One legged hen due to frostbite. Need help/advice (graphic)

[Poetastic]

While feeding my hens today, I found one of my girls flopping around on the ground and crying. When I picked her up, I discovered one of her legs was almost completely torn off. I wasn't sure what to do, so I separated her from the rest of the flock, but when I put her on the ground, she began crying and flopping again. I finally decided I must amputate her leg, so I did. She seemed alright, but I'm pretty sure she was in shock. I put some ointment on her stump and wrapped a bandage around it and put her in a small kennel. I gave her food and water and she eagerly ate/drank. She seems to be doing fine and is alert. I feel absolutely horrible about not noticing her ailments. I'm very concerned about her remaining leg. It has been deeply affected by the frostbite and is nearly black. I'm going to try my best to save it, but I'm not sure if I can. How can I heal her stump? How can I try to save her remaining leg? If the remaining leg must be removed, can she live a decent life or should I euthanize her? I really want to save her, but I will do the best job I can to make sure she isn't in pain. Any advice on the situation is welcome.

 

[Mama Runner]

I am so sorry that you have to go through this. I wish I could help. But I am sending you big hugs.

 

[Kessel23]

While feeding my hens today, I found one of my girls flopping around on the ground and crying. When I picked her up, I discovered one of her legs was almost completely torn off. I wasn't sure what to do, so I separated her from the rest of the flock, but when I put her on the ground, she began crying and flopping again. I finally decided I must amputate her leg, so I did. She seemed alright, but I'm pretty sure she was in shock. I put some ointment on her stump and wrapped a bandage around it and put her in a small kennel. I gave her food and water and she eagerly ate/drank. She seems to be doing fine and is alert. I feel absolutely horrible about not noticing her ailments. I'm very concerned about her remaining leg. It has been deeply affected by the frostbite and is nearly black. I'm going to try my best to save it, but I'm not sure if I can. How can I heal her stump? How can I try to save her remaining leg? If the remaining leg must be removed, can she live a decent life or should I euthanize her? I really want to save her, but I will do the best job I can to make sure she isn't in pain. Any advice on the situation is welcome.View attachment 1265286 View attachment 1265295

A chicken can definitely live a good life with just 1 leg, I think it would be hard with no legs but im sure a chicken could handle that too, with proper care of course. If she does lose both her legs then she will need to live seperate from all normal birds. Also, she would become somewhat of a high maintenance pet, you would definitely have to clean her rear often, like every morning and night. Also she would need to stay inside during bad weather and be provided with easy access to a constant supply of food and water. I think a chicken could for sure live a good life with no legs if you provide them with the proper care. One legged chickens will do ok with the flock and can still walk around and even roost with the other chickens, once they get used to their handicap. If you do not have the time or space to house a no legged bird then you could give it away or kill her, I guess... I bet a lot of people would turn her into a fine house pet. I do not have and suggestions for a injury like that, I am not experienced with wounds that are so severe and uncommon like a severed limb. also if she does go limbless then you should provide her with a little 2 by 4 in her cage, she might flap up onto it to roost, it would help keep the poop off of her. And you should add protection from frost bite to your coop. I live just above you in southern Wisconsin and I never have frostbite issues with my birds legs, the only birds I have who get frostbite are my young roosters, their massive yearling crowns lose a lot of spikes during the winter. I am not an expert at preventing frostbite but I do have a very thick perch for my birds to roost on, their toes do not hang over the edge and their whole foot lays flat on the perch. This allows my birds to completely cover their feet in the cold weather, it also insures the birds have a steady flow of blood throughout the foot.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

that bird is going to lose both feet and I would put her down if it were mine. Its bound to be a lot of pain. @BantyChooks
Im sorry

 

[FeeltheLove12]

Oh my goodness, I went through that, too, the first year I had my chickens. They say that chickens don't need heat in the winter....even in Alaska...but my little hen did! I would highly recommend taking her to a vet if you can. I wasn't sure what had happened to Amelia but she was limping badly one morning, and her feet were swollen. I couldn't tell if she had an infection first and frostbite second due to the infection or the other way around. I was terribly worried she was suffering and would die, so I called a parrot vet. Although they misquoted me much lower than the actual office call cost, in the end my piece of mind was worth it. They gave her antibiotics and pain killers that stopped gangrene from setting in and assured me I did all that I could for her.

She did lose all her toes on one leg, and the top tips of toes on the other, but the "palms' are still there. They dropped off without incident and minimal bleeding. She did not ever complain of pain through all of it. And I am happy to report, she is able to get around and doing well after building her a handicap ramp and perch. She is a reliable layer and a darling. Her gate is a little uneven, but she keeps up with the rest and it's been 4 years since the incident.

I realize your girl has lost more of the leg than the just the foot, which may affect her ability to move later and her ability to take the weight off the other now in order to heal. With the seriousness of her injury, gangrene is a big risk. I did try other remedies listed on this forum for the first 12 hours, but then realized it was way worse than could be handled without prescription medications unless I wanted to put her down and even that I knew I could not do on my own. Some of the remedies I researched would have actually caused more harm. She was a $2.67 chickie that I paid $162 for vet care. I don't regret it.

