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

[BantyChooks]

I'm not sure. We had a cold snap a few weeks ago and had temperatures in the negatives for a while. I visit her coop several times daily and I'm shocked I never noticed her. There are fifty chickens being kept with her and I thought they were all fine, but I guess I never caught it. I feel horrible about not catching it earlier.

I had a bantam pullet in -40F weather that got frostbite. She only lost a bunch of toes and some of the foot. Gotta be another factor there. Where does she roost?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

open water dish maybe ?

 

[BantyChooks]

Yes, the hock joint. Not quite her entire leg though, as she has a tiny stump left. It half way healed on its own.

I have to side with LG then. That's not even enough to put a prosthetic on if she was beloved enough to take to a vet and try to save.

As a general rule I don't tell people when to euthanize, but in this situation I strongly suggest it, & it's up to you to do what you want with that advice. Frostbite isn't fun, especially on feet, and it is for sure hard on the bird.

 

[Poetastic]

I had a bantam pullet in -40F weather that got frostbite. She only lost a bunch of toes and some of the foot. Gotta be another factor there. Where does she roost?

Since she's amongst a ton of other hens, I can't be for sure. However, a lot of them roost on a long, thin perch. Others will roost on or in the nest boxes. I have a lot of thin perches available in the coop. She could have possibly been knocked on the ground, but I doubt that.

 

[BantyChooks]

open water dish maybe ?

I was thinking possible roosting on something metal. Still seems a bit of a stretch.

Since she's amongst a ton of other hens, I can't be for sure. However, a lot of them roost on a long, thin perch. Others will roost on or in the nest boxes. I have a lot of thin perches available in the coop. She could have possibly been knocked on the ground, but I doubt that.

Odd. Very odd.

 

[Poetastic]

I have to side with LG then. That's not even enough to put a prosthetic on if she was beloved enough to take to a vet and try to save.

As a general rule I don't tell people when to euthanize, but in this situation I strongly suggest it, & it's up to you to do what you want with that advice. Frostbite isn't fun, especially on feet, and it is for sure hard on the bird.

Alright. I will probably do the deed tomorrow morning.

 

[BantyChooks]

Alright. I will probably do the deed tomorrow morning.

to you and the bird.

 

[twisted-acres-farm]

to you and the bird.

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