Suddenly very ill

C

Cab

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I've got a bluebell hen called Jane, who has always been a little cracker. She'll dash across the run an jump on to my arm on the off chance of treats, full of beans the whole time, and a smart one too, always getting more than her fair share of anything by putting her body between any treat and the other hens.

On Friday she was showing signs of getting a bit broody, but nothing that couldn't be solved by getting her out of the hen house. On Saturday a friend brought a child round, and as ever she was the first to run up for treats.

Last night she seemed not quite right - just not interested in anything, and but she went to bed. And she didn't get up, just sat on the perch, and didn't want to get up this morning.

And all she's done today is sit there. No sign of impacted or sour crop, she's not egg bound, she's not acting broody. I took her to the vet who can't work out whats wrong - nothing sounding wrong in her heart or lungs, but its obvious even feeling her today that she's losing weight quickly. Shes wormed of course, no sign of mites or parasites, but she has no interest in feeding. She vomited some greenish tinged water when I upturned her to look at her back end, which is a little mucky but not suspiciously so.

Vet has given antibiotics and steroids, so she's on those - worth a shot because she's a good layer (although not laying right now of course - and it'll be some weeks before we can eat her eggs if she starts laying again). Vet also said its 50:50 whether Jane gets better, which I think is vet-speak for having no clue whats the matter. I fear its peritonitis.

Ironic that on the day I check back in to report that my hen who isn't laying is still not laying (but otherwise fine) that such a spritely, reliable layer should suddenly take a turn like this.

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions, let me know!

Cheers,

Cab.
 
Thanks Marigold.

One day (two doses of steroids, three of antibiotics with another to come later) and she's slightly perkier. She's at least looking to see whether there might be some treats when I walk past, and I threw a little wheat into the run and she was interested.

I've turned the area under the house into a chicken borstol for her (same area I've been using to deal with broodies) and given her some bedding under there for comfort, and her own water and food. I don't immediately think she'll be infectious (no signs of problems with the other girls) but a bit of space to herself will be good. I don't want her to be out of sight of the others, that would distress her more I think.

I've soaked some layers pellets in water, seems to be easer for her to take those right now.

So she can get out and walk a bit now. In no way out of the woods!

In a way it would make a heck of a lot more sense to neck her and my unproductive leghorn and replace them with two POL coming in to autumn. I'm too soppy to do that until I've given Jane a few days on antibiotics to see if she's got a chance of getting better.
 
She's still alive!

I wouldn't have thought it likely on Monday, but she's still with us. And perkier today than yesterday - still not talkative, still not eager to come for food, but slightly more interested in whats going on around her.

Cross your fingers...
 
Didn't want her medicine today. Thats a good sign! She's pootling about, not as vocal as she normally is and certainly acting all humbled. Muck at her back end isn't as wet as it was (she didn't really have the runs but sulking in one place it made a mess).

She's responding when the other girls get treats - wanted more grain this morning.

So far so good...
 
Thanks Marigold.

Fourty quid at the vets - which considering she's (1) more than hand tame, actually very friendly, (2) a very reliable layer when she's well and (3) a beautiful animal who fits in well with the flock, I figured it was worth a punt keeping her alive. I was in two minds about it, but glad I gave it a shot :)

Anyway, she's broken out of chicken borstol. She's managed to pull the tent pegs holding the chicken wire separating her from the main run out of the ground and wriggle under - no one has managed that before! And when I got home she was chilling out with the other girls.

If you didn't know her you'd say theres nothing wrong with her. But she's still slow, she's still not all there - she's usually at the front of the queue for attention and treats, she'll usually jump on my lap if I sit in the door to the run. She's not there yet, but I can't believe how much better she is.

The Vet thought it unlikely that what she had was transmissible, but I wanted to keep her separate because a bit of alone time to recover would do her good, and just in case it WAS transmissible. Having broke back in with the others I guess thats all screwed up now!

Spotted a couple of yolky poos on the ground. Suspect they're hers - look a bit like the eggy poos you occasionally get from a POL just coming on to lay. I'll keep an eye on that - is she maybe coming back in to lay so soon?
 
Hi Cab.
Glad to hear Jane's so much better. Here's hoping her recovery continues.
Perhaps the eggy poos are from your leghorn? Perhaps you've got her worried? :D
 
Glad she's getting better, but I expect it had occurred to you that forty quid would have left you with some change after getting those two new pullets.....
 
Marigold said:
Glad she's getting better, but I expect it had occurred to you that forty quid would have left you with some change after getting those two new pullets.....
Click to expand...

Oh absolutely. And when I saw the state Jane was n I could've gone either way on what to do!
 
Jane is happy enough. She's well, she's happy, but not laying again yet. I'll give her a bit longer, see what happens.
 
Hi Cab.
If she's well & happy and you're not having to buy too many eggs from the shops, that sounds like a result to me... ;)
Glad all's well that ends well with her.

Just edited my post having read in your other thread that Lizzie didn't make the cut. Sounds as though you made a very pragmatic & courageous decision.

The Chalk Hill website says that Sussex hens lay "tinted" eggs. I'm not sure how much paler these are than eggs from your standard LBH (Columbian Blacktail, Goldline etc.); if & when Heidi comes into lay, or if another keeper of Sussex hens posts a reply, we can let you know...


Like you, I quite like to be able to tell who's laid what, so I recently added the above mentioned young utility Light Sussex to my flock together with a (cream Legbar cross) Chalkhil Blue, who produces ~45g - 50g pale blue shelled eggs most days, & a Marans / Welsummer cross who lays 55-60g dark brown eggs, plus about 20% double-yolkers. (Today's was 82g, poor thing :-)07 )
It's nice to be able to keep tabs like that.

Keep us posted on whatever you add to your flock & how the integraton goes. Oh, and if you get a Cream Legbar hybrid, make sure that you or Cambridge Poultry clip her wings - they can't half fly!!!
 
Thanks ice maiden :-)

Got two new girls today. Cream legbar and another leghorn. They're in the spare run, settling in for a bit. Looking happy enough - I posted about them just now in the general chicken forum.
 
I'll nip over to "General Chicken" (sounds like a character from a Nick Park cartoon ;-) & have a read. Wings clipped??
 
Icemaiden said:
Wings clipped??
Click to expand...

Not yet. I'm certainly going to need to clip the leghorn after seeing my last leghorn leap on to the 6' 6" garden wall, then the first story roof of the back hall, then flying off down the street. The screams of all the local kids running in fear still echo - and the laughter of their mums at the sight of children running away from a tiny white chicken :lol:

Think I'll probably need to clip the cream legbar - but she's such a softie I almost don't want to. Still, needs must...
 
Worried about Jane again. Quiet, sad looking, acting like she's too hot and not right this evening. Lurking on her own in the hen house.

Doesn't look like its just a mood. No sign on any crop problem or being egg bound. I just wonder whether whatever caused her problem last time has returned - I obviously don't want to put the poor thing through a repeatedly recurring inflection.

I'll keep watching her through the weekend. Fingers crossed, but I fear the worst :(
 
And she's fighting fit again, apparently. Dunno what's going on with this chicken!
 
Yet another update.

Good news - she's laying.

Bad news - she's laying very soft shelled or shell-less eggs. And its messy and getting eaten.

This has been going on for best part of a week, she's got plenty of shell and grit to eat if she wants. Fingers crossed she'll sort it out, but I can't think this is healthy for her :(
 
Marigold said:
How old is Che, Cab?
Click to expand...

She was point of lay purchased at Easter - 17 weeks old at the time I believe, so that means she's getting on for 10 months. Just a youngster really - which is probably a major factor in her overcoming her infection!
 
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