Mrs Potts Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I think Hettie is feeling the cold. She's asleep in the walk in run, standing on one leg but when awake is constantly trembling and fluffing up. She's off her food a bit - nibbled the bit of tuna on warm pellet porridge and is too blind to see meal worms now though she can still see the grub and dried corn. I have hand fed her some meal worms but she wasn't greatly interested. Pellet food has poultry spice in it and the water has apple and garlic in it. Her comb is deep red and her vent/eyes/nose are clean. I have tried separating her to feed, but she gets very distressed if I do this. She completely ignores the food and spends her energy trying to get to the other two (they return the compliment). Hettie went bonkers over white bread cubes, which I flung across the garden for the wild birds and a few landed in the run. You would not have known it was the same hen, so gave her a handful on the basis it was carbohydrate and she is off dried corn but I know this is not good for her so will try some warmed sweetcorn. These are my first hens so I haven't had to deal with old age issues. She might just be dozing her way into the great meadow in the sky? She's probably about three now and is an ex-battery. Any advice on how to keep her comfortable greatly appreciated or should I just let her handle things as she wants to and not interfere? Thank you. Mrs P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeky Chooky Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Awww Sorry I haven't got any useful advice but I just wanted to say it sounds like you're doing all you can at the minute and please give Hettie a *hug* from me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 sounds like you are doing all the right things...she is getting on as an ex bat I think so you must be a good mum. Rather than bread (tho my girls do love it) have you tried porridge both wet and warm and dry with the odd sultana (remember to tell the girls they are dried grapes). Hope she feels brighter soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Give her a check over for mites as they can cause a hen to slow down for no apparent reason. From what you say though it's probably s combination of old age and the cold To be honest when it's this cold I have no qualms about giving my chooks corn by the handful, grains make their digestive system work harder which in turn keeps them warmer. If she can be tempted by bird seed or some corn then let her have it - once she is back to normal you may have a battle to get her back on pellets though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Potts Posted February 11, 2012 Author Share Posted February 11, 2012 Hello to you all. She has spent the day either asleep standing up or in the house ... but she is still here. Cheeky - She is the only one who does let me hug her, so will include yours tomorrow. LindaFW - Will definitely try porridge tomorrow morning and will put 'grapes' on the list and thank you for the compliment on my skills. I think I just got a nice bunch of characters - they took one look at me on arrival and thought 'blimey, she needs all the help she can get'. Redwing - mites, will definitely check her tomorrow for these because I had not thought of mites in this weather but of course should have done. Did give them handfuls of grain for supper and that makes good sense. I'll see if she wants to come out in the garden for a bit of excitement tomorrow, just for a short while as we are on an irregular fox route, up the side of the house, straight up the lawn and over the back fence. Also, one pooed outside the WIR, unknown to me. I whizzed up the garden at night in my work coat recently, put the torch down in the dark onto fox poo, tucked torch under my arm, then bent down to pop torch on floor, trailing my scarf in same pile of fox poo but with the aim of having two hands to tuck my scarf in and do up my coat ... trapping fox poo inside my coat, over my jumper and all up my jeans. Came bumbling into the kitchen thinking 'wow, those hens could do with a clean out, I can smell them from here' ... Mrs Potts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeky Chooky Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Oh bless her...do hope she's ok Sorry but I really did at the fox poo story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 fox poo did the smell ever go?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Potts Posted February 11, 2012 Author Share Posted February 11, 2012 No, it didn't come out. It was a black wool M&S coat, so I took it to the dry cleaner and explained what it was but they could only fix it in three days. So as it was my only coat - absolutely nothing else - so had to go and buy another work coat from M&S, which was the only place open and I now have a grey woollen coat that makes me look like a womble. It DID however, make me go and buy an anorak for Use with the Chickens. It has a nice furry hood and is machine washable (and it was half price, which makes up for the cost of the new one, kind of). Got the black one back with an apology - there is still a smudge on the coat, under one arm (but it doesn't smell!). I have gone from one coat to three in the space of seven days (which is riches for me). I can now model for leisure activities, work and funerals. Mrs Potts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Smedley Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Hi, Just a thought- a well as red mite have they been wormed lately? Not sure if this would be the best time to worm her (I'm sure someone more knowledgeable would be able to tell you) but it might be a good idea to do the rest if you think it might be that. Having had ex-batts , 3 years is a really good age- you've done well. Maybe she just REALLY, REALLY doesn't like the cold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I too have an exbat (not sure of age as a rescued exbat ) but going through a shocking moult. She put herself in the greenhouse which I thought was warmish (it was sunny day) but the bottom has board not glass and she was in the shade, she was stood as you describe. I picked her up intending to put her in full sun covered run but she was freezing to touch. (it was nice in the sun) and I sat cuddling her till she warmed up . She then had a good feed. I make sure mine are not left to get cold and expend energy trying to keep warm when all energy is needed for regrowth. My vet even warned me to take care of her (not needed ) he reckons a lot die in the severe cold, and I happened upon a defra site warning people to take extra precautions (fat lot of good really people won't go looking for that info there) give them a heat source and they will use it..(i think that speaks for itself) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Smedley Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Mrs Potts - how is she doing? Hope it is good news & she has bounced back. At least the weather is due to get a bit warmer this week - maybe that will help. Interesting re the last post & how cold her ex-batt got- do you have a "Snugglesafe"? - maybe that would help? Anyway, thinking of you & fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Hope the warmer week helps.. Yes I use ssafe but she sleeping indoors at the moment.. Must say I was shocked to feel her so cold, all over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottledcherryangel Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I hope your hen is OK - I laughed out loud at the fox 'poo' tale, causing my colleagues to glance my way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
