Pullet with broken leg!

[billybloke]

Up until yesterday, I had 10 3-month-old hens. I get such a kick out of them, their energy and antics!

Sadly, I'm today feeling like a horrible owner...

For the last month I've been opening their run & letting them free-range in the yard until either it got dark or until I needed to go somewhere.

To make a long story short, last night the door was left open b/c one of the pullets had roosted in a tree, and I wanted her to have the chance to return to the coop/run, should she decide she wanted to come in for the night.

Last night, something got one of the girls

-- a cute blue andalusian named Al. I found her feathers scattered throughout an adjacent field, but saw no other signs.

And almost sadder than that, a second (buff minorca) re-appeared after being AWOL all night -- with a tattered hind end & broken leg. The poor girl must have fought for her life, got out of harm's way, then waited for the other girls to wake up before revealing herself.

The other girls quickly ran over to her ...then sadly instead of consoling her -- started pecking at her wounds. The poor girl was too exhausted and hurt to resist their taunts.

I now have her quarantined in a mini-coop in the basement while I assess the situation.

Is there any hope for a chicken with a broken leg -- or must I euthanize? She is regaining a little strength & calm, but quickly falls down as soon as she tries to stand up at all ...it's so sad.

I think raccoons are to blame. I know some neighbors who don't lock their chickens up at night, which is what made me think I'd be ok with the door open for just one night.

Can anyone give me any advice on this poor girl? I'll euthanize if I have to, but have never done this before & don't look forward to it at all.

Any other advice on any part of this situation is welcome...

 

[FLOWERPOT]

One of my hens got her leg stuck in the chain link fence and was hanging there till I saw and saved her. her leg was broken,
I brought her in the house into the "chicken room" and kept her there for a couple of weeks.
I didnt think she would make it, she looked so sad.
But I wanted to give her a chance. so I put food and water close to her and for the first few days she ate and drank very little.
But eventually she started hoping around on her one good leg and got better a little more everyday.
Chickens are fast healers, and she would probably be ok if you can put her somewhere in solitary with food and water.
I cant remember now if it is asprin or advil you can put in her water for pain, but dont use any till you find out for sure, because one of them is really bad for them.
I think you can probably make some kind of splint out of popsicle sticks and gauze wrap maby.
I wish you the best in helping her, and dont feel bad, you were only doing what you felt was right at the time. You didnt know something like that was going to happen!

 

[billybloke]

Thanks very much for your reply. I'm just wondering whether her leg will ever be well-enough for her to re-enter the flock without constantly being trampled over.

I don't want her to suffer, but don't want to euthanize too quickly if there are other options, either.

I'm thinking maybe a trip to the vet will help me get some answers.

 

[Milliestwo]

Hey billybloke.
Milliestwo here.
I was a vet tech for 17 years and while we didn't do much by way of farm calls we did see some birds.
If you are going to try to splint her leg then you need to get the popsticks and cut them to keep the leg straight you will need to take tape and run it backwards on the sticks so that the sticky is out and then place them on the inside and outside of the let to keep it straight making sure that the tape sticks to her leg well,then take three small strips of tape and place this around the top of her leg around the leg and sticks and then one in the middle and one at the bottom.You want them snug but not too tight as to cut off her circulation. Then take 2" gauze and start from the bottom going up wrap the gauze snugly going up and then down until it is used up and then sticky tape the ends. Keep the bandage clean and dry.This should lend enough support for her to somwhat stand and move about. It may take 4 weeks or more to mend.

For pain take #1- 325mg asparin and desolve it in a gallon of water and let her drink as she will. Keep her warm and quiet and by her self ,in about 4 weeks she should mend enough to rejoin the flock with out them being to mean to her but if she shows signs that the leg didn't mend and she can't walk well or be able to defend herself then it may be time to either make her a house pet or put her to sleep at that point.
I hope I have helped you in some way,and your other bird was propably taken by an owl during the night. that happened to me with one of my Guineas and all I found was a pile of feathers.So sad and I share your pain. Good luck and let me know how it turns out please.


Milliestwo.