Questions for those of you with "special needs" chickens

[Happy Chooks]

Cynthia....Thanks for your input. Gave me the chills. That must have been an incredibly difficult decision for you.

biblio........I'm so sorry to hear about your girl. I hope she improves, but if she does not, may you have the strength to end her suffering.

 

[speckledhen]

I managed two short videos of Zane with Gypsy. He didn't really travel anywhere like he does sometimes, but you can see how interested he is in life, food and Gypsy. I wanted a friend to view them before I decided to post them--I've had major criticism about my decision to keep him alive lately and frankly, I'm a bit weary of hearing it, so I need to get input first. Hope you understand.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
I'm sorry you're getting such harsh criticism. Until you've dealt with this yourself, you can't judge others for their decisions. As long as there's some quality of life, and you're willing to do the extra work, then I don't see the problem. I know how much work it is, since I too have dealt with this. (just not as long as you have)

I ended up culling my rooster.

I didn't see him having quality of life, and he was depressed - sometimes not even coming out in the run, just laying in the coop by himself. It was certainly not an easy choice, but I feel I did the right thing for him. He had a good life while he was with us.

 

[bibliophile birds]

Quote:
i totally understand. i'm really just wanting something to compare Madeline's mobility to. Zane sounds so happy so i'm hoping that he and Madeline are on a similar scale so i will feel better about letting her just do her own thing.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, he didn't do one of his "fast sprints" across the yard while I was filming and I try to keep them short so the files won't be so huge, but here are two short clips of him eating with Gypsy.

http://s673.photobucket.com/albums/... Clips/?action=view&current=02-Untitled-2.flv
http://s673.photobucket.com/albums/... Clips/?action=view&current=01-Untitled-2.flv

 

[bibliophile birds]

thank you so much Cynthia. that Gypsy deserves a medal for being such a wonderful chicken girlfriend!

that seems pretty close to Madeline's shuffle. she made it across the isolation pen again today (probably 12 ft) and then back, and up the ramp into the little coop. she was waiting for me to close the door. it makes me hopeful.

 

[Cetawin]

Zane is perfect I tell ya PERFECTLY Zane. That sweet happy boy. He loves his mama too.

I hate the fact that anyone is criticized for keeping a bird with a disability. We keep dogs and cats, horses, goats and etc with them so if the animal is happy, healthy and enjoying life, plus you have the time to dedicate to it's special needs I say GO FOR IT and let no one tell you otherwise. If something happened to my Thor, I would gladly do whatever whenever to help him or care for him.

I admire all of you with a special needs bird...

to each of you for caring enough to give them a chance.

 

[fiberart57]

bibliophile,
Have you thought about some vet wrap strips wrapped around the hock for some extra support?

Or a prosthesis or cast until Madeline gets some healing in? I remember someone on a thread here build one out of styrofoam. I think you can cut it or hollow it out to go around her leg, padded with some soft padding and then held together with tape or something. It's lightweight enough for her to walk with but strong enough to hold her weight.

Have you any inventive friends? I can visualize how it might be done and not be too cumbersome to her but I can't work out some of the fine details in my mind's eye.

Good luck, Mary

 

[bibliophile birds]

thanks for the ideas, Mary. i had wrapped it with vet tape after the original injury, but the main problem was that it wouldn't go back into the socket correctly. to set a dislocation you need a lot of negative force and it's hard to get that with a chicken leg without causing further injury.

i may try your styrofoam idea, though. it sounds practical. thanks!

every time i go out to check on Madeline she's in a completely different part of the pen, so she's getting the hang of the crawl. she was just napping in the sun a few minutes ago, looking all the world like a perfectly normal chicken.

 

[Cetawin]

aaawwwww I will keep your girl in my prayers. Try to stryofoam idea, I cannot remember who on the forum did that but when I saw it I thought it was ingenius.