Jewels Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Please can someone give me some advice. Georgina is my Omlet hen of three years old. She stopped laying last year. Over the last week she has got slower and slower and now doesn't want to come out the coop at all. She is not broody. She is big and feathers look shiny and are soft. No discharge from nose or eyes. She also seems to wobble a bit on the perches and not have much balance and is not interested in eating. This morning she would not come out the coop at all. When I came home at lunchtime she was still in the coop. I got her out and put her with others. When I came home from work at 6.30pm and it was dark all the other hens were tucked up in their beds but she was still out and just sitting in the gravel bed so I picked her up and put her in the coop to shut their door. Her feathers on her "behind" seem to have some dropping stuck on them, I cleaned her the other day but again today she had a mucky behind. It is also a bit watery and pale in colour?? They have all been wormed and have no lice etc., Is she poorly or just old? The fact that her balance is not good on perches or going up and down the ladder worries me. PLEASE HELP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Poor thing could be any number of illness. May be worth starting with simple things like worming to exclude worms or sending a sample of droppings for testing. They may just be loose because she's not eating but usually they go green from bile if that is the case. Guess the vet would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 What did you worm her with? Have a gentle feel of her abdomen to see if it feels overly swollen, fluid filled or hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewels Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 Hi chucky mama yes her underneath area seems swollen and harder than my other birds. today her wing is a bit droopy as well. She has had some natural yog this morning though. I wormed them all with Flubenvet. Do you have any ideas of what might be wrong with her? Or do I need to take her to the vet? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Sorry to say that she may have peritonitis - (or perhaps a tumour). A trip to the vet will confirm whether this is the case. They can be treated for peritonitis but any treatment provides a short term fix -weeks to a few months if caught fairly early and the hen is not too unwell. There is not absolute cure. Good luck and keep up posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewels Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 Thank you Chucky Mama. I am off to work now but I will be taking her to the vet tomorrow. She is sitting in the sun right now. I will keep you posted. Thank you again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewels Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 Hi, I have just read an awful article on a chicken website about lymphoid leukosis. Could my Georgina have this? (A little knowledge is a dangerous thing... I know). By the time I got home from work this pm she was again not in the coop but sitting outside. I picked her up and cuddled her and put her in the coop. How would I know if she has sterile peritonitis or septic peritonitis? Someone I work with has chickens and she said it can stress them out even more to take them to the vets. I know my vets do not have a great deal of chicken knowledge and I am scared they will just say to have her PTS. I am soooo torn about what to do with her. She is not in respiratory distress at all. And she is eating a little bit. I don't want her to be suffering/in any pain. Sorry to be such a complete wimp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I think with lymphoid leukosis they get swollen limbs I feel it's wrong to let a chicken suffer and if you choose not to treat or take to vet then you should be prepared to do the necessary. Chickens hide how they feel very well due to pecking order but you can watch out for signs of depression and not eating etc Hope she picks up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewels Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 Thank you Plum, I know I must take her to vets tomorrow, I just kinda hoping that someone would say it would be all ok, I am on my own as OH away and know I will make a complete fool of myself by crying if they say she must be PTS, but i cannot let her suffer or bear the thought of her being in pain, she is such a sweet girl, has never been any trouble so I must do the best for her. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 She's a pet and we all cry over all our pets. Knickers to anyone who makes you feel it's wrong to care. Best of luck hope for a better outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Any news? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewels Posted March 17, 2011 Author Share Posted March 17, 2011 My dear sweet Georgina has died. The vet said she had a tumour, it was quite large and she had hidden it well. Thank you for all your advice. Matilda, Edith, Josephine RIP gentle Georgina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 Oh dear, that is sad. You did the right thing for her though, leaving her would not have been fair she was obviously finding it difficult to cope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henslaved Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 So sorry , R.I.P. Georgina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 So sorry, I lost my first one to a tumour as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 sorry to hear this, my Bubbles sounds the same, will get her to a vet tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewels Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 Tiggy, How did you get on at the vets with your chicken? Josephine Bluebell Matilda RIP Georgina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 she died on Saturday, seems she had a softie stuck in there & it got infected, she had peritonitis, sorry to hear about your girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
