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Author Topic: what could be going on with this chicken  (Read 4211 times)

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: what could be going on with this chicken
« Reply #15 on: November 03, 2018, 12:15:01 pm »
I have to agree with macgro about culling, except that I wouldn't eat the hen either - but because you don't know what's wrong with it, plus you've given it a whole load of meds, so it's not ideal, safe food for humans. I'm also concerned for your health with a sick animal sharing your living and eating space.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: what could be going on with this chicken
« Reply #16 on: November 03, 2018, 12:26:00 pm »
What are you feeding Q? Does she have grit available?
Mine seem to prefer whole soaked wheat, my poorly hen is eating a bowlfull now, but the others, cockerel especially,  will peck at her in their cage (cage in polytunnel with access to outside), so she eats and sleeps in a pet carrier.  Yet OK outside.
Moulting can highlight problems but not for 10 months?
Surprised she's laid eggs if she is so weak? Was she worse after laying eggs?

Q

  • Joined Apr 2013
Re: what could be going on with this chicken
« Reply #17 on: November 03, 2018, 01:46:06 pm »
Thanks for your replies but my original concern was whether she was in pain and how to identify it.
She has been fed on layers pellets with the occasional scrambled egg or porridge and greenery.
I will only cull her if she is suffering and its difficult to determine if she is - having said that - you are all right - its not an ideal life for her as a hen. She spent some time on the allotment with me doing the scratching and dirt bathing (not me - the hen) that she should do but the next day she was overwhelmed again for a few days.
The eggs are interesting because we considered if she was eggbound when we originally bought her inside but when she recpvered we assumed not.
She is only a year old and came from the annual school hatch so she came to us as a 6-8 week chick with the others.
She is very bright and alert as you would expect her to be.
If you cant beat 'em then at least bugger 'em about a bit.

mab

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • carmarthenshire
Re: what could be going on with this chicken
« Reply #18 on: November 03, 2018, 04:37:02 pm »

.... She spent some time on the allotment with me doing the scratching and dirt bathing (not me - the hen) that she should do but the next day she was overwhelmed again for a few days...
probably a stupid question, but you are sure that neither you nor your predecessor have used slug pellets or other nasties on your allotment?

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: what could be going on with this chicken
« Reply #19 on: November 03, 2018, 05:52:04 pm »
You have been keeping that hen in your kitchen for 10 months now. Is it worth it?
Don't take personally, I don't want to be rude, but honestly how many chickens have you eaten during this last year? This one has obviously had much better life than all commercial broilers.
Much better taste as well. Much better end for the animals as well. It's been suffering for months and months already.
I think that's a bit unfair macgro. :thinking:
Who says the hen is suffering? Don't you think Q is in a better position to judge than you are?
If you had an illness that made you feel really crap at times would you expect to be euthanized or do you think the good times when you didn't feel so bad made life worth living?
Q obviously cares a lot about this hen and has put a lot of thought and effort into trying to get her right again. So I think Q is quite capable of deciding when or if to put the bird to sleep. And I think it's most unfair to tell someone who is obviously sincere and realistic in the care of their bird, that it should be put to sleep when you've never even seen it.  :sunshine:
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: what could be going on with this chicken
« Reply #20 on: November 03, 2018, 06:25:33 pm »
I think it's time to finish this post.  No-one has been able to offer any concrete diagnosis of Q's hen's illness, several of us, me included, have given our opinions. Q has made his/her decision so there's nothing else to say, and TAS shouldn't be doing squabbles.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: what could be going on with this chicken
« Reply #21 on: November 03, 2018, 07:22:18 pm »
I think it's time to finish this post.  No-one has been able to offer any concrete diagnosis of Q's hen's illness, several of us, me included, have given our opinions. Q has made his/her decision so there's nothing else to say, and TAS shouldn't be doing squabbles.


Without wishing to fall out with you Fleecewife, I actually think that's a bit unfair also! So it's ok for you to agree with macgro and you're quite happy for there to be several more posts after that, one of which was another helpful suggestion today, by mab. But as soon as I voice an opinion opposite to yours, then it becomes a "squabble" and the subject should be closed. We're all entitled to our opinions. It doesn't make it a squabble - it's called open discussion. This is a forum for heavens sake, and as yet we don't know if the slug pellets is a possibility.   
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

Q

  • Joined Apr 2013
Re: what could be going on with this chicken
« Reply #22 on: November 03, 2018, 08:47:42 pm »
Again, thanks for all of your answers - they are all valid and worth consideration.
No possibility of slug pellets or other pesticides / chemicals as the bird was bought up in my enclosed back garden with 11 others - 9 of which were sold leaving me with three - the other two are still in the garden and healthy and laying.
The only thing that would occur to me was when they got hold of some polystyrene and were breaking it up before I noticed - it was all the birds - not just this one.
She hasnt ever looked so ill to me that I considered putting her down - If I did that without knowing she was in pain then it would be just for my convenience - this wont happen.
Its hard to describe fully but the problem does seem to be the inability to walk and curled up feet - almost like a mild dose of Mareks but the other birds are still healthy.
I will be trying some of the options suggested and will update at some future time.
I also understand that if the bird was being kept in any kind of commercial way it would have been culled on day1 back in January - my choice was to give it every chance to recover.
This is possibly why no-one has had this cycling of illness recovery.
If you cant beat 'em then at least bugger 'em about a bit.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: what could be going on with this chicken
« Reply #23 on: November 03, 2018, 11:25:16 pm »
I think it's time to finish this post.  No-one has been able to offer any concrete diagnosis of Q's hen's illness, several of us, me included, have given our opinions. Q has made his/her decision so there's nothing else to say, and TAS shouldn't be doing squabbles.


Without wishing to fall out with you Fleecewife, I actually think that's a bit unfair also! So it's ok for you to agree with macgro and you're quite happy for there to be several more posts after that, one of which was another helpful suggestion today, by mab. But as soon as I voice an opinion opposite to yours, then it becomes a "squabble" and the subject should be closed. We're all entitled to our opinions. It doesn't make it a squabble - it's called open discussion. This is a forum for heavens sake, and as yet we don't know if the slug pellets is a possibility.


 I was just being Mummy trying to keep the peace on a forum I love, but clearly I've made it worse. Sorry Q to disrupt your question.


I mainly wanted to make the point that eating the hen was not a good idea for health reasons - but as Q does not intend to eat her, that is irrelevant.


OK I'll shut up now and go back to my  :knit:
« Last Edit: November 04, 2018, 12:24:41 am by Fleecewife »
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

in the hills

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: what could be going on with this chicken
« Reply #24 on: November 04, 2018, 11:51:58 pm »
Have you popped her to the vets? If she is a pet I think I would just let the vet take a look at her.


Vitamin deficiency? Something that affects the nervous system and hence the curled toes. DimethiSo that periodically presses on the nerves.


We think that we had Marek's in our Friesian Fowl. From what I have read it is a very variable disease in symptoms and severity. Some breeds seem much more prone than others and I've heard that Friesian are more susceptible.


We had one hen that lived for several years but would have 'relapses' every few weeks. She would be weak etc but then gradually recover. She was still able to live with the other hens though.


I think that if she was my pet I would pop her to the vet. You might not want any expensive treatment carried out but there maybe a simple cure or at least you could ask whether the hen was likely to be in pain and put your mind at rest.

 

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