Lame hen..is she doomed?

[seminolewind]

This is pretty much my way of deciding for all of my pets. If they seem like they're improving, I keep at it. If they seem like they are not improving or getting worse, it's best to euthanize. Even with eating, I'll bet she's been losing weight. Check her breast bone.

It's a hard thing to do. If you do it, dig the hole, find an ax and a piece of wood, put a sock over her head and get it done. Don't think, just do. I hope I haven't jumped the gun here, but if she's getting worse, you will need to do it.

 

[rcentner]

she is definately not improving and it does break my heart to see her like she is. She is super thin, that happened almost immediately after she came up lame. Her droppings are now this bright green color, still a significant amount of droppings, but real bright green.
I am glad I don't have to chop off her head, with my luck I would miss and it would be a mess. I have the injectable solution, just a matter of one poke. Maybe getting a hole ready will prepare me a little more. I picked a super bad spot for my graveyard, so many rocks. Last time I couldn't find the pick axe and it took a long time to get a good hole dug.
Thanks for your support and all your experience. Gonna go check on her now and see if I can gather the strength to do it. I am running out of daylight so I better dig a hole in the very least (If my son will sleep long enough for me to get that done)

 

[Pele]

I'm very sorry that you are going through this. I hope you have the strength to give her and yourself peace.

 

[seminolewind]

I wish you the strength. It's hard to do what needs to be done sometimes.

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

So sorry you're faced with this. Take heart, and know you're doing the right thing by ending her misery before she becomes truly miserable.

 

[Kansas Gal]

Hi! Only you can make that decision. Like I said in a previous post, I had to make that decision a couple weeks ago, and put myself in her place. I knew I would not want to be in a cage unable to really move around, and did what was best for Henny. She was eating and laying up to the day we had her dispatched. Chickens try their best to hide any injuries or illnesses, so they won't be seen as easy prey to the predators, but when it was this obvious with her paralysis, we knew she wouldn't get better. This hen being put down was on the heels of putting down another hen just two weeks before who had been attacked by a hawk two weeks before that. We tried to clean her wounds as best we could, but she got weaker and weaker and there was a gaping hole. She too, was eating and drinking, as long as it was right in front of her, but she couldn't get to feed or water if it was more than a few inches away from her. Sorry you are going through this. I am with you, believe me!

 

[Babe77]

So sorry for what you are going through, it is a hard decision to make,

We are also facing this same thing with a lame hen and can find no reason for it. She was fine when we let them out to range Saturday and fine when we let them back in. The hubby found her just lying there Sunday and have her in a playpen. She is pooping and eating but will not place any weight on her right leg at all and we can not see anything wrong.

The hardest thing the hubby and I have had to do is put any of our girls down. You spoke of an injection that you use, would you mind sharing or PM me about it.

Thanks

 

[rcentner]

I let her go today, it was peaceful for us. I will bury her tomorrow in the hole I dug the other day. Thanks all for your support. Indy will be missed.

 

[henney penny]

So sorry,Iknow its hard,had to do that with a baby chick and that was really hard for me.

 

[Babe77]

Quote:
So sorry to hear that and understand how we have to do what is better for them and not for us.