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

[peepie]

My son's chicken Mrs Pepperpot is ill again. Around 14 months ago, I nursed her round from a mystery illness (sat up syringe feeding her for a couple of nights) and she pulled through. We have had a few other bouts of illness with her and i kind of feel there is something underlying with her that is not right. Most of the time she seems happy enough though and although I don't think she does a great deal in the egg laying dept, she is a pet and therefore is loved as the other two.

 

A couple of months ago, she had a bleeding bottom and a big chunk hanging out which I presume was some kind of prolapse. I cleaned her up, pushed it back in and prepared son for the worst but she pulled through. Over the last couple of days, she has been bleeding from her vent. I keep cleaning her but there is nothing hanging out and the bleeding seems to be coming from inside so there really isn't anything I can do about it. She is quite happy, eating and playing. I have once again prepared son by saying that bleeding from the inside isn't a good thing and that this could be the end. There were great big drips of blood in the eglu all day yesterday. I cleaned it out twice to try and make it nice for her.

 

I really don't see the point in taking her to the vet as things stand at the moment. I know it sounds awful but I don't think they'll do anything for her and the journey would stress her out. I think I would rather she just went to sleep here one day really. I know this is going to seem really mean but she has been ill so many times this year that I think it might be as well to just leave her to it this time and let her go and then maybe get son a new chicken that will provide him with eggs (he gets a bit fed up with little sister when she sits there smugly eating eggs from her Chicken)

 

The other thing is, what do people do with their dead chickens? I don't think we have anywhere we could bury her. I could just sit and cry really.....

[xScrunchee]

Aaah, what a shame

 

Can't really give any advice but I know that you can take a chicken to the vets to be cremated, I think it's only £10-£15 or so, or you can in fact put them in the dustbin

 

I have no problem with putting them in the bin but OH says I'm wrong and we would have to have them cremated.

Personal choice I guess.

 

Good luck and who knows-maybe she'll pull through once more

[Egluntyne]

If she has a prolapse whilst you are out for the day, the others will peck at it and cause her some nasty injuries I'm afraid. Best to be forewarned about this.

 

You can bury dead hens, but it is best to dig a deep hole, and cover the spot with some heavy rocks in case the fox digs her up again.

 

You are also allowed to put a dead hen in a black bag in the dustbin.

 

Defra don't allow the burning of them other than in licensed incinerators.

[peepie]

Well she's still with us today. Her bleeding stopped yesterday but she has gone ever so quiet. If they are in the run, she just stays in the eglu and if they are out in the garden she just wanders off to a bush and sits under it until we shoo her in for the night. She must have been eating a bit though as her crop was quite full. I have been making porridge and putting the pot near her in the hope that she eats some and not just the other two greedy girls!

 

Son is looking sorry for himself too. He's been avoiding the eglu over the past couple of days since all the blood was there although I did get him to help me shut them in last night and give her a cuddle. he was quite pleased because she put her tail up when he talked to her. He's usually out there at every opportunity to talk to them. Don't want to build his hopes up though.

 

Don't think I could black bin bag her though.......

[cluckingmad]

What a shame, I really feel for you, the hen and your poor lad She may just be taking time out to recover if she's not been very well - and if she's eating thats a good sign, but as you say she may simply go quietly in her sleep...

 

And no, I don't think you're wrong for seeing if she can be allowed to pass away in peace - I totally agree that a trip to teh vets can really stress them out, and if she's going to pass away then so be it.

 

I wish I could give your boy a hug, poor little soul - it may be a fact of life but it really does stink when its one of yuor birds who gets poorly

[sandyhas3chucks]

why don't you search for a good vet, as you say you think there is something underlying wrong.

a good vet will not be after just the money! the apropriate wording being "good" which I appreciate, no always he case .

have you looked on fotum recomended vets?

or post your nearest town, maybe someone on here will recommend a "good one" they are out there!

[peepie]

Thanks for your thoughts. She's still with us but very quiet this afternoon. Did get out of the run for a bit to lie in the sunshine but then went back in. We took her to the vet a while ago when she was poorly. He seemed very nice and at that point she was put on antibiotics but he coudln't really work out what was wrong with her. I think it was more my nursing of her that pulled her through. She just seems very weak.

 

A relative who is a retired chicken farmer said when she was ill last year that she had some form of cancer and did I want him to wring her neck then. I said no to him obviously and took great delight in telling him she had recovered and started laying again but she's always been a bit sickly and I wonder really if he was right........

 

She seems very peaceful and is drinking and having little snacks throughout the day. I think i'll just keep tempting her with food and keep her cosy and if she pulls through then that will be good.

