[symonep]

We have a brown hen no idea of breed, she is 2. She stopped laying about a year ago now after laying soft shelled and then no shelled eggs but as she was healthy we kept her, well just because.
Today she hasn't moved, isn't interested in food, I let them out and she is just standing there and didn't want to come out.
I just picked her up and she is very wheezy.
Now do I take her to the vet and get her put to sleep, I really don't want to pay out on vet fees for meds if she isn't even laying. I really don't fancy the idea of dispatching her myself as I wouldn't have the first idea as to what to do but I also don't want her passing it on to the others if she has something.

Any ideas?

[Casey76]

Well you can't let her suffer in silence I'm afraid.  So you will either have to dispatch her yourself or take her to the vet.

If she is wheezing, you might want to treat the rest of your flock for a respiratory disease anyway, just to be on the safe side (tell your vet when you take the hen, and s/he should give you entough abtibiotics for the whole flock... remember to ask about egg withdrawal)

Sorry your hen isn't well.

[symonep]

Thanks, the vet can't see her until Thursday!! I wouldn't let her suffer at all but what can I do?
She is a little madam though because as soon as hubby came in she perked up, run out of the coop and ate some meal worms!

I can't find another vet that is open after 5 round here and work over the next few days won't allow me to take her in tomorrow or Wednesday 

[helens-hens]

Hi there. Personally if she has perked up a bit I would give her a chance. If she is carrying something I imagine there is a high possibility she may have already passed it on. Are you able to isolate her for a couple of days to see how she fairs?

Hope she gets better & things sort out.

[symonep]

Thanks, she has gone to sit I the coop. I don't have any where to isolate her at the moment will will try and get something to put her in. Even if she perks up I will take for a check over, she isn't wheezing now either, very odd

[helens-hens]

Have you tried tempting her to eat with a bit of layers porridge (pellets with some hot water, mix into a porridge type consistency and allow to cool a bit) - this would get some nutrients and water into her.

[symonep]

Will give that a try, thanks. She came out for some mealworms, hopefully it is just something and nothing! Thanks again

[jhub]

A vet can't see an animal emergency for three days- I find this difficult as we alsomehow chickens have a tendency to 'suffer in silence' so by the time they do present with symptoms they can be very unwell.
At least she's perked up so fingers crossed.

[symonep]

They can see her tomorrow but I can't just drop work like that, I wish I could but my job isn't like that, if she is still the same tomorrow I will try and get her to a different vet but I am working from 8 until 7 tomorrow.

[symonep]

She has just popped out the coop and has a nibble of the layers porridge (wow that went down really well with all of them!) she had a massive drink and did the oddest white poo  :blink:

She has gone back in now  so will see how she goes.

[thats1crazylady]

I hope she is ok this morning

[symonep]

Well she was up and out of the coop this morning, when I nipped back in from work she was just standing still, all puffed up and hasn't moved really. She get excited when I put in sme food but doesn't really eat it. She nibbled on a few mealworms but that was about it. No wheezing though which is good.

She has a really big croup ( is that what it is called?) would that indicate to anything?

[joyfull]

feel her crop to see if it is hard or squishy. Hard means that she has an impacted crop and squishy means sour crop (her breath will also smell yukky with this). You can find how to treat them both here

[symonep]

Thanks joyful, that had crossed my mind, will check her when I get in

[symonep]

Well they are all out in the garden munching grass, she is eating but just not with as much vigour as the rest, her croup is empty so I think she is obviously off her food, I just picked her up and she is skinny as a rake and also when picking her up she let's out a wheeze but is not wheezing when she breaths. I think her days are numbered now so will give her a little cuddle every night and pop her off to the vets Thursday morning