katieD Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Hi One of my original girls is really off colour today she's looked old for the past couple of months but today she's not eating and is walking slow all huddled up, with her comb flopped over, dark red and shriveled up I think she's on her way to chicken heaven soon but unsure whether to put her in a cat box in the house, or in e outhouse or leave her in the run with the others. What would you do? Thanks x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Kate Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 when peeper was on her last legs we brought her in but that was partly because 1) it was snowing and 2) the other chickens were avoiding her and she looked lonley. we made her a little pen in the kitchen and she sat around sleeping and not moving much until the vets opened after christmas and then we had her put down. and then i cried for a week but that's by the by... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Jane Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I'm not an expert, but when Mabel was ill we kept her in a separate run during the day so she could see the other girls but didn't get flattened by them. We put her back in with the others at night to keep things as normal as possible for her. Having said that, I know that others on here have taken their poorly chooks indoors. I'm sure someone more experienced will be along in a mo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Hi if any of my girls are on their last legs i leave them with their friends as long as they are not getting beaten up i just like them to go off to chicken heaven in the garden where their happy and with their friends leanne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 So sorry to hear you're about to lose one of your girls - it's always such a hard time when you can see they're fading and personally I have kept mine with the others when I could. My Roxanne passed away during last night and I had brought her in to hold her on my knee during the day. As she was still breathing though barely conscious after the others had gone to bed, I popped her into bed between a couple of them so she could die peacefully surrounded by familiar settings and her friends. Lots of ((hugs)) to you and yours at such a sad time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Oh dear, sorry to hear that Dora is so poorly. I would be inclined to bring her in somewhere quiet and warm. It is not unusual for the other chickens to attack a sick chicken or indeed a body (sorry ) It would be very upsetting if one of them attacked her. She may pick up a little perhaps with some fluid and quiet. Does she have any specific symptoms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieD Posted October 3, 2010 Author Share Posted October 3, 2010 Thanks for all he quick advice. She only has the symptoms I've said. She's about 2 1/2 and been our chicken that has laid religiously every day, until recently. So has lived a very productive, busy egg layin life. She's currently sat next to the glug and grub havin the odd bit but keeps shutting her eyes, might leave her in there until they all go to bed then let her sleep in the cat box with some food and water overnight as the others are leaving her be- she was always top chicken, bless her. Katie x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 How is she today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooster Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Sorry to hear about Dora - how is she doing? I,m having a similar dilemma with Pearl who we've only had for 3wks. She's had diarrhoea for a week, is not eating or drinking and looks like a very poorly chicken indeed. She's been on Baytril since Friday and we are crop-tubing her with a critical care dextrose/protein formula that the vet supplied (not a pleasant process for her or us) but she hasn't improved at all. But then again she hasn't got any worse. She's still outside - though I've kept her in the run rather than letting her free- range with Peggy. As a new chicken-owner I'm just not sure at which point it's kinder to call it a day?? All the sick chickens I've been reading obsessively about on the forum seem to go downhill and die very quickly - so don't know whether to see Pearl's persistence as a positive sign or whether we are just prolonging the agony by tube-feeding her ... Never realized keeping chickens would be quite so heart-achey ... Any advice?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieD Posted October 5, 2010 Author Share Posted October 5, 2010 She's not really changed?? I've put her a temp house in the outhouse. She's not movin round much but has begun eaten and drinking again. Still looks the same? Is there any obvious things that could be round with her? I've checked her over and cant see anything, which is why I put it down to old age? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
