The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: ellied on July 27, 2013, 12:13:08 pm
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Has anyone got a one legged hen that copes or is a chick doomed without 2? Not my one, but one I brought home this morning to give it a slight chance of another day or however long it can manage.. I am keeping it alone as I doubt the broodie would accept it after 5 weeks with just the one, and not sure if it'd be the company for the chick so I could let out the broodie, as hoped, but I'm just soft and it wouldn't have lasted the hour otherwise, Mike's not the softie I am..
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Born with only one leg? Or is it broken and still there? Can it hop about or does it just lie around?
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Not sure the broody would take to it, some might. How old is it? I have had some right sorry states here in my time, that have arrived hopping on one leg, and they have survived. Some have gone through life with a limp, others have hopped along.
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No leg as far as I can see. She hops about when she needs to eg I open the front and she dives for the dark, but she sits a lot obviously to save energy in between. Has been eating chick crumb ok this aft, can't tell if water was drunk or knocked over..
I'm not seeing her as a future free ranger that lives with the rest necessarily. I've a wee run she could have if I can get her used to being lifted in and out of it twice a day. She's a CL and about 5 weeks.
I guess time will tell I just wondered if there was experience out there to go on.
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I've heard of chicks.ducklings with splayed or broken legs that were taped to a matchstick - that's why I asked if it had both legs. But that can't help if there's not a leg there. If she can eat and drink and get around then I'd be soft and let her have a life too. Did you get her with some others?
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If she only has one leg she can't scratch about or preen properly. Perching will be a problem. She may overstrain the one leg and that's it. I know it is a very hard decision Ellied but she isn't going to have a very nice life.
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We had a one legged cockerel called Hopalong and he got along very nicely but was a bit frustrated when it came to the ladies. Once he accidentally hopped into the river nearby and my little girl went in and scooped him out. He lived until about 1 and half years but after a very stormy 3 days he disappeared, probably blown into the river and downstream, never to be seen again. He got about quite well though.
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I've heard of chicks.ducklings with splayed or broken legs that were taped to a matchstick - that's why I asked if it had both legs. But that can't help if there's not a leg there. If she can eat and drink and get around then I'd be soft and let her have a life too. Did you get her with some others?
No, I took a friend to get POL from someone I know and I had already expressed interest in his CL chicks as they were the same age as my one. Turns out there was a run on the chicks and he'd sold all bar one and the lame one before we got there. My friend bought 5 POLs and the healthy chick ( he wouldn't sell the lame one) while I was talking to the guy's dad and when I said what about my chicks, she offered me her one but I said no as she'd driven a fair distance and I'd no real need of another, just worrying about the solo chick and its mum and how to integrate them, protect young bird from cats til mature etc etc, a feature of anxiety ::)
Anyway, he had obviously had the buyers coming in that day as there was another lady picking up POL Sussex and Bluebells while we were there, so we were probably only an hour too late to get what we both wanted. He said I could have the lame one if I wanted it, and see what I could do but when he saw it was missing the leg not just hurt he had decided it wouldn't be viable to keep or fair to sell so it was one of those on the spot choices and I am keeping it alone in a wee hutch where it has plenty space for now and is eating and drinking across from the hen and other chick in their pen.
I was wondering if it could manage if kept enclosed in a mobile pen area and brought in at night, tho it may be cold overwinter if on its own, so I was thinking perhaps move the hutch into the garage near the boiler in winter.. I don't want to make too many plans if it won't have a chance, but if it gets a year and a half of reasonable quality living amongst other hens but not actually with them.. I know I'm way too soft for a farmer, I'm not unreasonably overemotional but I do give things the chance if they have one. I've nursed a couple through a leg injury and a chill, the latter being deformed too and rarely lays even now, but I've not been that soft when half a dozen others were clearly on the way out.
I can get more CL chicks from him at a future hatch and he said he might get Maran or Welsummer eggs in, but his current just hatched ones are Orpingtons and I'm not sure I want that heavy a bird to feed, I was wanting egg colour variations to keep track of what is laying and the only blue egg I get is a black bantie, I gather my CLx chick will probably lay olive (?) and I've one white egg laying Menorca and the rest shades of cream and brown down to the RIR and Speckley mid shades but nothing dark brown or large blue since I resold the Aracaunas to get shot of George last year :-\
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How about a bird cage in the lounge? You could teach it to speak maybe :innocent: No offence intended, but it might be safer there than anywhere? :fc:
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Last time I nursed one in the house I was sneezing and I don't think the cats would appreciate a feathered house guest either, I'd not get any sleep for them trying to invite her to play at a guess..
If you mean be done and kill it, it may happen. For now she's fine where she is in the wee coop/hutch, she comes and goes and has sorted that I'm the food and water bringer so no longer dives for cover. She does "talk" in terms of the cheeping demand for faster delivery and I'm bright enough to know what she's trying to say without her having to learn Scots ;)
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If its struggles then its best to put it down but they are very adaptable are chickens, as long as its not suffering give it a chance and see how it gets on.
(this from someone who has culled many thousands of birds in his lifetime)