[freerangechicks]

Hi,
Can anybody advise me please what could be wrong with one of our hens?

She has been with us for approx 5 years now and has been a superb hen full of character and a great layer she is a white sussex.

Over the past few months she has slowly deteriorated to the point where she is now walking around most of the time with her beak slightly ajar, she has lost lots of weight and struggles to eat, i have hand fed her and she will occasionally take some soft foods but generally just pecks but appears to be unable to take anything into her mouth. Although when she sees me coming she will run over and see what i have to offer with great interest. She has been taking herself away from the other hens for over a week now and is often found with her eyes closed at the side of the run.
Now today i have investigated further and she appears to have some sort of growth in her throat, i would really like to be help her if i can......any suggestions anyone?

I should say we think she is still laying most days also!

Thank you in advance

Sarah

[barley]

it wouldn't be gape worm would it

they are a parasite that attaches itself to the inside of the throat

do you worm your hens ?

[themagicaltoad1]

Could be an abscess, sounds like a trip to the vet might be necessary. Sorry to be pessimistic but It doesn't sound like she is going to last long if she's not able to eat, it might be kinder to end it for her if you don't want to take her to the vet.

[ANHBUC]

I agree that a vet would need to be consulted, it could be impacted crop or a growth but best to get professional advice if she is unable to eat.

[rogersimons]

rather than kill it as a last resort you could open the crop up and empty it flush it out with clean preboiled water cooled down  then sew it up .ive not done it myself but there are some good you tube videos on how to do it backyard style just search compacted crop in the utube search bar. as long as your not shy of stinky horribal stuff you be suprised how little it bleeds as long as you miss the main vains and the hen dosnt feel hardly anything a good tip is to cover the head and body in an old towel.i think if i had a hen that was going to die anyway i would give it a go the ones on the you tube made full recovery..

[rogersimons]

you could try some of thease ideas first  http://www.practicalpoultry.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1371420989 the live maggots seem to work well as with corn oil.id try them first before try home surgery

[LittleRedHen]

Our hen of the same age had a growth in her neck.  I took her to the vet, as she was suffering.  Unfortunately, he told me that he had only removed a growth like that once from a hen and she died.  He did not recommend the surgery.  We had to put poor Tilly down.  Please take your hen to the vet, but realise that the results may not be very positive.