My Sweet gimpy hen has taken a turn for the worse, advice please!

[ChickHotel]

My 10 mo. BO, Sweetie Pie has had a bad leg since she was very young, but has managed to get along just fine until the last couple weeks. Recent cold weather seems to have almost completely immobilized her (despite a heating lamp on the coldest days). I have babied her, put her in the warmer garage at night, but now she won't eat, drink and looks miserable. If there is no hope I am ready to accept that, but need to make sure there is nothing else I can try. If it is time to let her go can anyone give me a humane way to put her down that doesn't involve blood (yes, I am one of those kind of chicken owners). I would take her to the vet, but it is not even close to in the budget. Thanks in advance for any help!

Lindsay

 

[PunkinPeep]

Have you examined her to see if there is something else bothering her? Like maybe an impacted crop? I would suspect something besides her leg was keeping her from wanting to eat. Is she laying eggs? Could she be egg bound?

If you do have to put her down, you can use the cervical dislocation method to avoid blood. A quick search here will get you untold numbers of explanations. Basically, you're using one method or another to pull the head quickly and strongly, away from the body, so that the the neck is broken, or at least the head is no longer connected to the spinal cord. In any case, it's a quick and painless way to go, but you have to be sure to do it well.....takes a big strong movement.

 

[tammye]

Try to give her some extra vitamin B12 and vitamin E in her diet, sometimes a vitamin defficiency can make it hard for them to walk, the added stress of a molt/ cold weather can bring this on. Also, some electrolyte solutuion in her water will help her fight off anything that may be making her feel weak. Good luck