Part 0800.0005

[Rosey Supposey]

Hi, I'd appreciate any opinions or advice if anyone can offer please.

 

I'm down to one hen. An ex-batt who's been out of captivity for 16 months. The last of the others died in June, this last one has been going strong on her own. As an only hen, she's virtually a member of the family, she has the run of the house as well as the garden and only pops back to her Eglu to sleep at night. We make sure a lot of time is spent with her, digging in the garden and that sort of thing. She's generally very alert, enthusiastic, nosey and energetic.

 

In the last 3 weeks she's slowed down dramatically. She's still doing her usual bouncing about, but only for very short intervals - then she all-but falls asleep where she's standing. Mid pecking frenzy her eyes will close and her head will slowly fall to the ground.

 

There's no sign of illness (although she's booked in to see the vet next week just in case), she's still doing all the usual chicken stuff, just very, very tired. If we don't distract her she goes off to bed at 16:00 now. Today she's also off her mash (which is very unusual!). Fine with a small amount of treats, but seems bored by her favourite mash.

 

I'm wondering if she's just old, or whether she's become lonely. To be honest she seemed happier than ever when the last of the other girls left us, as if she enjoyed getting all the attention! Now I'm not sure whether she's become lonely/depressed and that's causing the tiredness, or whether it's just plain old age.

 

(In case it's relevent, she had a Suprelorin implant in June after being drained following sterile peritonitis. She's also in the process of getting her feathers back after quite a heavy moult. )

 

Thanks for reading.

[Egluntyne]

Has she been wormed?

[Rosey Supposey]

Has she been wormed?

 

Hiya,

 

Not in the last 2 months, she's developed a hatred of every wormer I can find on the market! Mixed in the food or the water, she refuses all of them! (She used to take Vermex under protest, now she won't even consider it!).

 

There's no sign of worms in the poop or looking down her throat, but I'm no expert!

[Egluntyne]

How about Flubenvet. She will never know it is there.

[Chucky Mama]

(In case it's relevent, she had a Suprelorin implant in June after being drained following sterile peritonitis. )

 

I was going to ask if her abdomen was tight or could be fluid filled. All the more relevant having read this bit of your post.

[Rosey Supposey]

Hi Egluntyne and Chucky Mama,

 

Really grateful you posted up - I saw straight away but I'd lost my login and email had fallen over

 

I ordered the Flubenvet on next day delivery from Amazon, so I'm hoping she'll take that (amazing how she snubs any food or drink with wormer in. Never used to happen!)

 

Chook's dilemma has moved on now and I guess I have my answer... Yesterday she was obviously bunged up and unable to pass the problem, and groaning every time she strained. So nice Mr Vet took her in and gave her a hysterectomy. Having been able to look at her from the inside (!) turned out the implant was working beautifully but her uterus was backed up with rotting nastiness. Operation went well, but they had to break a rib and damage a leg to do it. So little one is back home with her lady bits missing, a leg that doesn't work too well and her brand new feathers shaved off.

 

But she's home and has a fighting chance. Phew!

 

Thanks again, really appreciate you guys here x

[cathybc]

fingers crossed for her- obviously a fighter - and lucky to have found a nice mum to care for her x