Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

ljonski

Obviously i could ,but i don't know how long i will be living here ( rented accommodation) plus i got emotionally attached to them (i refused to give them names for well over a year for this reason) and if i got two more - then it is a never ending cycle and may be forced to cull healthy ones if i need to or can't find homes for them. so i will wait and see what happens .
Thanks
Lj

Syman

***Another Update***

Took flower to the vet today as she has prolapsed again. he examined her and found a small growth. Not sure where we go from here really,in herself she seems fine, laying, eating and generally seems quite happy.

So i have brought her home to see what happens. Will take her back in a couple of weeks to have another check. If it has grown will have more idea of what to do then.

HeatherintheHills

Hello,

I have hens too and have loved reading about all of yours.

Symon & ljonski, I'm so sorry to hear that your hens are ill.

One of mine is ill too. She is very listless an doesn't seem to want to eat. I can't find any lumps or swellings. I've brought her into the house in a box so she can get some peace and quiet and will see how she gets on.

Gigervamp

It's tricky trying to diagnose what's wrong when a chicken is ill, as a lot of illnesses show the same symptoms. The Poultry Keeper site has a useful section on diseases and disorders.

When one of ours looks like they're ill, (head and neck hunched and looking down, tail down, often standing alone away from the others) we bring them in and check the crop for signs of sour or imapcted crop, vent area and back of neck for signs of mites, eyes and nose for any bubbling and mucous, breathing, is it laboured or wheezy? Also, the colour of the comb. If it's looking purple rather than red/pink, that can be a sign of circulation problems, which can mean a problem with mites.

HTH

ljonski

if your chicken is prolapsed you will need to separate her and give a basic diet that discourages egg laying. Somoene on this forum had teh same thing about a year ago and it was 50/50 that she pulled through. although
heammorroid cream is very effective.

ionahenor2

I do hope everyones poorly hens pull through. It's not easy trying to find out what is wrong with them.

My little Digger seems to have recovered somewhat.(I really did think she would survive). She's eating more and her comb is standing up. Her tum is less swollen and the waddle is less pronounced.

Syman

It appears that Cabbage has now come down with an impoacted crop. Gave her a dose of Olive Oil and a bit of a massage before i had to go to work which seems to have helped a bit (i think) will repeat the process at lunchtime when i will have more time to to give her some attention.

it never rains but it pours, steep learning curve this chicken keeping malarky.

HeatherintheHills

Oh dear, so sorry to hear that Cabbage is also ill Syman.

Might some live maggots help once her crop has loosened up a bit? That is not my idea, but one of very many I've picked up from here.

ionahenor2 that is great news about Digger. My girl is still indoors but is drinking and eating mealworms now. The bad weather has stopped me treating the coop for mites as often as I usually do, It has also been hard to keep it completely dry in there so perhaps I need to have another think about their housing. I have those coops with runs from Ebay.

Gigervamp

Gosh Symon, your girls have really chucked you in at the deep end haven't they?

Syman

Gigervamp wrote: »

Gosh Symon, your girls have really chucked you in at the deep end haven't they?

They have indeed. Flower is not improving at all. The prolapse is not staying back in , so.....well i think i am going to put a stop to her suffering. :A
As for Cabbage, when i checked her over i found her belly quite swollen and her vent was oozing some yellowy white liquid. She is lethargic and is not interested in eating or drinking. I gave her a warm bath and She has been seperated from flower and put in a warm place to dry out.

I am a bit upset as until i took them on a couple of weeks ago they had appeared in good health without any issues in the 18 months they lived in the school.

All in all at the moment i am not a happy camper. But not put off, I will replace flower, and without wanting to seem too pessimistic cabbage if i need to.:(

Going for a cup of tea now.