# One legged chicken



## Jeremysbrinkman (Jul 12, 2012)

So I know this is a crazy question but can a one legged chicken breed? I have the little silkie that broke it's leg at 5 days old and appears to not really use it's little broke leg. If it's a hen can she successfully be bred and raise chicks?


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## pypy_chicks (Mar 14, 2014)

They could depending on how much of the leg is missing or where it was broken at. If it happens to be a rooster it may be harder for him to mount hens cause he might be a bit slower.


Current flock: 111


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## hildar (Oct 3, 2013)

My little man has bred with brownie a few times. He can still do his job sore leg and all. But he normally waits until when she is up close to him. A hen with a messed up leg, may actually get bred more then the normal hen because they wont run away as fast. I caught him trying today but she wasn't close enough to him to catch her. However I wonder sometimes if she thinks he is a baby she feeds him worms and bugs, and even lays almost on top of him at night time. She stood over him yesterday when one of the other roosters came to close to the pen. It was just so cute watching her trying to fight a rooster over little man. I think he enjoys all the attention he is getting.


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

i have hatched chciks with a bad leg
the rest of the flock pecked them all of the time
they never reall ate much
so they were small
they endup laying in their own poop : (
i had to put an end to this
i caught hell from the wife once she came home from work
i put both of them down
i felt it was for the best for everyone


having said all of that i did have a RiR cockerel who jumped out of my hand at about 3 weeks old

he hurt 1 of his legs in the process

between 2 wings & 1 good leg he got around just fine.

he was always the 1st one at the feeder when i came with food


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## hildar (Oct 3, 2013)

I had a rooster that learned how to hop when he broke his hind toe. He would hop around like a kangaroo, was funny to watch, however he taught a neighbors boy that he could still catch him when the boy threw a rock at him. He jumped to the top of that fence, jumped down., and took off a hopping as fast as he could go, and he got the boy a few times, taught that kid a lesson to. When he came back he hopped right back inside the fence stood there and flapped his wings and crowed and crowed, he was very proud.


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## hildar (Oct 3, 2013)

I know you are worried about your little chick so I decided to add a link to little mans video folks on BYC were telling me he was sick and not injured. I spent $150 for the vet bill to prove that he had a sprained leg, and they still demanded that he was sick. Well they were nuts because here he is trying to walk again just like me and the vet both said he would:


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## Jeremysbrinkman (Jul 12, 2012)

Ty that video is just inspiring 


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## hildar (Oct 3, 2013)

Jeremysbrinkman said:


> Ty that video is just inspiring
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Chicken Forum


It sure is. Only 2 weeks ago he was just starting to use his wing as a crutch and now look at him. I love to see how quick he is coming along. Some folks swore he had Merck's disease and I even took him to the vet and they still didn't believe so I took the video to prove it was what the vet and I both said, and that he is getting better.

This is actually 4 weeks after he was attacked by snowball my huge Delaware. So now you know to keep hoping, and it will happen.

And poor little Brownie is the hen we sold and a lady tried to skin her alive, luckily she escaped and we now have her, and those 2 are in love she still has a long ways to go, but she has come so far.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

I weigh the animals quality of life. If it's been weeks and the animal is still hobbling in pain, it's time to cull. 

Sure, an animal will drag itself around and figure out ways to survive, that is just instinct, but I personally think it's selfish to expect an animal to do that. I give them time, depending of the severity of the injury to heal. If I do not see a noticeable improvement (and I mean obvious improvement to the injury, not just improvement in the animals ability to cope with the injury) in two weeks, or it worsens, I put them down.


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## Jeremysbrinkman (Jul 12, 2012)

Well my little one legged silkie now using both legs to walk. It may never work right but it is using it's legs


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Jeremysbrinkman said:


> Well my little one legged silkie now using both legs to walk. It may never work right but it is using it's legs
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Chicken Forum


That's a good sign!


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## Jeremysbrinkman (Jul 12, 2012)

I have removed the bandage from the little ones leg and it seems to be just fine using it to walk around on. I feel blessed that it healed so quickly and thank God for doing it!


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## hildar (Oct 3, 2013)

Jeremysbrinkman said:


> I have removed the bandage from the little ones leg and it seems to be just fine using it to walk around on. I feel blessed that it healed so quickly and thank God for doing it!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Chicken Forum


That is so good to hear. Little man is hopping around more and more, he wants to come out of his new pen and to be around my bigger girls. However my bigger girls want to fight with him. Which would most likely cause more leg issues, so I am going to give him 1 more month to get all better. It takes time for them to heal up, and he may be doing better and think he is up to it, but us humans know what is best. His little brownie girl is gone now, we had to put her down due to internal hatching. But I believe sooner or later I can find him a little girl that will be perfect for him.

I am sure yours is now enjoying life with being able to keep up with everyone else now.


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