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

[MedusA]

Hedwig, the elderly chicken I recently rescued from being bullied by my friend's flock of ex-batts, is proving to be a bit of a worry. I've never had an elderly hen before and want to check that she is not actually unwell, before putting her and her run inside the girls' walk-in run, so she can "socialise" with the others, whilst remaining safely out of peck-range.

 

I have an appointment tomorrow with Lesley, my excellent chicken vet, for a check over. I just hope she doesn't think I'm being stupidly over-cautious.

 

Anyway, the point of this post is to ask all of you experienced in caring for elderly hens, for advice. She is very slow to get up in the morning, quite wobbly on her legs first thing (often falls over) and really just stands or sits around most of the day, before going to bed much earlier than the other girls. Is this normal elderly hen behaviour?

 

Provided this is normal, I am quite happy to allow her to live out her remaining time, being cosseted and fussed over. On the other hand, I would hate to think I was unnecessarily prolonging the life of an unhappy hen.

 

Reassurance needed please.

[Egluntyne]

Has she got a swollen undercarriage?

 

I have a few elderly girls, and tbh, they potter about happily, unless they get peritonitis, and then they really slow down and struggle with life.

 

I wonder if she was being bullied because the others sensed that there was something amiss?

[MedusA]

Thanks for the quick reply, Egluntine.

 

I haven't noticed any obvious swelling. TBH she just seems quite frail and bony. I'm hoping the vet will be able to give me a definitive answer tomorrow. She is interested in treats like sweetcorn and mixed corn but not really in proper food like pellets. I'm lacing her water with Avipro. I've got her in an eglu and run, on her own, with aubiose on slabs, so she can't really scratch around much,even if she wanted to. I daren't let her anywhere near the girls, in case she's got any nasties lurking. We've had her two weeks now and whilst there's no real improvement, there doesn't appear to be any obvious deterioration either. We did treat her with Scaly Lotion for her Scaly Leg, but I honestly think that had gone before we got her as my friend had sprayed her with Johnson't Flea and Mite Spray. She was also wormed 2 months ago.

[Henhathnofury]

You could obviously check with your vet but if she is thin, it might be recommended to get some empty calories into her. It is obviously not recommended for most chickens, who might get fat - but chopped up spaghetti, pasta might be nice treats for her...with lots of grit so that it can be broken up in the crop. However, she would also need vitamins, so maybe if you could mix up a yummy porridge - separate her from the flock so that she can eat at her own pace. Anyway, ask the vet.

 

My girls are slowing down a bit at two - they go to bed earlier and now rest during the day, whereas before they dashed around all the time...

 

She sounds a poppet and you are lovely to care for her so beautifully....