Injured Leg (pics)

[chickschool]

Well it's official...she broke her leg. The vet was extremely nice and took a lot of time with Peanut Butter. She said short of surgery which she didn't recommend PB will heal but most likely have a gimpy walk when all is said and done. So she's all bandaged up and doing fine. Hopefully in 6-8 weeks she can return to the flock. It seems that although she's eating she has lost quite a bit of weight. Any ideas on how to fatten her back up?

 

[hiddenflock]

You could try giving her some chicken scratch ran through a food processor (if she can't eat whole scratch), or you could make her some cooked oatmeal with milk. Milk is good for getting chickens to gain weight.

I hope she is doing well!

 

[chickschool]

Really? Milk? Huh...you learn something new everyday. She's doing very well all things considered. So lately I've been reading about maggot issues (which I didn't have a clue about) and now I'm paranoid she's get those! Especially because the area around her vent can sometimes have poop stuck in it. I'm cleaning it several times a day but still freaked out by the whole idea. Yuck!

 

[CMV]

No milk. The last thing you need is diarrhea. Chickens are lactose intolerant unless the milk source is heavily populated with bugs (yogurt, cheese and buttermilk).

You will want to give her a regular diet with high protein. Your best bet is to get some grower feed that is 20-22% protein. I would be adding some oyster shell to the feed. Better yet, you know the "flour" at the bottom of the bag of oyster shells? I would get as much as the flour as I could and mix that into her feed. She is going to need the calcium. Augment the main feed with BOSS, meal worms, yogurt, low-sodium catfood (in limited quantities because of the salt content), canned tuna (or just the water/oil mixed in with her feed) and bits of meat (unsalted, unprocessed) from your dinner table. Get some poultry vitamins to add to the water. There are several marketed at the local agriculture store. Just use them as directed. Don't get carried away with them or they will cause diarrhea. Basically, she needs to eat her feed as much as possible because she needs the balanced nutrition that it provides. The extra protein will help her to put on healthy weight instead of "fat" weight. She doesn't need to put on weight quickly so much as she needs to put on weight in a healthy manner.

I hope this helps. I am glad you brought her to a vet.

 

[chickschool]

No milk. The last thing you need is diarrhea. Chickens are lactose intolerant unless the milk source is heavily populated with bugs (yogurt, cheese and buttermilk).

You will want to give her a regular diet with high protein. Your best bet is to get some grower feed that is 20-22% protein. I would be adding some oyster shell to the feed. Better yet, you know the "flour" at the bottom of the bag of oyster shells? I would get as much as the flour as I could and mix that into her feed. She is going to need the calcium. Augment the main feed with BOSS, meal worms, yogurt, low-sodium catfood (in limited quantities because of the salt content), canned tuna (or just the water/oil mixed in with her feed) and bits of meat (unsalted, unprocessed) from your dinner table. Get some poultry vitamins to add to the water. There are several marketed at the local agriculture store. Just use them as directed. Don't get carried away with them or they will cause diarrhea. Basically, she needs to eat her feed as much as possible because she needs the balanced nutrition that it provides. The extra protein will help her to put on healthy weight instead of "fat" weight. She doesn't need to put on weight quickly so much as she needs to put on weight in a healthy manner.

I hope this helps. I am glad you brought her to a vet.

oh thank you so very much.It helps a great deal. Looks like I'll be going shopping.

 

[Pyrates4Poultry]

Flock Mistress, I am so thankful for all of your help. My roo with the torn cheek is 100% healed and looking great and having your imput really made me feel better. chickschool, could you pretty please get a pic of the bandaging that they did on your bird? I have one town vet and although she has skilled hands, her way of treating injuries is usually to put it down, whatever it is...regardless of how severe the injury is. Since we live in the boondocks, I'm not taking Mister Magoo anywhere, he's stuck with my limited knowledge. Here's a pic for you of the "spa treatment" this morning, Magoo has decided that as long as the cat thinks it's a good idea, he's okay with doing this once a day, soaking in epsom salts and warm water! LOL I can get a pic ofthe bandaging I do on his foot as well if you two are interested, maybe give me some pointers as well? (Sorry if this feels like I'm usurping your thread chickschool, that's not my intent at all, so please say so if this is inappropriate, I'm very new here.)

 

[Pyrates4Poultry]

Flock Mistress, I am so thankful for all of your help. My roo with the torn cheek is 100% healed and looking great and having your imput really made me feel better. chickschool, could you pretty please get a pic of the bandaging that they did on your bird? I have one town vet and although she has skilled hands, her way of treating injuries is usually to put it down, whatever it is...regardless of how severe the injury is. Since we live in the boondocks, I'm not taking Mister Magoo anywhere, he's stuck with my limited knowledge. Here's a pic for you of the "spa treatment" this morning, Magoo has decided that as long as the cat thinks it's a good idea, he's okay with doing this once a day, soaking in epsom salts and warm water! LOL I can get a pic ofthe bandaging I do on his foot as well if you two are interested, maybe give me some pointers as well? (Sorry if this feels like I'm usurping your thread chickschool, that's not my intent at all, so please say so if this is inappropriate, I'm very new here.)

 

[Pyrates4Poultry]

Flock Mistress, I am so thankful for all of your help. My roo with the torn cheek is 100% healed and looking great and having your imput really made me feel better. chickschool, could you pretty please get a pic of the bandaging that they did on your bird? I have one town vet and although she has skilled hands, her way of treating injuries is usually to put it down, whatever it is...regardless of how severe the injury is. Since we live in the boondocks, I'm not taking Mister Magoo anywhere, he's stuck with my limited knowledge. Here's a pic for you of the "spa treatment" this morning, Magoo has decided that as long as the cat thinks it's a good idea, he's okay with doing this once a day, soaking in epsom salts and warm water! LOL I can get a pic ofthe bandaging I do on his foot as well if you two are interested, maybe give me some pointers as well? (Sorry if this feels like I'm usurping your thread chickschool, that's not my intent at all, so please say so if this is inappropriate, I'm very new here.)

 

[chickschool]

Flock Mistress, I am so thankful for all of your help. My roo with the torn cheek is 100% healed and looking great and having your imput really made me feel better. chickschool, could you pretty please get a pic of the bandaging that they did on your bird? I have one town vet and although she has skilled hands, her way of treating injuries is usually to put it down, whatever it is...regardless of how severe the injury is. Since we live in the boondocks, I'm not taking Mister Magoo anywhere, he's stuck with my limited knowledge. Here's a pic for you of the "spa treatment" this morning, Magoo has decided that as long as the cat thinks it's a good idea, he's okay with doing this once a day, soaking in epsom salts and warm water! LOL I can get a pic ofthe bandaging I do on his foot as well if you two are interested, maybe give me some pointers as well? (Sorry if this feels like I'm usurping your thread chickschool, that's not my intent at all, so please say so if this is inappropriate, I'm very new here.)


 

No worries! It's how we all learn. I'd love picks of your bandage and I'll get some picks of mine soon. Probably within the next hour or so. Hope it helps. And I love the spa.

 

[chickschool]

Let me know if you need any other angles. It's not overly tight and gives her just enough give to be able to hobble around a little. She put some weight on it for the first time today in a week! And I agree that Flock Mistress rocks!