Author Topic: Swollen chicken (Read 3195 times)

egbert · « **on:** April 21, 2010, 08:30:26 pm »

Hi

Ok, I know I keep worrying about this chicken, and I think I am going to have to get it looked at to set my mind at ease.

One of the chickens - I am guessing its the same one I keep worrying about - seems quite enlarged. Compared to the other 4, including the other 2 ex-bats, it looks obese. But it is walking about, eating, clucking . . . I would say it seems happy. So do you get fat chickens, or am I worrying for no reason? I have read online about all sorts of things like stuck eggs and infections that cause swelling, but they all suggest she should be lying about feeling sorry for herself?

Is there any point me taking it to a vet, or maybe I could ask the chicken breeder we got the Coppers from to have a look . . .

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2010, 08:50:24 pm »

if your worried and its a pet take it to the vet.

egbert · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2010, 09:26:46 pm »

Hmm - dont know if it is so much a pet, but does that make a difference. I don't want any animals in my care to suffer?

These are my first ever chickens so I don't have the experience to know if there is a problem, however I have the chickens for the eggs (as I told my MIL this is not a rest home for old chickens) so if it is ill or not producing I am happy to be practical. Sorry if that offends anyone?

doganjo · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2010, 11:55:23 pm »

post soem photos on here, we can maybe help. If she doesn't seem ill tehn she probably isn't. I'm not offended certainly!

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #4 on:** April 22, 2010, 06:58:46 am »

not at all. most chucks are culled if they become seriously ill. just that some prefer to check what it is first. if you think its suffering kill it. if its happy acting normaly wait and see.

egbert · « **Reply #5 on:** April 22, 2010, 10:36:44 am »

OK - here are some photos - I hope this works. Not easy to take photos of her as whenever I try to get close to her/the run, all the others come to stand next to me.

Anyway - looking at her today and she doesnt seem so big - maybe its just my imagination. I think I am going mad. However one of them - not sure which, has laid an otherwise perfect egg apart from a strange lumpy bit that looks like an umbilical cord made of shell. Is this normal and ok to eat?

doganjo · « **Reply #6 on:** April 22, 2010, 11:41:22 am »

Egg is fine to eat - you often get mis-shapen ones.
She looks Ok and quite perky to me. MAybe she was the one that laid that egg

egbert · « **Reply #7 on:** April 22, 2010, 12:33:02 pm »

Great - thanks for looking. They do seem to be enjoying the sun and their new life outside of the battery farm! I did not want to get attached, am trying very hard not to, but I do like going out to watch them!

Roxy · « **Reply #8 on:** April 22, 2010, 12:53:37 pm »

Ex batts often lay funny eggs, but all safe to eat.

As for your hen, she looks well for an ex battery one. Probably was eating all the feed in the cages, so she turned out bigger than the others. I have a couple who are twice as heavy as the ones that came with her!!