The Poultry Keeper

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1406 Location: Manchester

I noticed yesterday that the wing feathers on one of the young pullets weren't sitting right, so I managed to get a closer look once they'd settled down for the night and I'm pretty sure it's broken. None of the long bones but it's very loose at the last joint just near the tip of the wing, so it's either dislocated or broken.

She doesn't seem bothered by it and is acting just like she always has so I'm wondering whether to attempt to strap it up so it heals better or to just leave her to it and let it heal however it may. I'm thinking that strapping it up will cause her some stress which is why I'm erring on the side of leaving it be.

Any thoughts?

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 2041 Location: norfolk

I'd leave her be Kitsune. If you bind it up you risk the other chickens taking too much notice of her and maybe picking on her. In the old days, people used to cut off the last bit as a permanent pinioning, to stop birds flying off. It was common to do that to swans to keep them on the lake of the gentry and not wandering off to the river etc.

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3469 Location: Monmouthshire

If she's not bothered, leave it. I am a firm believer in non intererence where livestock is concerned. A lot of water birds are pinioned - with many of the ornamentals it is a legal requirement.

Dusty · Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 935 Location: St. Asaph

One of my cockatiels came out of the nest with a broken wing and it doesn't seem to bother him.

He's adapted to life without flying so I guess your girl will learn to cope.

Fingers crossed Laughing

Kitsune · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 1406 Location: Manchester

Thanks for all the answers, confirmed what I thought was the best course of action - she's still happy and healthy otherwise and holding it better now so I'm hopeful it may heal right on its own - if not she'll be nicknamed wonky.

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1196 Location: Cornwall

Some birds are hatched with 'dropped wing' it happens a lot with ducks.

She may have damaged the wing tip somehow though, I'd do the same as Henwife suggests, and leave her be.

jubilee · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 125 Location: nottinghamshire

mmm, are you sure it's not dropped/split wing kitsune? some growers get this quite late on, and others get it early on, it makes the wing seem deformed or broken, i would leave it well alone, it might even moult out as it grows and be perfectly normal. xx