What would you do?

[ally.alli.ally]

With a heavy heart, I need to ask your opinions. I have a Cornish Rock Roo I "rescued" as a newborn. However, he is about 4 months now, and I can tell he was not meant to live long. He is HUGE, and has a crooked leg. He can move, but he has to hop everywhere he goes and his legs bends in the middle with each movement. He has never crowed or exhibited any roo-like behavior. He hangs out with the other chickens, but is far behind them all. Much of the time, he is laying on his side in the shade, panting from this hot Georgia heat. He still loves to eat, and otherwise appears healthy.

Do you guys think this guy is suffering? I'v been debating on whether or not to take him to the vet to have him put to sleep (or another humane way). This guys is just a pet, and I could not eat him in a million years. I'm not sure if his leg condition is painful, but it doesn't look fun that is for sure.

Would you guys end his life? I want to do what is best for him.

 

[oesdog]

Why don;t you have a read of this and see if there is a way of helping your roo boy support his weight. It would seem that from what you say he is finding it harder as he gets older to support his own weight because of the leg issue. If you could create some kind of brace to help him that may take a deal of the problem away. You must understand that YOU have chosen to take on a disabled bird which means that his leg issues are going to make his life very different from the other chickens. Don;t expect too much from him and yes he may well like more to rest in the shade than run round the yard of course because doubtless it is sore to run about. DOn;t expect him to do Roo boy things HE is disabled - HE simply will not. As long as he gets a happy quality of life there is NO reason to kill him. - IT may mean you might have to make him a set of wheels - YES folk on BYC have done that and looked after birds that have very nasty leg injuries and all sorts.

In the end it is your decision to cull or not. You are there and know your bird more than anyone. You know if he is suffering or if a simple change in the way you do things could improve that life for him. You love him a great deal - there are a lot of folk here who DO have disabled birds who have long and happy lives. But just don;t expect too much from your boy. He is not ok - ! He is different. Having a different life isn;t so bad but you have to deal with the limitations of the disability your dealing with and just like humans sometimes a little help from a splint or other can make all the difference.

Take care
Oesdog - Make a good choice ! You know what your boy needs!

https://sites.google.com/a/larsencreek.com/chicken-orthopedics/leg-braces

 

[janinepeters]

This is just my opinion but I would say he is suffering. When I have one that I think should be put out of his/her misery, that I am attached to and could not eat, I give him to a friend who will slaughter and eat him. This might sound terrible, but I know that the bird will be eaten somehow by some other organism, whether by a predator that can more easily snatch a disabled bird than a healthy one, or, if the chicken is buried, by decomposing soil organisms. If a person eats him/her, then that is potentially one less animal they ate from a factory farm; one less animal that led a miserably deprived, confined life in filth.

 

[ally.alli.ally]

Thank you for your imput. I have not made a decision.

 

[oesdog]

Sometimes its best to stand back and take your time. Don;t feel pushed into making a choice - I am sure whatever is wrong with your chicken you will keep him as safe and as pain free as you can because you obviously love him!

Oesdog

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

If you are willing to work with a special needs chicken and don't think he's suffering, then maybe you can save him. If he were mine, I would say a prayer, thank him for the feeding my family and turn him into something delicious. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

 

[Erica]

He is almost certainly in a good deal of pain. Chickens hide their distress but panting and hopping make it clear. With all that weight, a Cornish x on one leg is probably suffering on his good leg.

I'm also worried about the comment that his leg bends in the middle -- is it broken, do you think?

I would be asking someone with more knowlege to take a look -- a vet or a kind BYPer.

Sorry for your bird, I'm sure you're doing what you can.

best wishes
Erica

 

[dawg53]

It's best to cull humanely however you see fit, and soon.

 

[oesdog]

Quote:
Yes that is true - they do hide pain and sometimes its hard to see. Bertha my chicken I am working with right now hurt her leg, damaged the ligament falling off the roost. She was in a lot of pain and wouldn't stand on her leg and panted a great deal so we knew it was very very painful for her. It was hard to see her in such pain. Thankfully her leg has improved and she is now able to stand but it will be a long process to healing and she cannot be with the other birds or stand for long. I guess another 8 weeks or so before she is good, pain free and laying again. She is a sussex which is a heavey bird too. We noticed she was in pain putting a deal of pressure, standing on the "good leg" so we took her off her feet. It is hard to gage pain in an animal. You know your own bird. The leg issue with your bird "bending in the middle" - Could be anything birth defect, or a break that has healed wrongly. If you plan to keep this bird - I would suggest you take him to an avian vet who can give you the best possible treatment and care advice. We can all speculate on your birds condition - if it is or is not in pain etc but we are not Vets and only a professionaly trained Avian vet can really give you best prognosis on this and answer your questions with a lot more knowledge. As I have said there are loads of folk on BYC who do have disabled birds - disability and having a "different " kind of life - is one thing. Being in constant agony and not being able to have a pain free day is another thing entirely. If there is a way to decrease pain and improve the quality of life then go for it if that is what you want but if the answer is that quantity of life is gained by the compromise of quality then there are big issues to face and think about. Sometimes we can stand in the way of nature - preventing death rather than promoting life. I know how that feels as I held onto my Dog for at least 3 months after she should have been put to sleep. I did it for all the best reasons but in the end it was all for me and selfish reasons and not for her best interest. I regret those months.

With my Hen Bertha I knew if I got her rest and care the pain she felt would be a tempory thing and a means to an end - that isn't always the case and sometimes difficult choices have to be made. Don't be pushed into something though as no one else here really knows your situation or your bird. We are not living with you and seeing your bird everyday but we can sympathize and be here for you. Some folk will push for you to cull in the end it is your choice in your time and you will know what is best no one else can know, or love and care for your bird as you do!!!!!!

Oesdog