Topic of the Week - "Special Needs" Chickens

[itspebbl]

This is Georgia, our miracle chicken. She and her three broodmates were attacked when they were just a few weeks old, before they moved into the coop. One was killed, and the remaining three lost parts of their feet. Georgia was hurt the most, almost completely losing all the toes on one foot, and over half of each toe on the other. She gets along just fine without them though, and despite her disability and eventually losing all her broodmates, is at the top if the pecking order in our main flock.

 

[drumstick diva]

AW all the special chickens my heart goes out to them and their humans who gave them every chance to thrive.

 

[PeepersMama]

I'm not sure if one of my little Faverolles would be considered special needs, but something is really not right in her world! Shes approx. 14 weeks old we named Rosie, for ring around the rosie. She spins in circles. She is on the bottom of the pecking order and just a few days ago started joining the flock instead of staying by herself. She will be walking and then stops to do a spin or 2. She also does the spin before she starts walking anywhere. It looks like her head will jerk to the side and she just follows it into a spin. Shes been like this since we got her 5 weeks ago. Otherwise she is fine. She eats and drinks and is growing fine. Shes just special.
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Does she kinda "bounce" in a circle before she runs? I have had a couple chickens that like jumping around in a little circle too - its like it gives them momentum to launch after the rest of the flock!

 

[andreanar]

Does she kinda "bounce" in a circle before she runs? I have had a couple chickens that like jumping around in a little circle too - its like it gives them momentum to launch after the rest of the flock!

No, Its like her head jerks to the side and her body follows. Its like a tic, an uncontrolled movement. I thought she might have wry neck, I tried poly visol, but it didn't change anything. Maybe she got pecked in the head or something as a chick.

 

[hippiestink]

My RSL Daisy certainly fits in this category. Within a few weeks of getting her as a POL pullet we noticed one of her eyes didn't dilate anymore. She's now completely blind in that eye. It has had zero effect on her health though, and she's so sweet she's become the only hen we will never get rid of. She'll run right up to you with her head cocked for her good eye, curious and bushy-tailed. I've had her peck at me a couple times due to curiosity but never out of meanness. She's about two years old now and still a great layer and companion. We love our special girl. <3

 

[MartinsPoultry]

I am one of those poultry owners who give every life a fighting chance. Here are a few stories.

My former Plymouth barred rock cockerel called Blue bells was a very special baby. My fiance and i bought him from tsc during chick days this year. We just thought he was really small due to being a newly hatched bird, silver in color with black. Little did we know he matured and grew slower than the rest of his crew. As he grew with the others he was the last to feather and never lost his peep. Sweet and gentle. About three weeks ago I had noticed he was declining in weight so I gave him 50/50 chick starter and adult feed, he was checked for everything under the that i could do at home. He was a healthy bird but didn't want to eat much. Three days prior I had begun to carefully feed him by hand, after thr third day he would turn his head away and just lay in my lap barely peeping, I knew it was time. My fiance and I euthanized him and burried him.
Blue bells being as slow as he was never stopped being with the flock his two older brothers protected him and called him for food.
He was also partially blind, he could see things up close but far away he was blinded to.

Maggie
Our other special needs chicken is a young rir x ee, we bought her with her siblings, two guineas and a tutkey poult. I noticed shortly after we got her home her head would turn but she would walk around like a bumper car in the dark. To find out little Maggie was 100% blind due to unknown causes. The other birds taught her to eat and drink by making noises for her. She is still with us but a bit clueless. she screams bloody murder when she is picked up but after a while and head rubs she chills and sleeps.

Having a special needs bird with a vision issue is hard for more than one reason. We have to make sure there are no pointy objects she can hurt herself on, she has at least two companions she grew up with to keel aiding her in finding food. With her being a large breed I fear putting her in a coop outside even if it covered.

 

[BantyChooks]

Last December, I had a mink come into my coop and kill all but one of my ducks. She was left severely injured, and eventually lost a foot. I kept re-bandaging the stump and it healed over nicely. Unfortunately, she somehow completely snapped her tibia in half this May, and after a month of failed attempts to splint and her quality of life declining, I put her down. I hated to do it, she was really tame and just a sweet duck overall.... I still got another half a year with my little girl than I otherwise would have.

Chrissy this spring... April, I think.

 

[dlgower]

I'm not sure if one of my little Faverolles would be considered special needs, but something is really not right in her world! Shes approx. 14 weeks old we named Rosie, for ring around the rosie. She spins in circles. She is on the bottom of the pecking order and just a few days ago started joining the flock instead of staying by herself. She will be walking and then stops to do a spin or 2. She also does the spin before she starts walking anywhere. It looks like her head will jerk to the side and she just follows it into a spin. Shes been like this since we got her 5 weeks ago. Otherwise she is fine. She eats and drinks and is growing fine. Shes just special.
View attachment 1078547

I'm not sure if one of my little Faverolles would be considered special needs, but something is really not right in her world! Shes approx. 14 weeks old we named Rosie, for ring around the rosie. She spins in circles. She is on the bottom of the pecking order and just a few days ago started joining the flock instead of staying by herself. She will be walking and then stops to do a spin or 2. She also does the spin before she starts walking anywhere. It looks like her head will jerk to the side and she just follows it into a spin. Shes been like this since we got her 5 weeks ago. Otherwise she is fine. She eats and drinks and is growing fine. Shes just special.
View attachment 1078547

I

I'm not sure if one of my little Faverolles would be considered special needs, but something is really not right in her world! Shes approx. 14 weeks old we named Rosie, for ring around the rosie. She spins in circles. She is on the bottom of the pecking order and just a few days ago started joining the flock instead of staying by herself. She will be walking and then stops to do a spin or 2. She also does the spin before she starts walking anywhere. It looks like her head will jerk to the side and she just follows it into a spin. Shes been like this since we got her 5 weeks ago. Otherwise she is fine. She eats and drinks and is growing fine. Shes just special.
View attachment 1078547

I also have a Salmon Faverolles that is at the bottom of the pecking order. Her name is Polly. She's not a good layer and she is always tripping over het own feet. Last week she lost a toe nail. She's the sweetest bird.

 

[dlgower]

My little special needs is a Barred Rock named Stretch. She got the name because she stretches all the time. She is blind in one eye and does not see much out of the other eye. When is pecks at things she misses the item a lot. I give her extra treats before the other birds come around. She is very sweet but she pecks HARD when eating out my hand.

 

[Owl's flights]

My fav owl is a hen that's spoiled