[jhub]

Hi everyone,
I haven't visited for a while but hope you can offer some advice about my 4 years old hybrid.
I know she's an older girl by hybrid standards but she's been under the weather recently.

A month ago she had early stage sour crop but recovered with trestment and was well for a couple of weeks but yesterday I noticed she was fluffed up, tail down and not interested in treat food. She's drinking a lot and has foul smelling diarrhoea. Her crop feels very firm but otherwise no other symptoms. She doesn't feel egg bound but hasn't laid for a couple of days since she's been ill.

She was wormed and front lined in May and I gave her a warm bath yesterday as her rear end is very dirty.
I've bought her into the house and given her some white maggots which she ate enthusiastically.
My vets are not chicken savvy- there is one a couple of miles away but he charges £80 for a consult.
I do have antibiotics in stock so could start her on them but would appreciate some advice or ideas first.

Many thanks,
Jane

[ANHBUC]

Welcome back Jane.  Sorry your hen is under the weather.  The only thing I can think is the blockage might be in the gizzard.  Hopefully the maggots will help but I have lost 2 hens this year due to them eating bedding.

When you say her crop feels hard is it the same on a morning as this could be caused by a blockage or impacted crop?  I would keep up with the maggots a few times a day for a few days and see if that helps.  If she gets worse it is best to take her to the vet.  There is a list of poultry friendly vets on HERE and another one HERE

I hope she makes a quick recovery.   

[jhub]

Thanks for your reply ahnbuc.
I brought her in to the house so I can can check her crop again in the morning- it might be impacted as one of the other old hybrids has been laying soft shelled eggs in the nest box which has aubiose as bedding and I noticed the ill one eating the egg along with some bedding.

Thanks for the list which I've used before when my cream legbar developed Mareks- I travelled 25 miles to a 'poultry vet' to watch him consult a website with the signs and symptoms before reaching the diagnosis and left with some homeopathic treatment. At least it cost only £20.

There is another vet on the list fairly nearby which I'll try tomorrow if she's no better. She is my favourite hen and the local children love her too- I suspect they might be learning about the harsh realities of life in the near future.

Thanks again.
Jane

[jhub]

It's not an impacted crop but she's still not right. Her poo is watery, urates are very yellow, (nothing like the pics in the poo chart) there's very little faecal material as she's not eating layers so has lost a lot of weight. She's less lethargic and no longer 'ruffled', her tail is up, eyes bright and comb pink and healthy. She stopped laying at the onset of this illness but there are no outward signs of egg binding and I can't feel one.

I've been giving her poultry tonic and scrambled egg with honey and she's on antibiotics. The fluff feathers around her vent are soiled and I'm having to bathe her rear end every day to prevent fly strike.
I know she's an old girl and I'm reluctant to give up on her but am I delaying the inevitable or worse, being cruel?

[New shoot]

Oh dear, this is a tough choice to make 

What did the second vet say?  I assume the antibiotics came from them    If she's not responding, I would give them another call. The improvement in perkiness may just be because you are getting some food into her.  The illness may still be progressing.  You need a vets help to determine this.

If they can offer no other treatment, personally for an older hen (4 is not a bad age for a hybrid), I would be thinking it may be best for her sake to end it now.  Sorry    I am a big softie when it comes to my lot, so I understand how hard this is 

[jhub]

Thanks New Shoot
'Could be kidneys or an infection or just a failing old girl' and I really don't want to stress her with another visit to the vet.
Maybe she could continue antibiotics whilst i maintain her current diet/ care and review situation when antibiotics finished- unless she deteriorates in the interim.

[ANHBUC]

I agree that I would not put an older hen through a trip to the vets unless absolutely necessary.  Unfortunately only you can make the decision on when it is time to let her go.  Not a choice any of us like to make but you know her best and I am sure you will know when the time comes.  I would keep up the treatment as you said as you have nothing to lose.   

[New shoot]

Hmmmmm - sounds like the vets don't really know either, so I'd agree, the stress of another visit isn't worth it.

Fingers crossed she pulls though jhub.  Sounds like she is receiving the best of care and like ANHBUC says, you'll know if it gets to the enough is enough stage 

[jhub]

An update
The vet prescribed different antibiotics which were effective and Nugget resumed her usual routine except she had stopped laying eggs.
She was fine until Friday evening when I noticed her breathing was rattly once again and she had no interest in eating. I started her on the reserve antibiotics from the vet and put her in the quarantine coop. The following morning she was no better but no worse, I syringed some honey water into her and washed her mucky vent. When I checked at lunch time she was gasping for breath, her comb was blue tinged and she was obviously distressed. As the vet is only 3 minutes drive I arranged to have her put down immediately but Nugget had a fit and died in my arms when I took her out of the coop.
A sad end for my oldest and favourite chook.
Sigh

[mrs chook]

Sorry to hear that :-(

[compostqueen]

Oh dear I'm sorry to hear about your old girl. You did what you could though to make her last days comfy and she's had a summer of the sun on her back, which is a good thing    Four years old is good going for a hybrid so  she's had a good innings bless her.

My husband, who didn't want chickens so I didn't tell him I was getting any, cried when our first one died    They get to you don't they     You could bury her under her favourite spot in the garden 

[ANHBUC]

So sorry to hear about Nugget, she was lucky to have a loving owner who will miss her but have fond memories.

If you have a dog I would think twice about burying her in your garden.  My friends dog decided to exhume her 3 hens last week (1 had been buried for nearly 3 years).  This long spell of hot weather must have triggered it but she was distraught and then had to dig up and dispose of them.   

[Prod]

Sorry to hear about Nugget.  I wish I was harder and not the old softy I have become. I never thought keeping chickens could be so emotional.  I have lost 3 young birds recently and I buried each one on the field, either wrapped up or in a box, with a little rose/flower on top.  I buried them fairly deep and put loads of stones on top then soil.  My dog wouldn't dig  but you never know what's around. Good job I live in a very rural isolated area, I would probably be sectioned if I lived in a town!!!!!

[Sassy]

So sorry Jhub. You did your best for her and also gave her a great life. My hybrids didn't even get to three so not bad going it was just her time.

Prod - you would be more likely to get sectioned in the countryside than the town. Countryfolk don't understand the attachment to hens!! Townies are far more sentimental

[Prod]

So sorry Jhub. You did your best for her and also gave her a great life. My hybrids didn't even get to three so not bad going it was just her time.

Prod - you would be more likely to get sectioned in the countryside than the town. Countryfolk don't understand the attachment to hens!! Townies are far more sentimental

No wonder I get funny looks from the farmers!!!   Ive already been asked about 4 times do I keep them to eat and hen I say no they are more like pets and the eggs are a bonus  I do get 'old fashioned' looks I must say!!!    I just think that life (& death) deserves some recognition no matter what it is....... either that or I could be scarred from a child when next door's budgie died and Mr Walker flushed it down the toilet.  I begged my mum she would not do the same to ours and when the time came he joined the many goldfish/hamsters/guinea pigs etc etc at the bottom of the garden, each marked with a cross made from lolly pop sticks.......   just a mo... someone at the door......oh its a couple of guys in a white van  with some sort of restraining jacket.......................