predator took one leg

[cleoquel]

I know the outlook may be grim, but I'm looking for news/advice/hope anyway. I have a 9 week old Welsummer (looks like a rooster--has the hackle feathers) whose leg was torn off by a predator. I've seen stories of one-legged chickens surviving, but the stories I've seen are usually paralysis, or amputated on the leg-bone part, or splayed foot/etc. My chicken has lost one whole leg, almost up to the body carcass. Yet, he's still alive (at present), and can hop. He has a bloody raw patch where the leg was torn away. Is there any reason to hope? Does anyone know if chickens grow new skin quickly? Obviously if he was going to bleed out he would have done so by now.

Tonight, he's in a separate carrier with water.

 

[Davian]

Chickens recover from wounds extremely fast. If he hasn't bled out, there's hope.

Things to do:

1. Flush the wound with saline and/or an iodine wash.
2. Cover it in non-painkiller neosporin.
3. Keep him/her calm and isolated from the others.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Ditto what Davian said.

You can also give 1/2 baby aspirin (or 1/4 whole) crushed up in a cup of water for pain.

 

[melodie_a]

Oh my gosh. The poor thing.

I don't have any advise that hasn't been offered already but I wanted to say good luck with him.

 

[Davian]

Another thing to add:

1. Give him some high protein food as he'll need it to heal faster. yogurt, meat, cheese, hard boiled egg, etc etc.

 

[BasicallyHeather]

This exact thing happened to my sweet little Australorp girl, Q-Bert... I couldn't bear her suffering and my hubby put her down. I wish you the best of luck in your roo's recovery!

 

[cleoquel]

Thank you! Such a great community. I'm in Tennessee so of course it's dark here. I took him some of the medicated starter chick feed and left plenty for him, in addition to his water (I'm not too concerned about drowning, since I did see him hop about 20 feet by himself, after my prodding). He doesn't feel like eating right now -- just sleeping. He's in a cat carrier with plastic bottom and sides. I don't want to handle him too much for fear of stressing him. We will see what the morning holds.

Yes, tomorrow morning I'll give him some egg or tuna -- something protein rich.

 

[redhen]

Can a one-legged chicken get around??

 

[drumstick diva]

Other people on BYC have one legged chickens that survived and can get along. I would not recommend free ranging tho, they wouldn't be agile enough to escape preds but, you can say that about 2 legged chickens too.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Well, thats good to know!!!
Hope he pulls through!!