DAY OLD CHICK WITH USELESS LEG

[SillyBird]

We brought home 50 day old meat kings today and one has a bad right leg. It's straight out with limp foot. It can sometimes bend the leg, but the foot is still useless. It cannot put any weight on it and flops around. We think it's broken. What do we do?

 

[SillyBird]

My own update...we had to cut it's head off with a sharp pair of scissors. It was incredibly hard for my husband to do it...but he mustered up the courage and did what had to be done. Its leg was broken. We did it later the same day we brought it home when clearly it wasn't going to improve. Dear little thing.

 

[appps]

Oh that sound an awful way to kill it.

 

[ShellyBear]

No, a few people cull chicks that way. I'm just glad that they were able to put him at rest.

 

[SillyBird]

It was awful but it was quick too. I googled methods to kill it...and it seemed the most humane. It was here then gone. BUT, if anyone has a better method...I'd love to hear it in case we have to deal with this again some day. Thanks. : )

 

[ShellyBear]

I think what you did was probably the best and quickest way. I know it's hard to end such a young life but you guys did good.

 

[SillyBird]

Thanks. : ) Also, I know one can splint a leg, but we weren't sure where the leg was broken exactly as it was straight out at times, then the chick could fold it up in a normal position (with a little help from us), but it was flopping around helplessly and cheeping loudly by the afternoon. Trying to fix something we had no idea about would have been more painful for it. My gosh it's hard though...to make that kind of decision.