- Dec 10, 2013
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We have an unknown breed hen of unknown age. She is a rescue, from a property where the owner moved out and left his entire flock behind. We do not know how many birds there were, but we were notified only after all the rest of the others had passed away. We got her in Febuary, back when my part of the country had it;s coldest weather and most snow. The people who called us had been caring for the hen, but did not know how to properly care for her, so she was thin when we got her out of the cardboard box in a snowbank. She had bumble foot when we got her, so we were giving her antibiotics, but could not treat with anything else directly on her feet because it was too cold. However, her feet were swollen and had already started to turn black.
Fast forward to tonight, and her feet are hard and immobile. I knew a couple of weeks ago that they were going to be useless and fall off, but the first one fell off tonight. She is still eating and drinking fine, she hobble/hops around the stall we have her in, and is still alert and active. We have down a lot of hay and shavings for her so that she has a cushioned surface to move on. However, with the loss of both of her legs, I have a feeling that not only will she not be able to go with our main flock, there is a thought that she will not lay. She was laying before we rescued her, and her not laying is not a deal breaker, for she is very sweet. What I would like to know is if other people who have this same problem can let me know of the things they have done for their chickens who are in a similar predicament.
We are putting antibiotics into her because the skin around her feet opens up as she moves and causes wounds. She has been on them since February, and I'm sure if she did not have them she would have passed away.If there is anything that we can do for her to help her get around, or give her a better quality of life I would love to know. She has a very protective Rooster in with her[Also a rescue], and she seems to really like him, even hobbling over to him and cuddling up under him when she is scared, much to his pleasure[SO not good for his already overly large rooster ego]. So we are sure that he is able to help keep her happy with plenty of company. We just want to make sure that she can live out however long she has left with as little pain as possible, and be happy in her new forever home.
[Will have pics later perhaps. Her name is Elsa, because she is all white and she was pulled out of the snow, literally]
Fast forward to tonight, and her feet are hard and immobile. I knew a couple of weeks ago that they were going to be useless and fall off, but the first one fell off tonight. She is still eating and drinking fine, she hobble/hops around the stall we have her in, and is still alert and active. We have down a lot of hay and shavings for her so that she has a cushioned surface to move on. However, with the loss of both of her legs, I have a feeling that not only will she not be able to go with our main flock, there is a thought that she will not lay. She was laying before we rescued her, and her not laying is not a deal breaker, for she is very sweet. What I would like to know is if other people who have this same problem can let me know of the things they have done for their chickens who are in a similar predicament.
We are putting antibiotics into her because the skin around her feet opens up as she moves and causes wounds. She has been on them since February, and I'm sure if she did not have them she would have passed away.If there is anything that we can do for her to help her get around, or give her a better quality of life I would love to know. She has a very protective Rooster in with her[Also a rescue], and she seems to really like him, even hobbling over to him and cuddling up under him when she is scared, much to his pleasure[SO not good for his already overly large rooster ego]. So we are sure that he is able to help keep her happy with plenty of company. We just want to make sure that she can live out however long she has left with as little pain as possible, and be happy in her new forever home.
[Will have pics later perhaps. Her name is Elsa, because she is all white and she was pulled out of the snow, literally]