Author Topic: poorly hen - another one! (Read 1873 times)

zoe_emma · « **on:** May 14, 2013, 11:19:26 am »

Yesterday we noticed one of the hens was limping a bit, and now she seems to have gone to bed in a nest box and doesn't want to get up. She is head up and alert, looking around and telling the others off if they stand on her, and eating and drinking when it is put within reach for her. She does not have the body language of a sick animal, just wont get up.

The woman from BHWT said on sunday that the limping ones would right themselves when they had built up muscle tone by walking around? Could she have overdone it a bit on her first day out?

What should I be doing for her?

Thanks everyone x

doganjo · « **Reply #1 on:** May 14, 2013, 12:24:04 pm »

Take her out of teh box and let her walk around to see if you can assess the problem. Might be bumblefoot which needs medication, but might just be a simple strain.

Keep us posted.

zoe_emma · « **Reply #2 on:** May 14, 2013, 12:35:40 pm »

Thanks - I have had to come to work but will be leaving at three on the dot regardless of what anyone says.
I'll get her out as soon as i get in. Assuming she hasn't got herself up and about.

This work business is really getting on my nerves now - I need to be at home not here

in the hills · « **Reply #3 on:** May 14, 2013, 02:07:06 pm »

How long have you had your ex-batts?

Bumble foot is definitely worth checking for if you have had them a while. Guessing that they don't in general get the condition in the cages they are reared in at the battery places but if you have had them a while it is possible.

Are they jumping on and off perches. I was told not to have perches in initially because they weren't strong enough to manage them.

Have you any cockerels? Again told not to let mine run with our boys for a month or so due to their lack of strength.

Kept ours in a smallish run with shut in coop attached for the first month or so.

Hope she is up and about when you get home.

zoe_emma · « **Reply #4 on:** May 14, 2013, 02:56:28 pm »

We only got them early Sunday afternoon, so it's early days yet.

They are in a coop and run, being kept quiet for a week or so. We have no cockerel.

There is a perch but none of them have attempted to get up there yet. I haven't lifted any up as I just thought it was too soon. I am in last lesson of the day and its not going fast enough!

zoe_emma · « **Reply #5 on:** May 15, 2013, 09:20:12 pm »

well, poorly girl update.
She is still in the box, but still quite perky. She is eating and drinking, and today I saw her stand up and have a bit of a preen. She didn't put her weight on the leg, but did lightly place it on the ground for balance. This is an improvement as to start with she would only stand on the good leg and only then if we stood her up.

So it seems she is getting better just very slowly. Thanks for the advice.