled toes - I've done the cardboard bootie thing, but it hadn't helped, so they went to the vet last week. My biggest one, almost definitely my rooster of the bunch, has splints on his feet. The littlest one does not have a good prognosis - the vet recommended euthanizing her, but I'm looking at other options. Anyone with experience with one-legged chickens? I brought her home to spoil her for a few days; our next appointment is on June 20th. I don't want to give up on her after all she's been through, but I don't want her to suffer. My daughter is adamantly opposed to having her euthanized and compared her to her friend with cerebral palsy - how do I argue with that?!
 
Hi, I just joined the other day, I've got 50 layers, and am hoping to get lots of good advice to, my farm is here in Asheville NC...
 

Welcome to BYC!
frow.gif
Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Good for you taking those hurt chicks in and nursing them! Glad to hear most are pulling through. And sorry to hear about the one little chick. I have heard of chickens who have learned to survive on one leg, but then again, a chicken's legs are its most valuable tool. They use them for everything. So, that decision is really up to you. You can post the question about her here and you'll probably get more responses https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

Below are some links you should check out also.

Best of luck!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/p/chicken-resources-directory.html
 
I've got a few chickens with bad toe's, and there doing fine, one leg? It will be hard for her, i think the best thing is to help her on her away..
 
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Welcome to BYC!

Toes in splints can take a long time to heal and uncurl, if they do at all. But if they are going to uncurl, this could take months. If these were my birds, as long as they are happy and healthy in every other way, can eat, drinking and do what chickens do for the most part, I would do what I could to straighten out the toes and just let them be as chickens. Chickens can not only heal very well if give the chance, but they can over come many disabilities. There are members on here with chickens with one good leg and the other leg with no toes at all on them...just a stump. Some birds have one eye, some are completely blind, some have cross beaks, ect...all kinds of disabilities.

So don't let the vet make this call. You do it. You know your birds far better than he does. Make good judgement of their happiness, health and abilities. Give them time to heal as straightening out limbs in not going to happen over night. And if at any time the birds are definitely suffering, then that is the time to put them down. This is my personal opinion as many others may feel different. Do what is in your heart.

Good luck and I hope you can get all this worked out well!
 
gladheart said:
Hi, I just joined the other day, I've got 50 layers, and am hoping to get lots of good advice to, my farm is here in Asheville NC...
Click to expand...
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Welcome to BYC!

So glad you could join our community! Looks like Mountain Peeps has left you with the link to the learning center. Lot of good articles on all the aspects of keeping poultry.

Enjoy your wonderful flock and welcome to ours!
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! Sorry about your chicks, you've gotten some good advice/links above. In case you haven't seen it, this website also covers a lot of leg problems https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry one legged chickens can do fine and some have even lost both to frostbite etc and been ok with extra care https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...nned-featherless-one-legged-chicken-with-pics and https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/852723/chicken-with-no-legs
 
Thanks everyone. They went back to the vet for their follow-up this morning. Ringo got his splints removed, and his toes look great! Our vet was willing to try and splint Tendril's left (better) leg and he is going to do surgery on the right one on Wednesday. He said if we were willing to amputate it, then we may as well try to fix it! So please send all your positive thoughts and energy her way - she needs it! I feel a huge relief knowing that he is willing to try and "fix" my baby, but my wallet is having other thoughts!
 
beanivy said:
Thanks everyone. They went back to the vet for their follow-up this morning. Ringo got his splints removed, and his toes look great! Our vet was willing to try and splint Tendril's left (better) leg and he is going to do surgery on the right one on Wednesday. He said if we were willing to amputate it, then we may as well try to fix it! So please send all your positive thoughts and energy her way - she needs it! I feel a huge relief knowing that he is willing to try and "fix" my baby, but my wallet is having other thoughts!
Click to expand...
Definitely sending healing vibes your way! I hope you can get Tendril thru this and back in her feet soon.
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