Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: mollybilly on November 10, 2011, 10:42

Title: poorly hen
Post by: mollybilly on November 10, 2011, 10:42

i have noticed one of my hens looks like she has blood coming from her rectum. she occasionaly kind of pecks at it so i prsume it is irritating her slightly or just uncomfortable. she is eating and drinking well, and walking around with the other 6 hens. This has only appeared this morning. any advise???

Title: Re: poorly hen
Post by: joyfull on November 10, 2011, 10:53

Hello and welcome. If she has signs of bleeding is it from the feathers being plucked out or is she being attacked by the other birds? Either way you need to remove her from the others as they will eventually attack her - the sight of blood always has this effect. has she recently laid an egg or has she got an egg stuck inside her? Has she had a prolapse?
Do you have any germaloids or similar to treat her if it is a minor prolapse? Do you have any purple spray to disguise any redness?
If she is egg bound then sitting her in a sink of warm water for 30 - 40 mins may help her pass the egg. Towel dry her and then using a hair dryer on a warm setting give her a blow dry - do not put her back outside whist she is damp.

I have removed your 2 other posts asking the same question,
Joyfull, moderator.

Title: Re: poorly hen
Post by: mollybilly on November 10, 2011, 11:27

thank you for that!!!
She is not at the mow being attacked and ther are no signes of feathers being plucked out! she is not laying eggs yet, she about 7 / 8 months old, seems fit and well although today her tail is slightly down, should i treat all 7 hens for coccidiosis???

Title: Re: poorly hen
Post by: joyfull on November 10, 2011, 11:30

what condition are her poos? Have you looked at our poo chart here :-

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=17568.0

Title: Re: poorly hen
Post by: joyfull on November 10, 2011, 11:31

has she ever laid because really she should be at that age. What breed is she?

Title: Re: poorly hen
Post by: mollybilly on November 10, 2011, 11:50

as far as i am aware she has not yet laid, she is a speckled lady. I have checked out the poo and up to now all seems normal.
out of the 7 hens i have only 3 are laying although 2 are 7/8/ months and none of them are laying as far as i am aware! (a speckled lady and a choc wyne dot??) they were hand reared.

Title: Re: poorly hen
Post by: viettaclark on November 11, 2011, 23:33

Speckledies are late layers.....mine was 37 weeks before she started laying softies. She only laid a few proper eggs before she got broody. Glad to say she's back to normal now!
Just keep an eye on her but could be the start of laying.