Pretty sick hen

aonb

Ive kept hens for years. My hens are as much pets, as anything.
Im stumped with this one
My "head" hen - smashing little Rhode Island Red cross - has been dying for over a week. I was sick myself while this was going on. Recovered now, so I have the energy to do something about her. Kept thinking she'd be dead everytime I went out to check on her. I cant dispatch her myself - not an option

So, symptoms - she suddenly started staying in the coop on the perch. Tail down, not eating/drinking. Eyes bright, nares clear, no wheezing/sneezing/coughing, comb/wattles good colour. Rest of the hens are all perfectly fine. At this stage shes lying in a straw filled nest box for the past 3 days - cant get up. Ive been syringing electrolites (in water) down her beak every few hours. The incredible thing is that this has been going on for 3 days - I keep expecting her to be dead when I next go out. I have a 9 year old (!) pure breed Rhode Island hen who is spending a lot of time sitting beside her in the coop.

Any suggestions/ideas - this little hen has a sour crop and was pretty ill about 3 months ago, but we got her through that - shes a tough little thing. Im nearly at the stage of bringing her to the vet to be put to sleep, but sinces shes fighting so bloody hard to stay alive.....

Kevhog1988

just put her out of her misery.

Base price

Did you check to see if she was egg bound.

aonb

Base price wrote: »

Did you check to see if she was egg bound.

yes.

IH784man

aonb wrote: »

Ive kept hens for years. My hens are as much pets, as anything.
Im stumped with this one
My "head" hen - smashing little Rhode Island Red cross - has been dying for over a week. I was sick myself while this was going on. Recovered now, so I have the energy to do something about her. Kept thinking she'd be dead everytime I went out to check on her. I cant dispatch her myself - not an option

So, symptoms - she suddenly started staying in the coop on the perch. Tail down, not eating/drinking. Eyes bright, nares clear, no wheezing/sneezing/coughing, comb/wattles good colour. Rest of the hens are all perfectly fine. At this stage shes lying in a straw filled nest box for the past 3 days - cant get up. Ive been syringing electrolites (in water) down her beak every few hours. The incredible thing is that this has been going on for 3 days - I keep expecting her to be dead when I next go out. I have a 9 year old (!) pure breed Rhode Island hen who is spending a lot of time sitting beside her in the coop.

Any suggestions/ideas - this little hen has a sour crop and was pretty ill about 3 months ago, but we got her through that - shes a tough little thing. Im nearly at the stage of bringing her to the vet to be put to sleep, but sinces shes fighting so bloody hard to stay alive.....

Had a couple of hens do that,I think it's something similar to a stroke,was she one one side?.

Willfarman

I think all stock owners come by a case like this from time to time and hard as it is you have put it down. Set your mind to it it. Don't over think it and don't hesitate. It's an unfortunate part of responsible stock ownership.

aonb

Willfarman wrote: »

I think all stock owners come by a case like this from time to time and hard as it is you have put it down. Set your mind to it it. Don't over think it and don't hesitate. It's an unfortunate part of responsible stock ownership.

Yup! I treat all my animals as pets, and overthink it every time not cut out for this animal stuff, but brought her to my 95 year old neighbour and she dispatched her for me - should have done it sooner, but she was a super little friendly hen and had recovered from similar before - see! overthinging again!!

Base price

aonb wrote: »

Yup! I treat all my animals as pets, and overthink it every time not cut out for this animal stuff, but brought her to my 95 year old neighbour and she dispatched her for me - should have done it sooner, but she was a super little friendly hen and had recovered from similar before - see! overthinging again!!

Sorry to hear that you lost one of your pets but it was the correct thing to do in the circumstances. I know this may go against your thinking but would you consider getting your 95 year old neighbour to teach you how to dispatch fowl correctly. Personally I think that it is a skill that all poultry keepers should possess.
Did you open the hen to see if there was any signs of illness/abnormalities considering that there did not seem to be any obvious external symptoms?

aonb

Total wimp and couldnt do it myself. In theory, I know how to do it (my neighbour has done it for me before) but just couldnt bear to do it Would bring them to the vet to be put to sleep if necessary ...