[GrannieAnnie]

Before I start to trawl the big wide world of the internet, one of our new hens has an abscess on the side of her face, any ideas of how to treat it please?  Can't afford a vet.

[Aunt Sally]

Is it an abscess or just an infection grannie:?:   If it's a surface infection; bathe it with a mild antiseptic and use wound powder.  But if it is an abscess it would be much more difficult to treat and would probably need antibiotics  

[GrannieAnnie]

Looks more like an abscess, as its on her cheek, and it makes her look like a hamster!!!!  Can I get antibiotics without taking her to a vet?  I can't afford to take a 50p chicken to the vet and we have no PDSA around here

[Aunt Sally]

I think antibiotics would need to be prescribed by a vet.  Why don't you give the vet a ring and see if they will prescrible without seeing the chook.  Could be worth a phone call.  

But I suspect from your hamster description it would need cleaning out and possibly packing to heal it  

[richyrich7]

PDSA wouldn't even look at mine when one was ill said " not a domestic pet".
Don't think you can get antibiotics with out a vets say so grannieannie

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh dear richy, well, I'll try antiseptic stuff, see if it helps, may go away on its own, we'll see!

[Aunt Sally]

Poor chook  :cry:

[GrannieAnnie]

I know, poor little thing.  Hey Aunty you know those 20 chooks we bought last week?   We sold em!!!! lol

My daughter's boyfriend's mum decided she loved my eggs, and said if I have some chickens of my own, would their eggs taste as nice as yours Ann?  (she's a bit dim poor love, but a nice lady)  Of course they would as long as you look after them  I told her, anyway, her son didn't really want any, but when he came to pick up my daughter and grandsons today, he asked us if we can get them 20 for a couple of weeks time when he gets a fence put back round the goat shed we made (they bought our last house off us)  So he will have that 20, and we will go and get another 20 when our regional co-ordinator does his next rescue, so that's another 20 chooks saved from the dog food tin!!!!

[Aunt Sally]

Brilliant,  well done.  I'm sure the will love them  

[GrannieAnnie]

well, the boys took 2 dozen eggs back with them today for their other nanny  who actually didn't like eggs, because she said all the shops ones she's ever bought taste funny, but she loves our eggs and usually buys 2 or 3 trays a week from the local butcher.  He said they are free range, but they are oly £2.20 a tray and quite big, so I don't see how they can be.  That is toooooo cheap.  Even mine are £2.50 a tray and they are in Essex!

[Aunt Sally]

How's your poorly hen today grannie  :?:

[GrannieAnnie]

She doesn't look at all poorly Aunty, pecking around with the rest as good as you like!  I haven't been to any shops yet to see what I can get as we live 8 miles from the nearest town and OH doesn't like going there unless he has to, but we are going to Spalding on Tuesday for the chook food, and they have a big equestrian, dog, chooks and everything else shop.  Hoping I'll get something there, if not, I'll phone the vet and see what transpires.  Will let you know!

thanks for caring    

[Aunt Sally]

She sounds OK :!:  It's always handy to have a few remedies in hand.  I'd recommend some purple spray and some wound powder.  

I had to take Gerty to the vets today.  She has been a bit under the weather for a couple of weeks.  Soft shell eggs, runny mucousy poos. not her usual self.  Today she layed another soft shelled egg, yolk in the nest, shell and white in the run, then she layed a lash and apeared to be going down hill fast   :roll:  

I'm lucky our vet is about 200 yards up the road.  Gerty is on baytril for 10 days now. Vet only charged me £18. I thought that was quite good.

Let us know how your girl gets on

[agapanthus]

She sounds OK :!:  It's always handy to have a few remedies in hand.  I'd recommend some purple spray and some wound powder.  

I had to take Gerty to the vets today.  She has been a bit under the weather for a couple of weeks.  Soft shell eggs, runny mucousy poos. not her usual self.  Today she layed another soft shelled egg, yolk in the nest, shell and white in the run, then she layed a lash and apeared to be going down hill fast   :roll:  

I'm lucky our vet is about 200 yards up the road.  Gerty is on baytril for 10 days now. Vet only charged me £18. I thought that was quite good.

Let us know how your girl gets on

Hope both your hens are better soon

[wendy]

Hi Grannie Annie,try smearing some organic honey on the affected area,when one of my ducks got chased and caught by one of my pesky dogs,i smeared his neck with honey twice a day and it healed it.After the first day you could see a difference,so give it a try.i use it on all my animals if they get a scratch/bite.
could you also tell me what you are all using the cider vinegar for,

best wishes
wendy


ps the dogs got ignored for a whole week,no treats,they didnt like it.