Omlet cube and run

[smileyt]

Hello. I apologise for the length of this post but I really need some help. If it's in the wrong place on the forum, please can a moderator move it for me? Thank you. The saga of my hens is below.

 

A couple of years ago I got three ex-batts, as that's all I have room for. To cut a long story short, two of them died within a year, one definitely from Marek's disease and the other probably from Marek's disease. I then got two ex-barn hens to keep my remaining ex-batt company. Earlier this summer, the remaining ex-batt died of Marek's disease. (Well, I had them all put to sleep once it was clear they were not going to recover, as I didn't want them to suffer on to the bitter end). Now one of my ex-barn hens is poorly - she has been poorly on and off for three months but has managed to rally; in this time I have taken her to the vet's four times. I am taking her again tonight as she was refusing to eat this morning. I tried to tube feed her (I have done this many times before with my other sick hens) but she struggled and squealed so I gave up. She then took the emeraid from a cup, but she wouldn't take it all. I have a horrible feeling that she also is not long for this world. If that is the case, I will be left with only one hen.

 

The problem is this. It is not kind to keep one hen on her own as hens need other hens to live with. However, I cannot afford to get any more hens as I just can't afford the vet's fees - I must have spent close to £800 in the last 12-14 months on vet's fees for my little hens and I only work part-time. I just can't sustain that. Plus there would likely be a long wait before any more hens came up for rehoming, anyway.

 

So, I would like to rehome my remaining hen whenever the next hen dies. The big problem is that she will be a carrier of Marek's disease, so I cannot rehome her to just anyone as she may pass the virus on to susceptible hens. I did ask the British Hen Welfare Trust if they knew of anyone who would take her, but they said people only wanted ex-batts they could nurse back to full feather, although they did say I had been terribly unlucky with all my hens dying of Marek's.

 

So - does anyone on here know of anyone who has a flock of hens where they have lost one or more hens to Marek's, and would therefore be willing to rehome my 'carrier' hen, given that their hens would also be carriers? I am in Manchester and I don't have a car, but would be willing to take her by train as far south as Birmingham or as far north as York. It would be a huge wrench for me, because I love my little hens, but I have to try and do what's best for whichever hen is left.

 

Of course, Hepzibah Hen may have picked up by this evening (I am going to give her more emeraid in a couple of hours time) and I may be worrying for nothing. But the fact remains that I will one day, probably sooner rather than later, be left with only one hen who would be lonely on her own. I would rather try and find someone now who is willing to rehome her when the time comes, rather than be panicking and searching whilst watching the remaining hen in distress because she is lonely without any other hen friends.

 

I know this post must sound awful to some or all of you and makes me sound mercenary, which is not the case. I can't work full-time because of a health problem I have so earning more is not really possible. The vet's fees have cost so much because I have tried everything to save my poorly hens but I just can't keep doing this. Everything I read before I got hens said that they were simple creatures who didn't get much wrong with them but the reality has shocked me. I really didn't expect to have to be going to the vet so often trying to treat hens with an incurable disease (of course the vet's can't tell it's Marek's until it's advanced and until then treat with antibiotics, metacam, antifungals etc so you spend all this money and then find out your poor little hen is for the high jump anyway). The only consolation is that I have tried my best for them and at least they have had a happy life with me until they have become ill. Anyway, I hope that explains my situation a bit better. I still think chickens are fab and if I ever win a large amount of money I'll be buying a garden to keep chooks in! My original intention when I got the hens was to replace them on a rolling basis so I would always have three hens, but the evil that is Marek's disease has put paid to that. :angry:

 

So please, if you know of anyone who would be willing to rehome a Marek's carrying hen in due course, please let me know. I would be very grateful.

 

(The original ex-batts were Rita, Deirdre and Mavis, and my current ex-barns are Hepzibah and Morticia. Hepzibah and Morticia like to jump onto the window ledge and peck on the window They are cheeky so-and-so's but I do love them - that's why I am trying to sort out the future now, even though saying goodbye when the time comes will be very upsetting for me).

 

I have put a copy of this post on the 'down the lane' forum, the ex-batts fourm and and am going to post on the poultry keepers' forum too, and possibly put a note up in my vet's surgery (he is an avian vet so sees a lot of chickens). I really hope someone can help. Thank you for reading my long post.

[Redwing]

My immediate thought is that not only are hybrids not very prone to Mareks but the ex batts and barn hens should have been vaccinated against it so is your vet 100% sure its mareks?

 

Ex batt and barn hens often get laying related problems as they are effectively 'egg machines' Peritonitis for example is very common and thats not 'catching'

 

It would make a great deal of difference to your hen's rehoming chances if its not Mareks thats caused the deaths of the others

 

If it was Mareks then I think you have practically no chance of rehoming the hen, even people with flocks that have had Mareks in the past would be reluctant to take in one whose whole flock has died of it - in poultry if you ahve a problem in your flock you want to minimise it not add to it sadly

[smileyt]

Well, the vet is an avian/exotic specialist vet and that's what he said. Two of them (including Mavis who died most recently) were falling over/stumbling and had twitches and he could feel lumps inside when he put his finger inside their vents; he said these were tumours. He also said that sometimes not all the hens manage to get vaccinated; they may miss being injected or not inhale enough of the spray if it's a spray vaccine. Also, last time I went he said no-one is sure how effective the vaccine is and how long it lasts for

 

If I can't rehome the remaining hen when the time comes, would it be kinder to have her put to sleep? I really, really don't like the idea of euthanasing a healthy hen! God damn Marek's disease.

