4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Lapinou]

Hello

 

We've just looked out the window to see our bottom-of-the-pecking-order girl bleeding heavily from her vent. it looks like a prolapse. It's certainly far too much blood to be just from pecking. We've got to go out in an hour, totally unavoidably so we've put her in our daughters' playhouse, with the doors and windows shut so the other hens can't get into her. She's laying on lots of shredded paper so she's comfy. I'm guessing she'll be dead when we get back. Is there anything else we can do before we go out to make her more comfortable? Or am I overreacting and is it likely we can help her survive in the next hour?

 

Thanks

 

Clare

[Karen & co.]

Poor girl You have done the right thing by separating her, and putting her somewhere sheltered and comfy. Left in peace she may just rest and start to recover, and then you may be able to sort out her prolapse when you get home

 

Fingers crossed for her.

 

Karen x

[AnnieP]

Oh dear. If she is really that poorly, my advice would be to make an appointment to get her to the vets.

Is it possible for anybody else to take her if you have to go out?

If she has got a prolapse, the quicker you can get it back inside her, the better her chances of recovery are.

Good luck.

[Egluntyne]

You have done the right thing in isolating her.

 

I would keep her warm and encourage her to drink if you can.

 

I agree that she probably needs to be seen by a vet as soon as you can get her there, especially if she is still bleeding.

 

If you find that the bleeding has settled, you could gently push the prolapse back inside, using a gloved finger and lubricating jelly, or even vegetable oil.

 

If it is swollen, haemorrhoid ointment will shrink it so that you can gently push it back in.

 

It might be a good idea to take her off layers pellets for a day or too, and feed her weetabix etc, to slow down her laying and allow things to heal.

 

Good luck. If in doubt...take her to the vet.

[Lapinou]

Not good news I'm afraid DH popped back from where we were with the children to check on her and she was really in a bad way, he went to pick her up and she keeled over. He decided it would be cruel to keep her alive when she was clearly in pain and very, very weak, so he did what he'd dreaded doing, but couldn't bear leaving her overnight before we could get her to a vet to do it. DD2's really, really upset, and DD1's upset but a bit more understanding of the situation being older. DD3's oblivious. I'm upset, but had chickens as a child so not distraught - used to chickens being put down when necessary.

 

Thanks for replying

 

Clare

x

[Egluntyne]

Sorry to hear it. I'm sure it was the right thing to do.

[McChook]

I'm really sorry to hear your news - I had a similar thing happen a couple of days ago and had to make the same difficult decision

[ChrisP]

I'm so sorry you and your DH had to make that decision

 

You did everything you could.

[Karen & co.]

Sorry to hear that

 

Karen x

[cluckingmad]

You did absolutely the right thing pet - its never easy to end it but it is so much kinder that way

[Yolky]

I am so sorry to hear about your chook I was just looking for your posts to see how you and your new baby were.