I broke my little Seabright's leg today by accident. UPDATED.

[arianna]

Today I was working in the chicken run building a flower box with a rose, inside of an "invisible netting" boxed 3x4 fence. I built the door frame out of 2x2's and lean it against the fence frame. My sweet little golden seabright pullet 2 months old was watching me very curious of what I was doing. I step away to get the hinges for a second, and it happen

, the door felt down and hit my seabright. It broke her leg so bad that the leg was flying in all directions as she was hopping away "screaming". I got her as quick as I could and calm her down. I put the splinter with my husband's help and she seems to be calm and better now, but I feel terrible. How could I be so careless. I worked before in the run with the chickens around me, but I've always been extra careful. I'm even very careful when I step, I never make a step backwards, and when I walk forward I‘m always looking down, because my chickens usually jump on my feet thinking that I have some treats. But today, I don't know what I was thinking

. How could I not know that when you think it’s “only a second” that’s when the accident will happen.
I have my poor little seabrigt in my arms right now, she is sleeping. I hope she will recover. The bone is broken above the joint and is completely disconnected. I made a special box with a hammock of fabric inspired by this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=147520 and put her in, but she was very distress to be alone. She "cried" there for about 15 minutes. So I got her a little buddy of same age (seabright rooster) and I will put them together in a separated box. I'm going to try again the hammock box tomorrow. This little pullet doesn't not like to be alone at all, so I'll have to see how it goes tomorrow.
I just feel so bad that she has to suffer because on my careless mistake.

 

[wbruder17]

Oh! That really sucks! Poor little thing. It HAPPENS! Its not your fault. They are alays under foot somewhere. Ive had ladders and pitchforks and all sorts of other barnyard tools come crashiing down. I've closed their heads in doors, stepped on them etc. Its just a part of farm life. If you look up how to splint it, and keep her seperate, hopefully she will be ok. A leg is better than a neck, right?
Good luck!

 

[incubatingisfun]

Dont beat yourself up it was an accident

.It sounds like you are doing everything you can.Hope your chicken heals

 

[In His Service]

I have Sebrights too, they are always underfoot, curious, and so tiny. Hope she gets better quick. Chickens can be remarkably resilient.

 

[geepy]

I kicked one of my braham pullets across the yard, she was on top of my foot looking for treats.
It was just an accident. Sounds like she is in good hands. Keep that leg splinted and she will heal in no time.

 

[CapricornFarm]

A goat stepped on my buff rooster's leg and broke it. I splinted it, and it got infected so I had to open it up and clean it out. He walks with a bit of a limp but he is all healed up now. Don't blame yourself, accidents happen. She will be ok, she is young.

 

[arianna]

Thank you everyone for your kind words.
I just now put her down with her friend Seabright cockerel. She went underneath him. I'll try to go to sleep now, but I don know if I can with all this thoughts going through my mind.
This is definitely a lesson to learn for me. Never do any projects inside the run with the chickens around. I should of keep them separate for the time of work.
I am still “growing” with my chickens, and I’m learning things to do and things not to do

 

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

This may sound a little weird, but could you try building her a little wheelchair almost to support her weight? Like, her chest and everything will be supported but it will have wheels so she can still move around be propelling herself with one leg? I might be unrealistic with this one, but I guess it could be worth a try

And maybe when she can start to use her leg again you should let her float around in water to strengthen her leg by swimming- I heard that chickens can swim and actually enjoy it on a hot day.

Hope she gets better soon

She's lucky she has such a nice owner

 

[arianna]

This is what I did. Unfortunately it doesn't really work.
First I had her in a box inside the house and she did not like that at all, she cried and cried. Then I put her with her friend the seabright cockerel, and they cried together

.

So I decided to put her outside in her new wheelchair/sling. She wants to jump up not push forward. Her sling/wheelchair was still useful, because it made it easier for her to eat and drink. The fabric it's a baby wash cloth, very soft and stretches a little bit. I cut the holes for the legs and vent. Outside I put her in a small box, so I can have the water and the food pinned in front of her. I put the food and the water in small flower pot containers cut on the bottom. In this way I could make it at the right height and the food/water containers could not be moved/spilled.
I set her up in a see through box so she can see the other chickens and not feel lonely.
Yesterday I spent several hours with her, and for the time I was in the run and she could hear my voice she stayed nice in her sling, but as soon as I left the run she jumped out. Because she is very light and can fly well, she can actually move around quite well by hopping. I tried several times to put her back but eventually I left her out. She lays down, most of the time and cries in a more quite voice. I noticed the other hens and roosters laying down with her quite often, specially the seabright boy. I don't want her to suffer, and I was even considering putting her down tonight, but when I checked her crop noticed she had some food in it, and she also went in the coop and jump on the roost all by her self. At this point I believe I need to let her find her own comfort zone and stop interfering. I will make sure she eats and drinks, and as long she does that I'm hopping she will recover. The leg doesn't show any signs of infection, but I don't know how well my splinter is. Tonight she is sleeping in the coop with the others, and I'm hoping that being back in her normal environment, will give her more will power to fight.

 

[Cetawin]

Ingenious...love her sling with wheels. I would keep her in it and near you as much as possible for a few days and make sure she is doing well. Her hopping around is not going to help her healing and she may injure it worse. She sure is adorable. Good luck with her.