Ideas for a chicken handicap coop

[AlleysScrambledFarm]

We are starting to build our coop for 4. One of our chickens has "special needs". She is really working with one leg, the other is almost twisted backwards like and even her foot is curled in. She was a rescue chicken and even the vet could not help her or bandaid trials. The only thing left I suppose is to make her comfortable. She is very smart at figuring things out. She will probably grow up to be a tough old bird. Anyway we would welcome anyones ideas on how to make the coop work out for her as well to feel as if she is apart of the group and just as able even if its closer to the ground. She does manage to perch her self to atleast 3inches off the ground right now at 6 weeks old. Thanks

 

[spotstealer]

I think she will be just fine, just a bit slower than the rest

 

[bryan99705]

She'll probably grow up to rule the flock.

Maybe think shallow angle ladders instead of ramps based on her 3" hop

 

[Yetti]

My first thought was a hanging merry go round. I saw it in my head as I figured if the bird got so big as it couldn't stand. you could use a arm mounted on a bearing up high so as she could travel using the one leg supported by a cradle of some kind. that way she could still do her business and scratch with her good leg.

 

[AlleysScrambledFarm]

She does seem to put up a good fight when it comes to treats

(Handles her own well.)

These are some great ideas. Thanks for being so helpful.

With the idea of the merry go round style get around ....would the idea be to run it on like a track hanging above and would the idea be for the track to run in a circle around the coop area or interweiving. Ive got the jist of the hanging support...maybe not a full plan for how it should look or wear but still foggy on the hanging? traveling device that gets her from point A to B and so on.

... More ideas on this if you have em please!!!
Again Really great ideas

 

[AlleysScrambledFarm]

Well I have put a lot of thought to that idea and come up with something. I am going to use a smaller dog harness as her holder or sling to help keep her up. Then am going to connect it to a chain or zip like cord that will be connected up to something along the lines of "track lighting" so to speak. The track will be connected by chains to the top f the coop or what ever my husband comes up with for that part. If it works and looks good then I will post pictures. Thanks for the great idea!

 

[Yetti]

sounds like you have the gist of it. hope it works out for your bird.

 

[SheilaV]

As a kid in the 50's, we had a hen that was injured when she was young. A roost apparantly fell on her and broke her hip or leg. She was a Light Brahma, a very heavy breed. She learned to manage with her limitations, and as an adult, she was our best brooder. Every year we'd buy 50 to 100 chicks, and turn them all over to her. She took excellent care of them all. She was my favorite, and as I recall she lived a very long and useful life. Doubt she even knew she was different even if she couldn't roost like the others.
good luck.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I had one named Tessie that had her neck so badly twisted that she couldn't lift her head above her shoulders. She was in the middle of anything that was going on. She would drop her head, peek under her wing and run backwards to get to where she wanted to be. Tessie usually got their first for treats! She would put up a huge fuss if you tried to treat her any differently from the other hens. We lost her to our neighbors dog.

I have a little Sebright right now that has misformed feet. She had curled toes when I got her. We tried band-aide bootie for a few days. We got most of the toes on one foot straightened out, but the other is still really messed up. She roosts with everybody else, just sits on the lower roost.