Poor Danni with a Broken Leg - Again!

Our first chickens were born on October 13, 2009.  Happy birthday to them - they recently turned 2 years old!  Since then we've hatched some eggs and watched them grow up and we've gotten 2 new adult birds to mix it up a bit.  Also we gave away quite a few roosters.  In the past 2 years we've had many chicken injuries, accidents, and illnesses, and quite a few birds didn't survive.  All who passed were buried.  I love my chickens and name all the hens, as you know if you've been around Razzberry Corner.

This sad post is about a strong hen named Danni.  Danni has had the toughest life of all other chickens here.  Things haven't been easy for sweet Danni hen.

Danni in Jan 2010

Back on January 15, 2010, Danni broke her big toe on her left leg on the feeder out in the chicken pen. Since Danni was only 3 months old, we had not yet named her because we were not sure if she was a pullet or a cockerel. Danni from Critter Farm provided awesome, timely, perfect guidance during this time, and in appreciation of her help I named the bird Danni after her.

Now, looking back, at the same time that Danni broke her toe, I believe she broke her neck. Her neck now has a kink in it. Back then I didn't realize her neck was broken because I was focusing so much on splinting her toe and getting her walking again. No wonder the bird had so many issues back then.

Danni in front, Chloe behind her, Feb 2010

Danni lived in our living room and bathroom for weeks. She had to be hand fed. I kept music and TV playing for her and gave her a heating pad to sleep on to keep her cozy while she healed. I splinted the toe, and trained her how to walk. I brought in other birds to keep her company when she was lonely. And she healed up just fine, although the toe curled off to the side.  

Danni in Aug 2010 - notice the bent toe

Danni has been doing great since January 2010.  She's lived a good life, has given us hundreds of eggs, and was able to walk and scratch and and get around fine with her curled-in toe and kinked neck.  And now, this week, somehow, poor Danni appears to have broken her other leg.   Her right leg - the good leg.  The leg without the broken toe.  We aren't sure if the leg is broken up close to the body or just out of joint and not broken.  We assume it was caused by one of those 2 large Cuckoo Maran roosters trying to mount her and have his way with her.  We immediately got rid of those 2 big roosters, they were too big for our little bantam hens like Danni.

Poor Danni has been moved into the infirmary coop this week.  In the past 2 years we built a coop especially for injured birds or babies, so they don't have to live in our living room!  Danni has her own heat lamp - just like a personal spa.  There's a door in her coop looking out into the chicken pen, and it has wire across so she can look out and other birds can look in, but no one can come in.  There's nest boxes in this coop - these were used last summer during the birth of the guinea keets and chicks.  However, Danni has no need for nest boxes right now.

Danni now, Nov 2011

Danni is not able to walk - she can't put any weight on her right leg.  She wants to hold the bad leg straight out in front of her.  And for a few days she lost the desire to eat.  She's been force fed and watered from a dropper.  We started her on aspirin water in case she's in pain.  Yesterday she started eating on her own again - she likes green beans.  She's such a sweet bird; she's always been one of my favorite chickens because she's so sweet and has had such a tough life.  I really hope she pulls through this time.  She's been my miracle bird.  Come on, Danni hen, keep your spirits up!