Solitary chicken - need advice

[Pink Ladies]

Our Black Rock Ruby has been laying massive eggs and this week they have been covered with blood although she seemed very happy. A couple of days ago she did look very sad and just stood in the corner straining and kept shutting her eyes. We washed her vent, gave her some poultry spice and she perked up almost instantly and her eggs for the next few days were fine. Last night she was again stood very still and kept straining. There was a lot of blood in her vent. I washed her and squirted olive oil both down her throat and around the vent. I then put her in a shed on her own. This morn the blood seems better but she isn't really moving around and is still straining. She didn't lay yesterday. Don't know what to do next for her, any ideas. Could take her to the vet but wondering if this problem with the massive eggs is here to stay.

[kelschooks]

I am no chicken expert but have recently been on a steep learning curve re sick chickens . We lost one of our ex-bats to EYP (I seem to be saying this on every post at the moment, there seem to be so many unwell chooks out there ) but initially thought it might be egg bound and was advised to try a calcium supplement such as zolcal-D. One of the local vets had it in stock. Might be worth a try.

 

Kelly

x

[Egluntyne]

A calcium boost would be my suggestion too.

[Pink Ladies]

Thanks for the suggestion, i will call the vets and see if I can get hold of any.....she seems to be a little brighter but know that she can change very quickly. Have given her some porridge with milk, yogurt and poultry spice.

[Budgies]

Hi pink ladies, sorry to hear about your poorly chook.

 

I too would recommend getting some calcium into her at this stage.

 

I wouldn't give her anything with ordinary milk in it though. They find it very hard to digest. Natural yogurt (because it has been fermented) is ok in small quantities however.

 

If she will eat her pellets or mash with water mixed to a porridge, that would be best.

[BrunswickBB]

I read in one of our books about holding the hen above some steaming water (left to cool down slightly) and then rubbing vaseline around the vent.....I've never had to do this so don't know if it works, but you never know......

[Pink Ladies]

Very sad news....We took Ruby to the vet and although he found no damage to ruby and there wasn't an egg stuck he gave her some antibiotics and an anti inflam injection. She did perk up the next day but then sat huddled up with her eyes closed. She died very peacefully on sunday. We are very sad and Babs looks lost without her. I am now trying very hard to find another friend for her ASAP.

[GeorgieB]

Sorry to hear about Ruby. I lost one of mine recently and I'm now worried that my healthy hen may be left on her own if my poorly hen doesn't survive. I'd recommend getting a couple more hens from the BHWT as they are always looking for people to rehome ex-batts.

[Budgies]

Sorry to hear about Ruby, Pink Ladies. It's always so difficult, losing one of our much-loved pets.

 

Good luck with finding Babs a/some new chickeny friend(s). I would recommend getting two if you have the space - in my experience two chooks form a pair bond which is very strong and it involves quite a lot of distress to the remaining chicken if one's left alone. Three is a mini flock!!

 

RIP Ruby

[Egluntyne]

Sorry to hear it.