Is he ok?

[Sunshine Hen]

I volunteer at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center every saturday from 9-12 with my friend. (Thats how I learned to love chickens!)
Anyway - there is a small bantam rooster who is old and lives in a small-ish rabbit hut and he doesn't have a pertch. Can he sleep ok at night without one? Also, he kinda lost all his toes, probably from the wire flooring area where his food and water is. My friend is grossed out by his feet but I'm worried. They aren't bleeding or hurting him, but all he has are stubs. Is he ok?

 

[bigzio]

Sunshine Hen, His feet are the result from being on wire for so long. I'm sure he sits down and sleeps ok.

Natural environment would be to have access to the ground and also green grass.

bigzio

 

[Wolf]

They housed him like that in a Nature Center???

Don't they care about the critters in their care? Just common sense would tell ya that wire on the feet 24/7 causes damage! They should try it and see how it feels! Spend some time barefoot on a rebar-floor!

 

[hencackle]

Just reading this makes MY feet hurt. Does the rooster's feet look like Mr Joy's? http://mrjoy.net/

Is there not a flat surface at all in the hutch? Someplace to put in hay (not straw) and let him have a softer place to sleep or stand? Straw is hollow and tends to harbor critters like mites. You didn't indicate whether he has a run where he access to grass or a dust bath. If not, show the Nature Center pictures of chicken tractors (arks). There are some sturdy ones at www.forsham.com.

Stephanie

 

[SpottedCrow]

The poor dumpling!!!
Being kept on wire probably made him lose his toes, due to frostbite...
I know that my rabbit hutch has wire and a pan. I put the wire part upside down in the pan so that I could put some nice bedding in for my chicks...Slifer never perched so a perch is the least of his problems...

 

[chickbea]

Oooh - if I were you I'd have to ask a lot of questions about this little guy. Was this the shape he was in when they found him, or has this happened to him in the course of his time at the center? Either way, a raised rabbit hutch with a wire floor is an unsuitable home for a chicken (it's an unsuitable home for a bunny, but that's another rant...).
If he's there as some sort of an educational exhibit, they need to be doing a much better job of showing people how a chicken should live (although you didn't mention if he ever gets to come out and play - I hope he does).
As for his feet, if the injuries are healed over and there is no chronic swelling, he probably isn't feeling any more pain and has adapted. He needs to be kept in a protected area, however, and away from other roos, because he no longer has any defenses.

 

[Sunshine Hen]

He is in the cage because all their other chickens are much bigger and they will peck at him. I really want to have him and make a better retirement home for him.

By the way, my friend called him King Arthur. (I have no idea why.)

 

[chickbea]

Ooooh - will they let you have him? That would be great!