Do injured chickens lay eggs?

[coastiegrl]

I have 2 chicks who were hurt (attacked by neighbors cat) and now either limp or hop on one leg. This was over a month ago and they've recovered as much ad I believe they will (meaning i doubt believe they will regain full use of the hurt leg).They both eat and drink, and can get around but are growing much slower than their siblings. Will these girls end up laying once they reach laying age or should I resign to them just being pets??

 

[N F C]

Sorry to hear of the injuries to your girls.

I can't guarantee your birds will eventually lay but I can tell you that I had an injured gal that went on to lay. That was after she had injured one leg so badly she was crippled for the rest of her life. Her eggs weren't always perfect and sometimes she would break one trying to get off the nest, but she laid them.

She was always smaller than the healthy chickens I had that were her same age. I mainly chalked that up to her having less muscle mass.

Best wishes to you & your two.

 

[SilkieLover7]

Sorry to hear of the injuries to your girls.

I can't guarantee your birds will eventually lay but I can tell you that I had an injured gal that went on to lay. That was after she had injured one leg so badly she was crippled for the rest of her life. Her eggs weren't always perfect and sometimes she would break one trying to get off the nest, but she laid them.

She was always smaller than the healthy chickens I had that were her same age. I mainly chalked that up to her having less muscle mass.

Best wishes to you & your two.

Yes. I agree with N F C, I had a chicken who was attacked by a fox and got all her back feathers tore off, and even as she was recovering, she was still laying.

 

[coastiegrl]

Thank you so much for your response! It gives me some hope! I've had people tell me to cull them but they're not in any pain and one has been living in my house for a few months now and she is affectionately known as my 'house chicken'. She sleeps in a box but during the day she roams the downstairs. I have 2 cats who won't touch her but I know they enjoy watching her antics during the day. I just don't think I could kill either of them!

Sorry to hear of the injuries to your girls.

I can't guarantee your birds will eventually lay but I can tell you that I had an injured gal that went on to lay. That was after she had injured one leg so badly she was crippled for the rest of her life. Her eggs weren't always perfect and sometimes she would break one trying to get off the nest, but she laid them.

She was always smaller than the healthy chickens I had that were her same age. I mainly chalked that up to her having less muscle mass.

Best wishes to you & your two.

 

[N F C]

Thank you so much for your response! It gives me some hope! I've had people tell me to cull them but they're not in any pain and one has been living in my house for a few months now and she is affectionately known as my 'house chicken'. She sleeps in a box but during the day she roams the downstairs. I have 2 cats who won't touch her but I know they enjoy watching her antics during the day. I just don't think I could kill either of them!

Keep us posted on how your girls are doing (and pictures are always nice)!

 

[coastiegrl]

Here is Bitty the house chicken! And my cat Mika watching her eat!

 

[N F C]

View attachment 1957020
Here is Bitty the house chicken! And my cat Mika watching her eat!

Fun picture! Mika is gorgeous...is she a Persian?

 

[tn_artist]

View attachment 1957020
Here is Bitty the house chicken! And my cat Mika watching her eat!

 

[coastiegrl]

Bitty the day of her injury.

 

[Skippersnh]

They should lay