[smileyt]

It's like being stuck in a nightmare

[WitchHazel]

So sorry to hear of your losses, what a nightmare for you. I think you have done so much for your Girls.

 

I don't know enough about Mareks to be able to offer proper advice. I seem to remember that it can infect the ground, but I don't know how you eradicate it.

 

If Hepzibah does die, it might be worthwhile paying for a post mortem? PMs need to be done very quickly.

 

I don't know if there is a test for the presence of Mareks, if there is then you could send a poo sample off to be tested.

 

At least you'd know for sure.

 

Sorry I can't offer any practical help, my thoughts are with you.

[Daphne]

Firstly, you have my sympathies, your situation sounds terrible.

 

Secondly - I really don't think you are mercenary. I can't imagine ever spending £800 at the vets on hens; especially not on mareks. I'd be a bit suspicious of any vet wanting to charge me that over time as mareks is nearly always incurable, and can only be completely diagnosed by a PM which should cost around £35. It is not spread on the ground (that is coccidiosis) but by dander in the air. If your current hen hasn't perked up by the time you get to the vet, then frankly I would have her PTS; as you have seen mareks is a nasty disease and there virtually no chance of recovery. I would keep your remaining girl on her own for as long as she seems happy enough; hens are flock birds but I think this is an extreme case. As Redwing says, "Ooops, word censored!"ody is going to want to take on a mareks risk and anyway it would not be nice for a solitary ex-batt to try to have to integrate into an existing flock.

 

Other than that, I'm sorry you've had such a rough time. Please believe me (us) when we say 99% of the time its not like this. Hens do get ill and die with monotonous regularity, but not in this very extreme way unless you are very unlucky. For the majority of us, we toodle on with some birds, we lose some along the way, but most live a good and productive life.

 

If you ever decide to keep birds again, then move the coop/run from where it is now, clean everything to within an inch of its life and personally I would choose an uncomplicated robust breed or a hybrid which has had a good start in life.

[Egluntyne]

Sorry to hear about your difficulties.

 

Just a polite reminder that we can't allow rehoming via the forum. Click

[Chortle Chook]

You have been ever so kind to your chooks and are clearly a warm, caring person.

 

If you should end up with just one little chicken just give her all the company you can and let her benefit from the fact that you need to work part time. Chickens are group animals, but so too are dogs and horses and many other pet animals and they become all the more affectionate for needing you for company.

 

If you do however feel that you can't keep one on her own, why not put a notice on Practical Poultry. They do have an area for finding chickens free homes. . . but I think keeping her would be nicer.

[smileyt]

An update. Hepzibah pulled through and is back to her usual mischievous self

 

I have decided, after reading advice on several forums (fora?) that I am going to keep whichever hen remains until it is her time to go. Most people seemed to think that it would be better to keep her in her own space than to send her to integrate with another flock as a lone hen. So that's what I am going to do. Egluntyne, sorry for breaking the forum rules.

 

Thank you for reading my posts and helping me reach a decision.

[migsy]

I also think it is very unlikely that a vaccinated hen would get Mareks. As you say, I suppose it is possible but it must be unusual so maybe get vaccinated hybrids.

 

Do you go to the vets on the Whalley Range/Chorlton border? That is where I have taken mine but I have always had them pts if the bills look like they are going to be huge. You have clearly tried your very hardest. Glad your hen has perked up

[WitchHazel]

Good news about Hepzibah, well done to the little lady.

[craftyhunnypie]

Awww lovely news about your hen pulling through.

 

I thought the rehoming of hens was allowed on here, just not cockerels. What about the chicken trains we've done in the past - that's rehoming? Oh & chickens of fate? Plus if it is a pure breed what is stopping you from putting it in the Omlet marketplace?

 

Hoping you hen has lots more lovely days ahead yet.

Emma.x

[Egluntyne]

The rehoming of hens (unless they are part of a sale package with an Eglu, Go or Cube)was stopped on here a long time ago because too many problems cropped up. 'Chickens of Fate' are events which happen off forum, and which delighted Omleteers post about. They don't come about as a result of requests on the forum.

 

We also had to stop rehoming requests for cats, dogs and other animals, because it was a minefield, and there are plenty of rehoming fora out there.

 

The Marketplace is completely separate from the forum, and although both are owned by Omlet, forum rules don't apply there, so there is nothing to stop you selling your hens there ... it is what it is for!

 

Rehoming policy

[craftyhunnypie]

Ahhh I see!

Emma.x

[Chortle Chook]

So glad to hear that Hepzibah has pulled through