Something ate my chickens leg. Should I cull it?

[Chris-n-Kate]

I appreciate everyone’s honest opinions on both sides. I did decide to try to save it. Upon cleaning, what I thought was insides was the hip joint. I put antibiotic ointment over the whole wound, started electrolytes solution and gave a part of a low dose aspirin. All vets are closed today and the farm store didn’t have on hand any of the types of antibiotics that I have seen mentioned for poultry. She’s eating and drinking and staying in the “hospital cage” in the house. Tomorrow I will inquire at the vet office that works with farm animals to see what antibiotics I could get there.

 

[aart]

I think a feral got it

A 'domestic' but feral cat?
I doubt a cat did that.
Any other wounds on anywhere on the birds body?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I appreciate everyone’s honest opinions on both sides. I did decide to try to save it. Upon cleaning, what I thought was insides was the hip joint. I put antibiotic ointment over the whole wound, started electrolytes solution and gave a part of a low dose aspirin. All vets are closed today and the farm store didn’t have on hand any of the types of antibiotics that I have seen mentioned for poultry. She’s eating and drinking and staying in the “hospital cage” in the house. Tomorrow I will inquire at the vet office that works with farm animals to see what antibiotics I could get there.

Keep us posted.

 

[Chris-n-Kate]

A 'domestic' but feral cat?
I doubt a cat did that.
Any other wounds on anywhere on the birds body?

They aren’t domestic like city stray. These are feral farm area cats. The landlord lady puts feed and water out in her barn which lures a lot of them to her property but you can’t get near them and I’ve seen the way they tear each other up fighting. Other possibilities would be coon, possum, or fox, but I think it happened during the daytime and those are nocturnal.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They aren’t domestic like city stray. These are feral farm area cats. The landlord lady puts feed and water out in her barn which lures a lot of them to her property but you can’t get near them and I’ve seen the way they tear each other up fighting. Other possibilities would be coon, possum, or fox, but I think it happened during the daytime and those are nocturnal.

These are not exclusively nocturnal, they can prowl during the day too.

 

[2 many chickens]

I highly highly doubt this was a cat.
Foxes and raccoons DO come out on the day if they are truly hungry enough. Chased one off the other day.. during the day.

 

[Chris-n-Kate]

I don’t see any marks other them where the leg was ripped off. The only predators I have seen are the cats. Which one of the other ones would take a leg and let the chicken just hop away?
If it makes any difference the chicken is not full size.

 

[aart]

These are feral farm area cats

Still... the size of a domestic cat as opposed to a bobcats or lynx or cougar.

It took a big, strong, and fast bite to take a leg off like that.
Fox, coyote, or dog.

 

[Peepsi]

Still... the size of a domestic cat as opposed to a bobcats or lynx or cougar.

It took a big, strong, and fast bite to take a leg off like that.
Fox, coyote, or dog.

Yeah, I'm going to agree with aart here. I doubt it was a cat. We have a lot of feral cats around here, and the most I've seen them take is a starling (small, obnoxious flying rat...wait, that's insulting to rats). Chickens tend to be the same size as feral cats, and have just as much weaponary as the cat does. A feral cat could not take a leg off a chicken.

 

[Chris-n-Kate]

I just checked and coyote is the most common predator in Iowa. I didn’t even know we had them in Iowa.