You may remember my post about Petunia: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/curled-toe-paralysis.1179096/page-2#post-18635101
Well, little Petunia has now been in the 'big coop' for over a week. We now have the pop door operational, and a fence, so the girls have all been outside most of the time and loving it.
Petunia continues to be gimpy/limpy, but she is getting around! She is getting the hang of the ramp--I put nonskid rug mat between the cleats of the ramp, where it was more slippery, to make it easier for her. Sometimes she more or less 'flutters' from the coop to the ground, but she's getting there.
Her bad leg doesn't have quite the right angle...which looks very awkward....and maybe we should've left it bandaged awhile longer....but she's doing her chickeny things at least.
It seems that it's taking some time for her to 'assimilate' into the flock; she keeps to herself a bit [can't keep up with them as well?] and she seems to take a lot more rests than the other six girls, but I'm sure she'll get there in time. She has even managed to get up onto the highest roost inside the coop at night!
This is all pretty amazing to me, as I thought for sure her days were numbered. I imagine that if a predator comes along (their yard isn't covered from aerial predators, but they have a huge hemlock tree to take cover under) she'll be the first to go, but this is a lot more recovery than I thought she'd have.
Just thought everyone might be interested.
Well, little Petunia has now been in the 'big coop' for over a week. We now have the pop door operational, and a fence, so the girls have all been outside most of the time and loving it.
Petunia continues to be gimpy/limpy, but she is getting around! She is getting the hang of the ramp--I put nonskid rug mat between the cleats of the ramp, where it was more slippery, to make it easier for her. Sometimes she more or less 'flutters' from the coop to the ground, but she's getting there.
Her bad leg doesn't have quite the right angle...which looks very awkward....and maybe we should've left it bandaged awhile longer....but she's doing her chickeny things at least.
It seems that it's taking some time for her to 'assimilate' into the flock; she keeps to herself a bit [can't keep up with them as well?] and she seems to take a lot more rests than the other six girls, but I'm sure she'll get there in time. She has even managed to get up onto the highest roost inside the coop at night!
This is all pretty amazing to me, as I thought for sure her days were numbered. I imagine that if a predator comes along (their yard isn't covered from aerial predators, but they have a huge hemlock tree to take cover under) she'll be the first to go, but this is a lot more recovery than I thought she'd have.
Just thought everyone might be interested.
