Newhouse Farm

senseofjoy · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:30 pm Post subject: Poorly chicken

One of my ex batts is poorly - has just sat in the hen house for 24 hours without moving. Yesterday I cleaned up her bum ( poos look okay ish but she was just sitting in them) and put her in a big cardboard box on with some water and corn (usually top favourite snack) She's pecked at it a bit but is making no attempt to get up....and is very quiet, none of the usual little contented chook sounds. Sometimes she seems to want to just stretch out her neck and lay her head down, if that makes any sense. I suspect she may not recover, and I will take her to the vet tomorrow if she's no better (I can't kill her, he will have to put her down if that's what needs doing) I just wondered if anyone has experienced anything similar? Or has any advice? I've kept hens for several years and I've never had one do this before
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greentwinsmummy · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 4:02 pm Post subject:

She doesnt sound right SoJ I can only suggest massaging her crop?she might have something stuck there? & just do what you are doing,keep her in a quiet place on her own x
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Pod · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 4:33 pm Post subject:

That sounds like what happened to a couple of my hens SOJ. I put them into one of the wire cat baskets made up into a little luxury miniature chicken world ( ) and kept them in the shed or front porch. I spoke to the vet and he said if she's not suffering leave her be. I considered that to be kinder than the stress of a trip into town. You might find your wee girly doesn't last the night. Once they're that ill they generally don't last terribly long.

Having said that, I would advise having the vet check her if her eyes are bright in the morning. I couldn't bear the thought of it being something fixable ...
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senseofjoy · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:53 pm Post subject:

Thanks ladies. She's just the same really. I've been giving her some water with a syringe, and i've made up a bit of porridge which i'm going to try to tempt her with in a min when it's cooled down. I will phone the vet tomorrow if she's still alive
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Billy Rhomboid · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:58 pm Post subject:

Several of our ex-batts have gone out this kind of way - no visible signs of distress, just a withdrawal from daily chook-activity and then passing quietly.
If she is not suffering I would say let her be - she will either revive or shuffle gently off this mortal coil. I never expedite their end unless they are clearly in discomfort.
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senseofjoy · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 8:43 pm Post subject:

Ohhh thanks Billy - makes me feel a bit better. I've just been sitting with her - she's eaten a tiny bit of porridge and taken some more water from the syringe. She's not in any obvious distress, so maybe it would just be more stressful for her to go to the vet. Poor thing.
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senseofjoy · Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:54 am Post subject:

This morning I decided that I really had to phone the vets about Marigold. They suggested I took her in to be checked (it is literally less than a 5 min walk from here) The vet checked her over really carefully and decided that she had no feeling in her feet at all - probably due to some kind of nerve damage in the spine, either from an injury or a growth. She said that she was unlikely to recover and would be totally dependent on us for all her feeding etc - which clearly isn't feasible long term - so we decided that the kindest thing would be to expedite her end. I couldn't stay - I still can't think of Chester being put down this time last year without getting tearful - so I left her there. Feel awful
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Pod · Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:18 pm Post subject:

Oh, big hugs SOJ - it's hellish isn't it? You've done the right thing though.

I had to take a friend's rabbit to be put to sleep once, on the way to work. I spent the whole morning in the loo, crying my eyes out. You'd think the b****rs would have let me go home .
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compostwoman · Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:18 pm Post subject:

Its not nice..I had to do that with both my ex batts...

But you did the right thing...
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senseofjoy · Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:37 pm Post subject:

Thanks peeps. I know I did do the right thing really. Now need to replenish my little flock and am trying to decide whether to go for ex batts again, or some slightly rarer breeds, either bantam or full size. (I still have 2 black pekins who were part of the original flock who are ancient, and haven't laid an egg between them for years plus my last remaining ex batt)
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Marie FG · Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:25 pm Post subject:

What sadness soj-big hugs
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senseofjoy · Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:02 pm Post subject:

Thank you Marie x
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retrotecchie · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 12:33 pm Post subject:

My GR Brenda came into lay three days ago. She isn't ex-bat but from a pukka poultry supplier. She has been right as rain for three months but today she doesn't want to play. She's off her food, has a slightly swollen crop and seems a bit listless. Henrietta was also off colour this morning (they usually fight for position out of the pop hole at brekky time) and neither of them seemed up to coming out or eating. However, I took them out of the coop and let them range the veg patch, and Henners took a huge dump (of Biblical proportions), shook her wings a bit and then resumed normal activity...pecking at the beans, scratching in the dirt and generally acting chook-like. After half an hour of freedom, the both went (carried, actually) back in the run and Henners promptly shot up into the coop and laid a whopping great double yolker! Job done, she's back out munching her pellets and drinking her water.

Brenda though isn't 'right'....off her nosebag and just wants to sit in the nest. Her eyes are bright, her vent looks nice and clean and there is no discharge from the eyes or beak, although she did have a very yellow runny poo. She's very listless and I'm just wondering if they've both 'overdone it' on the beans and Henners has done a better job of shifting the problem, or if Brenda is actually poorly and Henrietta was just trying to sit with her and keep her company?

Massaging the crop seems to perk her up a little though....so hopefully things will improve. If not, it's a call to the vet, methinks....
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senseofjoy · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 12:37 pm Post subject:

Oh dear RT........sorry to hear this. Not sure what to suggest - maybe just isolate & keep an eye on her, then try the vet if she doesn't pick up. With a bit of luck she'll get over whatever it is on her own. Tis a worry though, isn't it?
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retrotecchie · Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 12:32 pm Post subject:

Still no better the next day so, having trawled Google for info on impacted crop, I managed to get about a teaspoon of olive oil down Brenda's throat and spent an hour with her sat on my lap massaging her chest and generally trying to keep her calm and reassured.

After a few hours, she was a bit more her usual self but still not 100%. A few small half hearted efforts at relieving herself resulted in a small trail of runny yellow mess, but no real 'unloading'.

I thought it would be a trip to the vet, but the next morning, she was up and about and seemed quite happy. She's back on her original form again and attacking the beans with relish so whatever it was that was ailing her seems fine now. Perhaps she was just a bit bunged up and the olive oil and a bit of TLC did the trick She's since been laying eggs happily and ranging the garden as if nothing had ever happened.
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