Emergency HELP

Alan. I hope that someone who knows a little about chickens will be able to help you.

I don't keep chickens but we used to keep birds and always put oil in their feed to help the eggs come out. Missing feathers on the back used to be caused by other birds.

Alan,

I suggest you look on www.omlet.co.uk under chicken clinic http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/

if you go back you will maybe find something that describes symptoms similar to your hen is showing.

If you really want to you could go to the emergency vets but without being harsh - is it really worth it in terms of cost? Only you can decide that.

When did she last lay? Piping oil down her may help if she is egg bound. An agg may have broken inside her causing an infection?

Honey or sugar and water are a good source of energy if she is not eating.

I hope this helps

The missing feathers on the back of the neck are from the cockerels doing what they do!!
Now either a cockerel has been a bit rough when mounting.
OR
You need to feel the chickens abdomen, if it is walking like a duck (waddling) and its abdomen is very soft and swishy then it has smething called 'Water Belly' or 'Ducks disease' The chicken will continue to lay until it becomes too painful. This is thought to be in older birds caused by the muscles becoming slack. The stretched muscle allows body fluids to fill the new cavity. The book doesn't list any treatments for this.
OR
If the abdomen is swollen but very hard it is likely to be 'internal layer and egg peritonitis' The hard area is caused by compacted egg yolksThis is caused by a yolk being released into the oviduct and dropping into the body cavity where they collect and build up. (INTERNAL LAYER) The bird unfortunatly will have to be culled. There is no treatment and will be very uncomfortable.
EGG PERITONITIS sometimes a chicken will sometimes drop a yolk for no real reason into the body cavity, the body sees this as a foreign body and inflammation starts this is 'egg peritonitis'. With this the hen usually dies very soon and few recover.
First signs of this problem are hen staying in her house, her comb becomes purple and have a high temperature, she will not feed. If this is the case for either of these culling is the only answer for the happiness of the hen.

I hope this info can help you diagnose what the problem is.
Lizz

Many thanks I will try piping olive oil with her tomorrow as well assugar and water.

Rock and a hard place. She is only about 32 weeks old and as you say vets fees would cost more than the price of a replacement. I know it sounds harsh but will try the above and hope for a sign of improvement. Here's hoping. I will give her another day or two and review the situation.

Cheers

Alan

Lizz
Thank you .There are no cockerals.I fear it could be water belly. It sounds very similar to your discription .

What would be the best ,easiest and quickest way of dispatching her.
If you don't want to openly give me this infomation you can contact me direct.

Many thanks

Alan

The way I have been tought - look away if you are squimish

hold the chicken under your left arm (right if left handed) so that you have your arm arround her and are holding her wings, I find talking to a calming your chicken will make the next stage easier and cleaner, when your chicken is clam with your right hand grasp the chickens neck, fingers ontop thumb underneath. have a firm grip and pull towards the chickens head and twist at the same time, this will break the neck, you should pull until you have removed the head, this may take a bit of effort depending on the size and strength of the chicken. There is a good chance you will be covered in blood so wear old clothing because its very hard to get out.
hope that helps, if anyone has a better way please correct me

Hi Alan,

Sorry to hear that the diagnosis is poor, any way that you can break the chickens neck is the best way, but it will take a few minutes for the chicken to stop flapping/fighting, this is the most distressing part. Due to my back problem, the easiest way for me to dispatch a chicken is to put the head under my foot, and pull. Or if doing the cockerels I use an axe and take the head striaght off. The later is the quickest way as you are sure the job is done, rather than realising that pulling and twisting hasn't worked.
Lizz

Hope I can help with this,

Firstly as a vet I can say that there are few vets who have a good grounding in chicken conditions and even the specialists usually make their diagnosis on post mortem so a visit to the vets may well be unproductive.

Secondly as for dispatching chickens wringing neck is more tricky than it sounds and often results in stranguation than a broken neck if you are un practiced. The easiest way is to hold chicken with wings behind its back and hit it hard with a peice of wood on the back of the head. Provided you hit it hard with a solid peice of wood it "won't know what hit it!"

Pip

Sorry if this sounds gruesome!

How is she doing?? Fingers crossed for you.

Failing Pips advice, do you know some one with an air rifle as that should do the trick and shouldnt be as messy. You can smoke the last cigarette for her while your "friend" does the dirty deed

ntg

Alan. I think that I can say with all truth that all the Grapes on the vine are watching this thread to keep up to date with your chicken. I hope that things are soon resolved. If you have to cull your chicken and it is the first time of carrying out such an act of kindness, Then don't forget we Grapes will be with you in spirit.
Jax

Alan
Any news on the chicken?

I was thinking of getting chickens but watching this thread has given me doubts. I'd like to think I could detach myself and not treat them as pets. My reaction to your predicament has proved I wouldn't be able to do this.

I hope there is a swift end to the suffering, whichever of the two options it turns out to be.

GOOD NEWS I THINK.

I took her to the vets yeaterday and he thinks she is eggbound and has advised warm soapy baths to help her relax, aparently this will help her pass the egg. She has picked up allittle she is eating a little and drinking water. Theonly down side is that she abserlutly stinks even after several baths. I was given a web page from an other Forum Allotments for all http://www.thepoultrysite.com/discus...=PoultryHealth

I have posted it as it mite come in usefull in case some one else suffers.

Many thanks for your support, I will keep you allup to date as thing hopefully progress.

Regards

Alan & Buttercup