So far, I treat everything else on my own using this forum with much success. However, I do not believe I would have had such a good result without the vet.....and I think she would have suffered unnecessarily. If she is important to you and you think she stands any chance, don't wait!

(My coop was insulated and dry at the time and no one else had frostbite. I live in NW Pennsylvania. I don't know how and why it happened. I just know it is NEVER going to happen to me or my flock again. I use a SWEETER HEATER now no matter what the weatherman says. It costs very little compared to the pain I caused through my ignorance/innocence.)

 

[Poetastic]

I am so sorry that you have to go through this. I wish I could help. But I am sending you big hugs.

Thank you. I'm hoping she can recover

 

[Granny Hatchet]

@lazy gardener

 

[Poetastic]

A chicken can definitely live a good life with just 1 leg, I think it would be hard with no legs but im sure a chicken could handle that too, with proper care of course. If she does lose both her legs then she will need to live seperate from all normal birds. Also, she would become somewhat of a high maintenance pet, you would definitely have to clean her rear often, like every morning and night. Also she would need to stay inside during bad weather and be provided with easy access to a constant supply of food and water. I think a chicken could for sure live a good life with no legs if you provide them with the proper care. One legged chickens will do ok with the flock and can still walk around and even roost with the other chickens, once they get used to their handicap. If you do not have the time or space to house a no legged bird then you could give it away or kill her, I guess... I bet a lot of people would turn her into a fine house pet. I do not have and suggestions for a injury like that, I am not experienced with wounds that are so severe and uncommon like a severed limb. also if she does go limbless then you should provide her with a little 2 by 4 in her cage, she might flap up onto it to roost, it would help keep the poop off of her. And you should add protection from frost bite to your coop. I live just above you in southern Wisconsin and I never have frostbite issues with my birds legs, the only birds I have who get frostbite are my young roosters, their massive yearling crowns lose a lot of spikes during the winter. I am not an expert at preventing frostbite but I do have a very thick perch for my birds to roost on, their toes do not hang over the edge and their whole foot lays flat on the perch. This allows my birds to completely cover their feet in the cold weather, it also insures the birds have a steady flow of blood throughout the foot.

Thanks for the input. I'm not really sure what to do with her. I don't think I have the time to take care of her constantly. I'm afraid if I keep her alive she will suffer. I have the same problem with the combs of my roosters. My Japanese bantam roosters have lost most of the spikes in their crowns too. Frostbite is horrible.

 

[lazy gardener]

Do the right think and think of what is best for the bird, not about how badly you feel about the situation. She is suffering, she has no possible chance of recovery. She deserves a merciful end instead of lengthy suffering.

 

[Poetastic]

Oh my goodness, I went through that, too, the first year I had my chickens. They say that chickens don't need heat in the winter....even in Alaska...but my little hen did! I would highly recommend taking her to a vet if you can. I wasn't sure what had happened to Amelia but she was limping badly one morning, and her feet were swollen. I couldn't tell if she had an infection first and frostbite second due to the infection or the other way around. I was terribly worried she was suffering and would die, so I called a parrot vet. Although they misquoted me much lower than the actual office call cost, in the end my piece of mind was worth it. They gave her antibiotics and pain killers that stopped gangrene from setting in and assured me I did all that I could for her.

She did lose all her toes on one leg, and the top tips of toes on the other, but the "palms' are still there. They dropped off without incident and minimal bleeding. She did not ever complain of pain through all of it. And I am happy to report, she is able to get around and doing well after building her a handicap ramp and perch. She is a reliable layer and a darling. Her gate is a little uneven, but she keeps up with the rest and it's been 4 years since the incident.

I realize your girl has lost more of the leg than the just the foot, which may affect her ability to move later and her ability to take the weight off the other now in order to heal. With the seriousness of her injury, gangrene is a big risk. I did try other remedies listed on this forum for the first 12 hours, but then realized it was way worse than could be handled without prescription medications unless I wanted to put her down and even that I knew I could not do on my own. Some of the remedies I researched would have actually caused more harm. She was a $2.67 chickie that I paid $162 for vet care. I don't regret it.

So far, I treat everything else on my own using this forum with much success. However, I do not believe I would have had such a good result without the vet.....and I think she would have suffered unnecessarily. If she is important to you and you think she stands any chance, don't wait!

(My coop was insulated and dry at the time and no one else had frostbite. I live in NW Pennsylvania. I don't know how and why it happened. I just know it is NEVER going to happen to me or my flock again. I use a SWEETER HEATER now no matter what the weatherman says. It costs very little compared to the pain I caused through my ignorance/innocence.)

Thank you for your response. I'm glad your girl is doing well! I feel like I need to do more in the way of frostbite prevention. I'm going to try my best to save my girl, but I don't know if she'll pull through.