[North Devon Dumpling]

As I have posted before we did have 4 ISA's, 3 have now gone to the great hen house in the sky and although I have located more stock, still have been too busy to get round to getting anymore.  Another reason why I had put off getting more was that the remaining ISA about a month ago went really off colour and I thought she was on her way out, so thought I would wait until she had gone and thereby not have the fighting that introducing new hens can result in. 

She wasn't eating and her abdomen was like a big hard rubber ball (she hasn't laid since January and although her comb is still tall and pink I am quite sure she has stopped).  My diagnosis was egg peritonitis (not a stuck egg, I checked and couldn't find anything).  So I thought we will see how it goes over the next couple of days and then if things don't improve she will have to join her sisters.  Well... we have a cat that at that time was diagnosed with diabetes (another long tail  : ), this means that the cats now are fed twice a day very strict diets (even the non diabetic one) at the same time every day, no grazing.  The non diabetic cat couldn't get the hang of this to start with and often didn't finish her food, so as the chicken wasn't eating I thought might see if a little cat food would tempt her rather than chuck it out.

Long story shorter, she is now running about, eating like a mad thing (just worming her again, last done in Jan), loves cat food and has shown a full recovery.  Belly is soft again, no eggs laid but a back to normal hen.  Wonder how long she will go on now (by the way she will win in a fight for cat food now between her and the cats and for anything that falls off the table if we have a barbi!

Sorry if this is the wrong place, never can get the hang!

[compostqueen]

A little cat food is recommended, and like you say it seems to have helped your hen 

My hen was very poorly a few weeks ago and we thought she was a gonner but she seems fine now but no eggs.  Then she consecutively laid three softies.  I gave her a little tuna in spring water and last night when I put them to bed I found a lovely, perfect shelled egg from her, and another beauty this morning

I'm so relieved I could sing    However, my other hen who lays daily as clock work has sulked and no egg from her for two days    She's been eating a bit of tuna too so she has no excuse 

[Jeanette]

So pleased that she is better.