 

Son has been out to stroke and talk to her a couple of times this evening. She didn't really move much though. He's been through this about 4 times in the last year with her but she hasn't been this bad since last June. I can't believe she's still with us really. The other two girls are being really sweet. They keep going in to visit her and give her a cuddle on the nest.

 

Anyway, I'm off to bed now after a final good night to them. Does everyone else go in to visit theirs last thing at night? I always go out and give them a little stroke just before bed when they're all snuggled up and then I go and kiss the kids in bed - How soft am I!!!

[cluckingmad]

Nope, you're not the only one Mine get a little fina lcheck and a good night stroke, the babies are coming in for a lot of fussing currently which they seem to enjoy

 

Your son obviously has a good effect on her though, she recognises him and responds well to him being there so all I can say is, bless him, he's doing everything right.

[sandyhas3chucks]

got any citricidal? it is natural antibiotic. one of mine needed a second cource of a different anti boiotic to sort her out, and the anti b made her poorly too. they are diffucult to diagnose with out tests. perhaps do as you did 14 months ago.

Just a though is she drinking enough, if she is tired feeling out of sorts perhaps she can't be bothered to drink enough, dehyration cann be very debilitating on oit's own.

Just a thought?

maybe some sweetened water if you think so? and wet food, mash.

fingers crossed for you , she dpesn't sound very old.

[peepie]

Went out last night to see her and she didn't look at all well but had a bit of drink and food and a cuddle. her comb was a funny colour and she seemed very swollen. Sat up with her till about 11pm and then went to bed but when we got up this morning she had not woken up.

 

Son is devastated and is on a school trip this morning. I'm hoping that it will cheer him up a bit.

 

Daughter didn't help. She's only 5 and was trying to be kind but her comments of "Never mind we've still got 2 chickens left" and "Shall we have eggs for breakfast" didn't go down particularly well....

 

At least she seemed to go peacefully. I really think there must have been something wrong internally that we couldn't cure and now maybe she's at peace. We'd limped on with her for so long really that maybe it was time to let her go.

[ClaireG]

I'm so sorry

[cluckingmad]

So sorry to hear that, your poor little lad Well, you can tell him from me that I think he's been a wonderful carer to her during her last days and he must have made her much happier just by showing her that he cared.

[sandyhas3chucks]

so sad when they go

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm so sorry to hear that . I hope you little boy gets over it OK, bless him .

[smokiechicken1969]

ahh im so, so sorry. for all of you. could feel your frustration through the posts and my heart goes out to you. so sorry

[peepie]

thank you for all your kind thoughts. It seems very empty with only 2 left. I have scrubbed the eglu out really well just in case but the other two seem fine so I think she must have just been an unlucky little chicken.

 

No doubt we will get another one some time in the near future. I'll probably be back on then asking about introducing new girls!

[Groovychook]

Very sorry to hear about your girl

xx

[cluckingmad]

Hi Peepie,

 

Just wondered how your little boy is today?

 

Carolyn x

[peepie]

Hi Carolyn,

 

He's fine really. Still upset but went out and gave the other 2 their morning cuddle. I wondered if he would so didn't say anything and he just went and did it. It seemed to take him longer than usual but i could see him chatting away to them so i left him to it.

 

My husband took Mrs P to the vets yesterday as we couldn't bear the thought of binning her and burying wasn't really an option. I don't really want to know what they will do with her although i think I know really. We decided against having her cremated and brought back to us as we thought it would just prolong it for my son and looking at him this morning I think we made the right decision there. He has a lovely photo of her in his bedroom anyway to remember her by.

 

We had a long chat last night and we have decided that we will order a run extension from Omlet and get 2 more girls making a total of 4. They get to play out for around 4 hours each day as well as being in the run. One new one will be his and the other one can be a family chicken. Thought it better to introduce 2 rather than just one. We have an old rabbit hutch and we can probably separate the run for a few days. Just hope they won't take too long to make friends really. Our girls have bumper bits on anyway at the moment as I put them all on when Mrs Pepperpot had her prolapse as a precaution to stop them pecking her. I've got a few spares as well. Will probably try and get some 24+ week old birds so that they have a chance of standing up to our two. Someone said to spray them with vinegar and water and put them all to bed together to help them smell the same. Don't suppose it will harm them. I've got a friend who bought her chickens locally so will ask her where she got them from. We got our 3 from Omlet at first but I think now might be a good time to let him pick his own.

 

Thanks again

Sarah

xx

[cluckingmad]

Bless him - hes got a heart of gold! Sounds like a good plan that does, hope the other two girls are ok too