Thinking about amputating chicks leg... yes or no...

[plecostrum]

My wonky lasted about 12 weeks. Bent out at right angle

She never grew much but eat drank fine

When I moved them out she moved to the hutch all level ground with 2 others

I kept her going for the first few weeks bandages, splint but nothing worked and thru guilt kept her alive.

She met a dreadful end a week or two after being in the hutch she looked like the other two had trampled her to death

I thought having companions had to be better.

Kindness killed her

I would not do it again Cull is the kindest option for me now.

I've realised I can't save everything!

And the thought of chopping it's leg off. There's got to be alot of pain there ! I'm guessing you mean without veterinary help and anesthetics lol. It's not like you can ply them with alcohol lol. Or bite a pillow!

Good luck. With your decision

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
Well said. Of course you said it much better than us Americans. lol

 

[gumbii]

best thread ever... srsly...


i guess serious breeders should understand that there are people out there that will treat a genetically deformed dog, a tail-less fish, wing less bird as if it was their handicap child... dress them up, put them on their face book profiles, and find them a mate... fail...



also... like they said, culling isn't always killing... some pits i had were given up to a rescue that spayed/neutered they and found homes... the bull dogs was different... after the Xray, some had to be put down... the koi's were either sold to fish stores, or fed to other fish... the leopard geckos were sold to petshops, or if they had already developed enigma syndrome they would have to be put down...




a breeder has a different point of view from other folks... although, i do have pets... i have my boy pit buddha, i have a rare pet snake, i kept some leopard geckos that are only pets, and i just got some finches... i'm still in it to breed... how do you think we got all of these crazy looking chickens from jungle fowl and other wild chickens...? selective breeding... it takes years and it's a challenge... same thing with dogs... same with cats... we didn't step into the wilderness and find a golden retriever... LOL... we have a goal, and stick to it... if the chick doesn't have eye lids, or has even a weird feather development somewhere, it gets culled... like people that bred self blues and would cull all of the opal chicks... that's the same deal... so billions of baby chicks get culled just to make a breed to begin with... it happens, and there's nothing you can say or do to stop it...

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
Too true...


True breeders (or even those who understand the process) know that to make the breed better you must breed the best... as in the best body, best color, best HEALTH.

Still, the OP wanted to know if they should amputate... and the answer to that leads to all this other talk.

Yes, good breeding takes YEARS... there are no great breeders born overnight. With chickens it can be especially hard because of all the different crosses it takes to make a breed. Research your favorite breed in depth... it took more than just one cross to get it. UNLESS it is jungle fowl.... your "laying" and "dual purpose" breeds have been worked on and worked on to get them "standarized". That means that 1,000s... heck 10,000's were culled for having the wrong comb or coloring that was too dark or too light. And any sick or decreped chicks/chickens were put down.

If your purpose is to have a pet and you think it can have a TRUELY GOOD life... then whatever. But please don't sell hatching eggs in 6 months. You are not doing your breeds or the chicken world any justice. That is not just for the OP... but anyone who helps weak chicks out of the shell or braces legs or wings or whatnot. All breeders have to start somewhere and knowing what the bird should be and working TOWARDS that is the biggest thing. Not how many eggs you sell for how much. "Working" when used with breeding animals IS culling. And health and hardiness are so often over looked... ever wonder why grandma's chickens seemed so much bigger and healthier?

Sorry for my rant off topic, but it needs to be said and there are a few new people following this thread.

 

[speckledhen]

We've removed inappropriate references in this thread. Please stay on the topic of to cull the chick or not.

 

[cubalaya]

10 pages and this chick is still suffering. cull.

 

[Iheartchicks<3:)]

Quote:
He isnt suffering. Dont cull.

 

[Beekissed]

Iheartchicks<3

:

Quote:
ITS HOPPING AROUND fine! Its eatting its drinking. WOW

I do believe the origional post mentioned the chick was displaying pain when the leg accidentally touched the ground and so was hopping around on one leg. It also displayed pain when the leg was touched. This doesn't sound as if the bird is "hopping around fine". Eating and drinking does not indicate the chick is "fine".​

 

[Iheartchicks<3:)]

Quote:
ITS HOPPING AROUND fine! Its eatting its drinking. WOW

I do believe the origional post mentioned the chick was displaying pain when the leg accidentally touched the ground and so was hopping around on one leg. It also displayed pain when the leg was touched. This doesn't sound as if the bird is "hopping around fine". Eating and drinking does not indicate the chick is "fine".

Well then she should amputate it, therefor it wont be touched any more.

 

[Beekissed]

Have you ever had a limb amputated? Do you know anyone who has? Now days they have wonderful methods to keep the neural pathways from being disturbed to the degree that people have phantom limb pain. Back in the old days, they just lopped them off and put a flap of skin over the nub....these people suffered pretty much the rest of their lives from the pain of their nonexisting limb.

Amputating this chick's leg will be much the same way....no anesthetic, no protecting skin flap, no possibility of changing the neural pain that may result.

Sure, it may live and hop around in a pathetic way and try to live and compete amongst other healthy, two-legged birds. Will it always be in pain? We'll never know, as it isn't human and cannot verbalize it.

Who wants to take that chance, though?

Selfish to make this bird go through a painful procedure and live a painful life because one's heart overrides their brain.