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[RubyReckless]

Help! Eleanor, my suffolk noir, is one poorly and miserable hen.

 

She's always been very subdued and shy, bottom of the pecking order and rather harried by the others. She's been very miserable for over a week, but I was putting it down to the weather as all my hens loathe the snow.

 

Yesterday, however, she was hunkered down in the snow with her eyes closed. i went to mover her and she perked up and went to the Cube.

 

When DP put the hens to bed last night he thought he'd shut them all in but he missed her. Understandably - it was dark, she's a black hen and she was hunkered down by the black Cube wheel - I struggled to find her in daylight this morning. Still, the poor thing spent the night in the snow.

 

I brought her in this morning. SHe's in a box in a sunny bit of the kitchen. I checked her over. Her comb is dark and sort of floppy - but she's my first Suffolk Noir and I don't know if that is normal or not. Her vent is clear of any obvious parasites but there is some squitty mess on some of the feathers below it like she had diarrhoea. She is skin and bones with a prominent crop - dunno if that is because she is so skinny or not. However, it was morning and the crop is supposed to be pretty empty by morning, isn't it?

 

It is neither hard like the descriptions of impacted crop nor squishy like a water balloon as per the descriptions of sour crop. It is full ish, you can squidge it about with your fingers. I can't smell any bad breath.

 

One website suggested bread soaked in olive oil as a way of getting a lubricant in to her, but she is not eating or drinking anything. Possibly she was just too cold and when she warms up she may try.

 

SHe's just so sad and I am not sure how best to help her. Any suggestions, Omleteers?

[Egluntyne]

I would try to get her warmed up first of all.

 

I would kep her indoors in a draught free box on a warm, not hot, hot water bottle. Don't try to heat her up too quickly.

 

It is important to get fluids into her. Try to syringe water at blood heat gently into her beak.

 

Has she been wormed lately? If not, it might explain the mucky bum.

 

When she is warmed up, some olive oil syringed into her beak and gente massage might shift the blockage.

 

Ift here is any worsenig of her condition, I would take her to the vet.

[chelsea]

hope she gets better soon.

[Plum]

Sorry Ruby, it sounds so upsetting for you. Hope she picks up with Egluntine's advice.

[RubyReckless]

Thanks guys. I kept her warm today and by the end of the day she was drinking a lot of water, so that's a step in the right direction.

 

Had another feel of the crop and I am thinking possibly sour crop - the mass certainly moves about plenty if you squidge it. I am nervous, though - sour crop advice is hold her upside down and massage up, but if it's impacted crop that could choke her because the mass would be too big to move through her throat. Argh - what to do!

 

Poor DP feels just rotten for leaving her out overnight - he was sure he'd counted 7 hens in the eglu.

[Plum]

Look we're all human so these things happen. She's alive so survived the cold and has recovered from that so don't feel too bad.

When you move it about is it malleable or squidgy? When mine had an impacted crop after a day it was more like putty. I gave her olive oil like Egluntine said.

I think from what I have read that its more mushy if its sourcrop, and you said her breath didn't smell. If you take her to the vet he would clear it for you and give you antifungal treatment for her if it was that. I don't know I would be brave enough to try and empty one for the reasons you say.

Hope she picks up soon.

[mostin]

I've heard some people say that feeding them daktarin gel sorts out sour crop. I'm not sure where you get it from though sorry . Hope she's doing better today.

[RubyReckless]

Thank you for all your advice and good wishes. I'm afraid Eleanor died overnight.

[ClaireG]

I'm so sorry to hear about poor Eleanor

[Plum]

I am so sorry, how sad for you.

[laurmurf]

poor Eleanor and poor you! so sorry to hear your sad news!

[HENthusiastic]

So sorry to hear the sad news.

[mostin]

So sorry about Eleanor , you did all you could.

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Egluntyne]

Very sorry to hear it.

[RubyReckless]

Would you believe my ghastly FIL went on and on about how we should eat her? He is such a (insert swearword of your choice).

 

Because a) she's a pet b) she died of unknown causes c) she is a layer with nowt on her d)I don't eat meat and e) f) and g) SHE IS A PET

 

Insensitive (insert second swearword)

[Egluntyne]

Oh dear.

 

Not very tactful is he.

 

If his cat died, I'm guessing he'd be appalled if someone made the same suggestion to him.

[mostin]

Would you believe my ghastly FIL went on and on about how we should eat her? He is such a (insert swearword of your choice).

 

Because a) she's a pet b) she died of unknown causes c) she is a layer with nowt on her d)I don't eat meat and e) f) and g) SHE IS A PET

 

Insensitive (insert second swearword)

 

What a (insert word of choice here) . Why do people make these comments when our girls cross over. My FIL made the same comments when my Prissy left us . Only the love for my OH stopped me from saying something that might have caused family ruptions.

[Scottie]

How unhelpful!

 

Sorry about your lovely girl.

 

Sheila

[sandyhas3chucks]

poor you . hugs x