- Nov 6, 2011
- 12
- 2
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Hi, I have no experience with chickens, but we found an injured "stray" with an obviously hurt leg last Thursday evening, whom we're calling Rocky. (See photo and link to youtube video below.) We took the poor chicken to the vet on Friday (Dr. Sattler in Hudson, FL, an avian specialist). The vet said the leg is gangrenous and necrotic, and needs to be amputated. I asked if there was any way to save the leg, at least the bone, so the chicken could get around better. She said the damaged part of the leg needs to come off, and the chicken will learn to get around on one leg, using its wings as crutches basically. I asked if a prosthetic could be used, she said there hasn't been much success with them.
The vet said the chicken is a young adult, and about 30% underweight, so she didn't want to amputate right away. The surgery is scheduled for Monday. The vet has us giving the chicken Baytril antibiotics twice a day, and painkiller (Metacal, I think?) once a day. The odor from the gangrene is a lot better today (Sunday), almost gone, thanks to the antibiotics.
I bought crumbles at the feed store; the vet had said to get scratch, but the clerk at the store said scratch is like candy and not very nutritious. I'm also offering small quantities of a variety of foods -- the chicken likes dried mango, baked beans, canned corn, oatmeal, sliced turkey, banana. Rocky's appetite is good, and attitude is great, very curious and friendly!
I would love to hear some advice and opinions on amputating the leg - whether or not it is the best course to follow. I read various threads where owners treated their chickens' injured or frostbitten toes/feet themselves and did not amputate and had success, but since this is gangrene, does the bone have to be cut off too? Is anyone familiar with any way to either heal or get rid of the diseased flesh but keep the bone, or would exposed bone be vulnerable to injury or infection? My concerns are first to give Rocky good quality of life -- which would obviously be better with more leg than less - and second, saving money if possible, since it's supposed to be about $350 for the amputation, on top of the $60+ we spent on the first vet visit. Any success stories with prosthetics would also be welcome!
Any advice on feeding and caring for this particular chicken, given its situation, would be appreciated. Are there any foods that we need to avoid?
I would also like any comments on what type or sex of bird this might be. The vet said she could avert the cloaca during the amputation to tell male/female, but I thought someone might have a guess....
Thank you very much for any help you can offer!
video:
The vet said the chicken is a young adult, and about 30% underweight, so she didn't want to amputate right away. The surgery is scheduled for Monday. The vet has us giving the chicken Baytril antibiotics twice a day, and painkiller (Metacal, I think?) once a day. The odor from the gangrene is a lot better today (Sunday), almost gone, thanks to the antibiotics.
I bought crumbles at the feed store; the vet had said to get scratch, but the clerk at the store said scratch is like candy and not very nutritious. I'm also offering small quantities of a variety of foods -- the chicken likes dried mango, baked beans, canned corn, oatmeal, sliced turkey, banana. Rocky's appetite is good, and attitude is great, very curious and friendly!
I would love to hear some advice and opinions on amputating the leg - whether or not it is the best course to follow. I read various threads where owners treated their chickens' injured or frostbitten toes/feet themselves and did not amputate and had success, but since this is gangrene, does the bone have to be cut off too? Is anyone familiar with any way to either heal or get rid of the diseased flesh but keep the bone, or would exposed bone be vulnerable to injury or infection? My concerns are first to give Rocky good quality of life -- which would obviously be better with more leg than less - and second, saving money if possible, since it's supposed to be about $350 for the amputation, on top of the $60+ we spent on the first vet visit. Any success stories with prosthetics would also be welcome!
Any advice on feeding and caring for this particular chicken, given its situation, would be appreciated. Are there any foods that we need to avoid?
I would also like any comments on what type or sex of bird this might be. The vet said she could avert the cloaca during the amputation to tell male/female, but I thought someone might have a guess....
Thank you very much for any help you can offer!
video:
