2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[janedent]

My 4 ex-battery chickens were bought last October.

One of them is now really unwell.

For the last month she has had runny eyes and general apathy. I took her to the vet who gave her antibiotics 3 weeks ago.

She perked up a bit but now seems quite ill. Her comb droops, she eats very little. She has an oiliness around her neck. She doesn't lay eggs. She stands around with her eyes closed a lot. At bedtime she doesn't go the the coop but stands around till I go out to shut the Eglu door. If I'm out late - even till midnight - and late in shutting the coop, she is still standing outside. In the morning she stays on her perch till I lift her out. She hardly weighs anything and feels very thin.

I am wondering whether to kill her and put her out of her misery. I wish I knew whether she is suffering.

What would others do?

Jane

[Egluntyne]

Might be worth another visit to the vet?

 

I'm a pragmatist and give them one chance at the vet's and then cull them if they are still in discomfort or are clearly not improving.

 

Have you been shown how to do the deed?

[janedent]

Hi Egluntyne

Good to meet a fellow pragmatist.

I've feeling that another trip to the vet might be £50 down the drain. My husband has offered to do the necessary and will look it up on Youtube. There's also a description of how to do it in the book Chicken Coops for the Soul (excellent book by the way). I think we may end up doing this as we are going on holiday next week and don't really want the chicken sitters to have to deal with a sick or dead chicken.

BWs

Jane

[Egluntyne]

Best of luck.