Pet chicken gets $2500 operation to fix leg

May 9, 2023

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A pet chicken named Kinder has undergone a $2500 surgery to repair a broken leg. Kinder’s owner, Vanessa Higgie, shared that her family was devastated when their beloved chicken broke its leg during a family pecking order challenge. Kinder was fiercely opposed to any additional family pets and had previously attacked Higgie’s son over their new puppy and pet ducks.

During the scuffle, Kinder broke her leg, and the family rushed to the after-hours vet for help. The life-saving surgery was a first for Dr Hein Stoop of Whanganui Veterinary Services. He inserted a metal pin through the joint in the knee to realign the fractured bones and fixed the leg with a brace. After eight weeks, the pin and brace were removed once the bone had healed.

The surgery was a success, and Kinder has returned home, where Higgie’s son is caring for her by feeding her antibiotics and cleaning her leg wound. Higgie shared that Kinder’s ordeal has made a lasting impact on her family. They have decided not to cook meals with chicken for a while, feeling bad about it while looking after a chicken that has undergone surgery.

Dr. Stoop explained that this type of surgery is commonly used on more expensive birds like hunting falcons and valuable birds whose owners can justify spending quite a bit of time and energy and money on. It is not often used on chickens, making Kinder’s case rare and special.

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