One-Legged Chicken Diagnosed With Depression
Lilly the chicken is one well-loved bird. When she got her leg trapped in a barbed wire fence, her owner, Vicky Mills of Cwmbran, Torfaen, Wales, took out a loan from the bank and lived on beans and toast for a year to pay for her vet bills. Sadly, Lilly had to have her leg amputated and was diagnosed with depression. They believed the depression to be because of the fact that she was left indoors by herself all day while her owners were away at work so they now leave the TV on all day to keep her company. It seems to be working because Lilly is a "happy hen again" according to her owners.
Can chickens become depressed? I don't know, but I suspect that if they can then the loving care of her owners is what cured her. How many pet owners would go into debt to get medical care for their pet or be so concerned about their mental health that they see a vet for their pet's depression? I think all the love that they lavished on Lilly is what brought her out of her slump. Lots of love seems to help humans too, come to think of it.
You can read more about Lilly and see a photo of her here.
I don’t believe that a person suffering from depression cares to read such an article. I didn’t!
I agreed with Lou at first but then realized I was laughing–I might be depressed but at least I’m not a one-legged chicken! The original article was even funnier. The owners have taught her one-legged party tricks. Sometimes it helps to realize the world’s gone mad and it’s not just me.
I also have a one-legged chicken, a young hen. I don’t know why her leg doesn’t work, but she gets around pretty well without it. I’ve decided not to spend any money on a vet as the minimum office charge is far more than what a hen is worth. I consider her handicapped rather than sick or injured, and as long as she survives mostly on her own I’m willing to help her out. During the day she nests under a bush outside my office window, and I spread rice for her to eat. I do bring her inside at night as she can’t get up into a tree. I don’t object to someone else spending scarce money on pets, but if my bird dies, then she’s alley cat food.