A one-legged chicken from the south of Wales has recently recovered from depression.
Lily is not your everyday chicken. She sleeps on a cushion in the kitchen of a two bedroom terraced house and she eats spaghetti bolognese. Her owner Vicky Mills says she struts about as if she rules the roost – “she really thinks she’s top of the pecking order”.
Lily damaged her leg in an accident with barbed wire. In an attempt to save the leg Vicky spent £2,000 on 7 operations, but the money was spent in vain and vets were forced to amputate. Lily didn’t require a prosthetic limb, making do instead on one leg. Apart from falling over occasionally when scratching, she has managed well.
Lily was diagnosed with depression shortly after losing her leg, due to separation anxiety during the day when the Mills’ were at work. Treatment was straight-forward. TV. All day, every day. She quickly returned to good health and resumed laying eggs.
The vet who diagnosed depression was not available for comment.
Dawn 30 Aug 2007 @ 4:03 pm
i was amused at the creativity it took to make up this story and then astounded when i read that it is true! my mom doesn’t completely believe in depression (even though i was diagnosed 6 years ago and have been in therapy / on antidepressants ever since) and i am sending her this article. she really likes chickens and keeps them as pets. thanks for an interesting and relevant article!
Ulf Johansson 24 Feb 2008 @ 3:11 am
Animal abuse!!!!
A hen whit one leg missing should be put down!
Poor creature!
janis 8 Nov 2008 @ 12:56 pm
i have a chicken with one leg who copes very well she to lives in our house and is very happy why should they be put down if there happy and can cope
matt30 29 Jun 2009 @ 3:44 am
You have a chicken living in your house?
That is gross, there is a reason people don’t keep livestock as pets.
It spreads disease.
Jill 29 Jun 2009 @ 9:47 am
Chickens are actually quite clean, matt30. I have seven of the little monsters and they dustbathe every day and “do their business” in one corner of their coop. One in particular, Chris, actually loves a regular bath in the garage sink, complete with pet shampoo, and loves to watch TV while drying off.
People keep rodents as pets and they carry myriad diseases, such as rabies, bubonic plague, and ringworm. Cats and dogs have worms and fleas. Fish can get loose in non-native habitats and wreak havoc. Snakes can strangle the neighbor’s lapdog. So long as they are reasonably domesticated and well cared for, animals are not going to cause illness.
lisa thornton 7 Aug 2009 @ 12:24 pm
i have a one legged chicken her name is hoppie and she was attacked by a racoon this story is true i know for a fact that one legged chickens can live with only one leg.
hoppie is now 2 months old and doing fine with the other chicks.
she does not let it slow her down.
Steve Imparl 23 Sep 2009 @ 8:28 pm
Thanks for posting this inspiring story. The prevalence of depression among non-human animals is not really known, but I am not surprised to learn that a chicken (or any other animal) could experience depression. Other creatures are more similar to us humans than we currently realize, and it will probably take a long time to learn more about all the similarities.
I am happy to learn that Lily has recovered and is doing better. I look forward to reading your blog more regularly and taking your software for a test drive. Thanks again.
Nicole 28 Feb 2010 @ 11:23 am
I found this article of great help! My chicken lost her toes to frost bite last winter, but manages perfectly fine without them. Now, however, her foot is starting to die, and I’m worried sick about it. But this article has given me hope!
maggie may 6 Nov 2010 @ 11:16 pm
i read this every chance i can get to help me put the day into perspective.
sweet a82210 3 Apr 2011 @ 4:19 am
my chickens 3 big toes came off however she still has one big toes on that foot. she is so young that i thought it would sort of grow back will it?
Pete of Perth 22 Oct 2011 @ 3:15 am
Chickens are tasty