When should you put down your ingured chicken?

[Pecky]

2 of my chickens were attacked by a dog, one chicken has made a seemingly well recovery. She is like one of the pack again.

The other chicken doesn't look so good, she says in the shed (where I have been keeping the two sick chickens) almost all day, and she hasn't been eating much except for what I give her by hand. She has started to walk with a limp.. I don't want my chicken to be in pain, but I don't want to kill her...

Also, I have been keeping the two sick chickens away from the others during the night, because the healthy chickens were pecking their soar spots, but today I saw the chicken that is getting better peck the other chicken on her soar spot..

Should I put the chicken that is getting better back in the coop with the other chickens?
Should I just put down my chicken that isn't doing to good?
How do you know when it is time to put down your chicken?

 

[arlee453]

They will be merciless to anyone in the flock that shows signs of injury - and sometimes for no reason you can detect. It's so pitiful to watch them gang on one of the flock.

I base my decision on likelihood of making a full recovery, and likelihood of being able to integrate back into the flock.

If it is as simple as keeping them isolated for a while until they recover, then I would give them a shot.

If they seem not to be getting any better over time, or after a few days still aren't showing interest in food, then I think it's more humane to put them down.

That's just my 2C

As to your specific situation....

If the chicken that is recovering is doing so well that she no longer has wounds to peck, and she can hold her own with the other chickens, I'd put her back with the flock. To ease her back in, do it at night and put her on the roost with the other chickens, and in the morning hopefully they won't notice that she's back, really. Watch them though, and be prepared to intervene if the normal 'pecking order' stuff turns bloody or especially violent.

As far as the weaker chicken.... If she is showing no interest in eating on her own, and is seeming to be deteriorating as opposed to recovering, I'd probably put her down. Just my opinion...

 

[Pecky]

A little more description for my story.

Blacky and Meany were attacked by a dog.
Blacky is making a good recovery and shes just another one in the group when I let all my chickens go out free-range.

I have been keeping Blacky and Meany in the shed so the other chickens cannot hurt them.
Meany is not okay, I saw Blacky peck her sore spot today..
That makes me worried, Blacky could really hurt Meany while I am not around..
Should I put blacky back into the coop to keep her from huting Meany. Or is this a lost cause?

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I would put Blacky back in with the others and leave Meany by herself to continue to heal a bit longer. Try giving her some electrolytes in her water, some poly-vi-sol drops...1 drop 3 times a day for a week, then taper off. They love plain yogurt...try some of that. See if she will eat some chopped boiled egg..something else they love. It takes more time for some than others. You'll know the right thing to do in a short while. She'll either get better...or not.

 

[jjthink]

Your injured hen - are you treating wounds with antibiotic?

JJ

 

[Sparrow]

I never have an animal put down until they give up. As long as they are still fighting for survival, and there is a chance that they might recover nicely, don't give up on them. It sounds like if you continue handfeeding your girl and keeping her separate from the others, she will likely make a nice recovery.