Sooo much pooping

[ScotianLady]

I have this one Rhode Island Red hen BeBe. She isn't laying yet, I got her in the spring when she was a chick along with the others in the flock (my silver laced and rhodies). Anyway... she is kind of anti-social with the other hens and clearly at the bottom of the pecking order. She get picked on really terribly by the others. When I pick her up her breathing always sounds laboured and it seems like she never gets enough to eat. Her wattles are much smaller than her sister Alabama's and not so vibrant as Alabama's. She always has a really pasty bum and sometimes I clean her up and trim her and then send her back out.

 

I brought her in this time, cleaned her up and was attempting to see if there was anything else I could do for her like trim and I was drying her bum... and she passed out in my arms. Her wattles went dark purple and I woke her up briefly but then she passed out again. I ran outside with her and dipped her beak in some cold rain water and she woke up but was not breathing. I laid her down and started rubbing her back in a strong but gentle fashion. Then I rubbed her chest, then I patted her gently. She started breathing again and the colour came back to her wattles. Anyway... I brought her inside and made a little "coop" out of my dog's old crate. I have water with anti-biotic booster in it for her. I am so sad about this... I just don't know what to do. She is always so sickly it seems. She was sickly as a chick... she was the only one who didn't seem to be able to figure out how to eat or drink, we had to show her a few times... then she was always sleeping. I worried about her from the beginning. I'm not a serious chicken farmer or anything, I just love keeping these girls as pets but I'm also somewhat new to it. Can anyone help me out? I can't afford a vet for the girl... I'm barely making any money right now and I already have a dog and two cats to look after in that department. I will probably call my vet in the morning and chat with her on what I can do but... that all I can really determine at this point..

Edited December 14, 2010 by Guest

[Olly]

I'm so sorry to hear this, but you are doing all the right things for her. Unfortunately if she's always failed to thrive, there may be some underlying condition - it doesn't sound as if she's got an infection. If she makes it through the night, your vet may be able to suggest something but in the absence of any obvious problem they may not be able to make a diagnosis anyway. At least she is warm and comfortable, which will improve her chances.

[Redwing]

Hi, I agree with Olly - there is probably something underlying there

 

Discoloured wattles can be caused by heart problems

 

You are doing the right thing by keeping her warm and quiet

 

Do have a word with the vet but also be prepared for bad news

 

So sorry

[The Dogmother]

Ditto. Sounds like she has a dicky heart

[megalin]

I'm really sorry about your poorly chook.

It's so traumatic when they are sickly and you feel so

helpless.

Unfortunately I think It sometimes comes down to the chickens will to live and

if she's never been properly well then she might just be an unlucky girl.

Sending you lots of luck, at least she is loved, sounds like a lovely chicky home.

Good luck.

[MissSilkie]

You have handled the situation really well and I agree with the above. It might just be easier to let her go. I am very sorry.

[ScotianLady]

BeBe is still in her crate in the kitchen and she seems to be doing better. I gave her another bath for her dirty bum and she sat on my lap and dried by the fire before I put her back in. Her wattles are a better colour though still small of course. We are going to keep feeding her up and try to get her strength up and then put her in the coop at night to reintroduce her to the flock. Also we have discovered that after all, we do have one extra rooster and it is MEAN. I know some may not agree with me but we will be culling this rooster and eating it for the holidays. I have been keeping an eye on it for weeks and it's extremely abusive to my sickly Rhodie and her sister. Yanks their feathers out for no reason, pecks them and all their sisters in the face while on the roost together, chases everyone but the other rooster and two hens away from the treats I put out. And has made a go at me a few times. I am hoping by eliminating this one, it will help take some pressure off of Bebe.

 

And in the good news department... 3 out of 5 of my hens are laying! I thought with this being a Northern area they might not lay until the spring but here they are. And my RIR Alabama lays the biggest eggs and yet is one of the smallest hens!

 

Do you guys have any tips on fattening up my hen and getting her strength up? She wasn't eating much the past few days but today she ate scrambled eggs, rice and some flakes of left over salmon!

[staceychristie]

Glad she's on the mend. We are still getting 2 eggs a day. Boss has not laid for over a year, and Vera just 'pretends' by sitting on someone elses eggs (we still say thankyou to her).

I think that you have to try different feeds. I've used in the past, mixed corn, grit, pellets,rolled oats and topped off with codliver oil. They all love it.

Good luck, and KEEP THEM WARM (not hot)

 

Stacey