UPDATE!Polish with feet froze off-What to do?Put her down?PICTURES!

[CMV]

My first experience with chickens was when I was a young girl. Our neighbors had chickens including this one rooster, Wattles, that was the most miserable creature on the face of the planet. That rooster was so nasty he would attack anything that moved, up to and including cars. He was an unholy terror whose memory still haunts me 30+ years later. He is the reason that I have always refused to get roosters. I have so many colorful stories of Wattles' antics over the years. When he was a couple years old, we had a brutally cold winter and he lost both feet to frostbite. All he had left was just some thickened stumps on the ends of his legs. He managed to survive the frostbite and lived for several years after that. He still attacked everything that moved, but he wasn't actually fast enough to inflict anymore damage on unsuspecting kids, pets, neighborhood visitors or automobiles. He couldn't really service his ladies anymore, but that didn't stop him from trying anyway. He finally got snatched by a predator one night and we were rid of his evil presence. I can only imagine the epic battle that must have occurred the night he was taken. Even with no feet he was a force to be reckoned with.

Wattles never seemed overly affected by the frostbite. He'd be stalking along and a toe would fall off, which was horrifying to anyone watching, but he seemed completely unaffected by it. He ate several of the toes as they came off. (Too much information?) That was the extent of his interest in the fact his feet were falling off. If I hadn't seen it myself I wouldn't have believed it. The toes just withered off and healed with no intervention because no one could actually get near this miserable bird to administer any first aid.


As long as your Polish girl doesn't seem to be suffering I'd let it ride and see how she does. She may heal up well and learn to adapt to her handicap. If she seems to be failing or is in a lot of pain I wouldn't hesitate to cull her, but having seen this before I am inclined to think she may be able to survive this.

Good luck.

 

[dieselgrl48]

Wow So sorry about your hen. I had a duck that lost a foot to mud turtle attack once. The foot eventualy fell off even though I kept it nursed and cleaned. But The duck did just fine with one foot. I kept the nub taped for a few months and eventualy she was running faster than some of the bigger ducks and wouldnt keep the tape on but she healed and did great. We named her nubby and boy she sure could go to have one foot. I hope your hen does well. She may do just fine maybe she wont lose both feet hopefully. Please update us. Hugggzz for you and mama hen.

 

[RedRoosterFarm]

Thanks everyone. I guess she will be the hen house mama from now on and I wont put her down. Its hard to have to make a decission like that. I appreciate everyones input!

Anna

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Great story. Well said.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope she makes it, I've heard some interesting stories on here about chickens and ducks beating the odds thrown at them

 

[geepy]

I had a goose that lost it's top beak to a dog attack. I fashioned a new beak from a piece of pvc pipe and duck taped it one so he could eat. It would fall off when the tape wore out and i'd just retape it. He finally learn to eat without it. Give her time. If she losses both feet I know you could make her some new ones.

 

[tweettweet]

My Peggy, few months old and runs fast on peglegs, fun chick. Good luck with yours!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Peggy, few months old and runs fast on peglegs, fun chick. Good luck with yours!

Thatrs great. She never gets the skin rubbed off?

Welcome to BYC

 

[AngelLaydee]

Aren't there any special boots that could be bought for her? To protect her lil stumps and breast from the ground???