Two badly hurt chickens. Broken leg and missing skull?

[Necromancer28]

Long story but I aquired chicks from a family. They said they were handled every day and didn't notice any problems. I saw two with big injuries and when I asked they said it developed fast.. Both are acting like happy little chicks but with life altering problems.

The first was pecked so much that it appears part of the skull is missing! It is running around and eating fine. Im not positive if I should leave it to see if it heals. I don't want to cull since it is acting fine but I'm worried about messing around with the exposed parts.

Second chick has a leg that is extended backwards and appears to be broke and the foot is dying. There is a band of skin thay has torn from the swelling. He has a hard time getting around but he otherwise seems to be healthy. I am thinking of amputating the leg but I was wondering what anyone elses thoughts are

Warning- photos are pretty graphic.


Vet is not an option for me. We live on a farm and although I hate to see an animal hurt, the reality is that if it isnt something we can fix- we have to put the animal down.

I have access to scaples, penicillin and other types of farm supplies. My boyfriend and I grew up on a farm and have experience with the unfortunate aspects that come along with it.

Thanks!

 

[RainbowHen]

The one with the head injury will be fine. Keep separate. Antibiotics and put ointment on the wound. The one with the bad leg may need culled.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I have seen scalped birds heal.....never saw one with SKULL missing. Looks to be a HUGE section that is gone.


You can give them a chance if you choose to but culling may be inevitable.

 

[Flockincrazy]

Long story but I aquired chicks from a family. They said they were handled every day and didn't notice any problems. I saw two with big injuries and when I asked they said it developed fast.. Both are acting like happy little chicks but with life altering problems.

The first was pecked so much that it appears part of the skull is missing! It is running around and eating fine. Im not positive if I should leave it to see if it heals. I don't want to cull since it is acting fine but I'm worried about messing around with the exposed parts.

Second chick has a leg that is extended backwards and appears to be broke and the foot is dying. There is a band of skin thay has torn from the swelling. He has a hard time getting around but he otherwise seems to be healthy. I am thinking of amputating the leg but I was wondering what anyone elses thoughts are

Warning- photos are pretty graphic.


Vet is not an option for me. We live on a farm and although I hate to see an animal hurt, the reality is that if it isnt something we can fix- we have to put the animal down.

I have access to scaples, penicillin and other types of farm supplies. My boyfriend and I grew up on a farm and have experience with the unfortunate aspects that come along with it.

Thanks!

Those poor babies I don't know who would do that or let it go like that I would put antibiotic ointment and clean the head wound good and put a splint on the ones leg use popsicle stick and self sticking rap

 

[Necromancer28]

The leg isnt in a good location for splinting. The leg is totally straight and not movable.

We might cull them rather than put them through anymore pain

 

[Birdielee]

The first looks alert and the wound is healing. I don't know if it's really brain down there. I think more likely we are seeing just shredded skin and muscle tissue exposed. I suspect it will heal.

The leg looks to me like the bird had something tied around its leg and the body or the leg got pulled. Whether on purpose to play with it, or if maybe it got tangled in fishing line or wire, i have no idea. The body looks like it has healing scabs falling off.

Does the joint ABOVE the wound work? Or is it maybe pulled out of joint?
I wonder how many days old this injury is.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would apply plain Neosporin ointment twice a day to the chick’s head since it is doing well. But make sure that it does not get pecked or bullied. A dog crate with food and water is a good way to protect it. The one with the leg, may have had a leg band on which moved and cut off circulation. Sometimes when there is a dead foot or leg bone deformity, people have made 3 D printer legs or peg legs that strap onto the bad leg to help them get around. This is a local chick who had one made by the 5 th graders at one school:
https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.tow...6f364/5b0f54740c655.image.jpg?resize=1200,803

 

[Birdielee]

may have had a leg band on which moved and cut off circulation.

That makes more sense. The injury is wide for a piece of wire

 

[Flockincrazy]

The leg isnt in a good location for splinting. The leg is totally straight and not movable.

We might cull them rather than put them through anymore pain

That totally sucks poor babies i don't blame you though

 

[Necromancer28]

So I was away from internet for a while, so sorry for late late update. That night-16th- the boyfriend and I looked over them again. The leg had an infection in it that seemed to go up into the body, so we culled the chick to prevent more pain. The chick with the head injury started to walk weird so we ended up culling it also. thanks for the suggestions though.