Poorly chicken

[sapphichicks]

I am thrilled today. Two of my hens who went through a moult in autumn have begun laying eggs again. They are totally unrecognisable from their previous feathered state, even colour. They look like new hens! But sadly at the same time a hen who a neighbour found in our lane and who set up home with me and become a favourite is dying. She has been to the vet but the vet just tells me to stop getting ex batts and buy some decent hens. I will never stop with my ex batts. They give you so much pleasure and joy, even if you have to deal with a lot who die frequently and unexpectedly. Oh I worry I am not worming them often enough, every 3 months, should you do it every 2 months? Mine free range and have more chance to pick up things. My run outside eglu is a muddy mess. I will have to rethink that area in spring. Any ideas? They range mostly on my lawn which is large and the shrubbery. Thanks. Lucy since May 2010 GNRLaura GNRRed since November 2011 GNRGinger (she found me in spring)

[counturchickens]

Well done those girls! don't like the sound of your vet much though, sorry to hear about your poorly girl. We have had ex batts, and some do live to quite a good age. i think once a quarter is ok for worming, no doubt others will suggest their regimes. I'd also recommend wood chip for their run to keep the mud down.

[blueandwhite]

Sorry to hear about your poorly girl. I have read somewhere (might be on here) that pegging very heavy duty ground cover sheet down and covering in wood chips stops run getting so muddy and is easier to rake out. I guess that if run isn't covered it would have to be the type to let water through or you would end up with a pool! I haven't got round to doing that yet, so girls run is muddy at the moment. I just have a classic eglu and run so I have pushed some timber through the sides to make perches. At least they can get out of the mud when they are confined to barracks!

[Grandmashazzie]

Sorry to hear of your sick chicken.The weather is awful we have had to put extra tarpaulin over WIR,also bark chips were still saturated so put sawdust on top I don't know how long this will last,roll on spring and hopefully dry weather.

[sapphichicks]

Thanks to all who replied and ideas. I will have to sort the mud out in spring. Eggs continuing. Poor Ginger has not eaten since yesterday. She is lying rather than sitting now. I could not believe she lasted the night. She opened her eye and gave a little "coo" to say hello. I hate these sad times which seem to come all too frequently. I believe all animals sense your emotional state and I always try to seem up with them even though I am feel really upset. She is in a cardboard cat box on a layer of small woodchip with a small towel to rest her little head on. I go in to see her every half hour or so but I wonder if its best to just leave her as she always opens her eyes when she hears or senses me in the conservatory. She was such a wonderful hen, so friendly, a real escapee. She could find ways to get over fences or under a hedge unlike any other hens I had before. No wonder she escaped her original home. She used to follow me around the garden cheeping to me. I prefer hens to die naturally though they take a long time in my experience. I had a bad experience with the vet taking a hen to have her put to sleep. The vet struggled to find a vein and I felt all the stress of getting her to the vet, and having to see her in that state means I do not go to the vet at these times. How do others cope?

[jackian]

I am sorry that your lovely girl is so poorly .

Fingers crossed!

This time of year is always a struggle and if only all the mud and sludge would go away we would feeel more able to cope .

I have had 2 girls PTS by vets and most vets it seems have very little knowledge when it comes to chickens.

One of my chickens Florry I feel sure now that I have got more experience I could have saved .

I am making a new resulution to keep away from vets unless urgent.

[Mrs Potts]

Hi.

 

I am very sorry to hear she is so ill. Like you, I separate hens who seem this ill as I think peace and quiet and passing away at home are usually best. I had one put to sleep by the vet because I thought she was in huge discomfort and that was the best decision for her, in that situation.

 

I think your vet sounds harsh and clearly doesn't get what potential we see in our ex-battery hens. How very disrespectful to you as a customer and hen as patient! Don't give up on the vet as a back up; is it possible for you to ring around to see if some have more experience than others?

 

Our usual vet told me there was "not much research on hamster illnesses" whenever our hamsters had to visit, on repeat, every visit so I changed vet. I rang around when I started having hens. I go to a rural practice and she was a bit bemused at first, but she is great now and very respectful, and lets me do the holding.

 

Take care and a big hug.

[sapphichicks]

Thanks for the advice and thoughts. My poor Ginger died today. She opened her little eye when I opened the cat box at 8am but she did not open her eyes again. I feel very sad but she was well loved. Such a lovely little hen. On the issue of vets, my vet is the only one who has actually had poultry training so I do use her. She has saved one or two of my hens in the past. But I do think she sees me coming and thinks I am wasting my time. I have learned a lot about chicken care and health and treatment over these years. It is difficult as so few vets know anything about hens. I have 3 other girls left and intend to get more ex batts in the spring when they become available. Thanks again.

[missusmac]

Very sorry to hear that At least she was well loved, as you say.

[auntielizzie]

Sorry to hear about little Ginger. It is so sad to lose a much loved hen. I still miss my Betty who died a few weeks ago, who was such a little sweetie. Sending hugs x