Hi there,

One of our ex-battery hens is looking a bit sick, she is moving quite
slowly, wings drooping and tail lowered. She has done this several
times before and I assumed she was egg bound, funny thing is i've
never managed to get her to pass an egg but she has always recovered
after a few days.
I've just felt around and under her vent and its far harder to the
touch than the other hens - some sort of pressure down there.

Surely if she was egg bound she would not recover as she has done in
the past without passing eggs. Any ideas what it might be and ways to
help her?
Thanks in advance,

Chris (in the UK)

Chris wrote:
Hi there,

One of our ex-battery hens is looking a bit sick, she is moving quite
slowly, wings drooping and tail lowered. She has done this several
times before and I assumed she was egg bound, funny thing is i've
never managed to get her to pass an egg but she has always recovered
after a few days.
I've just felt around and under her vent and its far harder to the
touch than the other hens - some sort of pressure down there.

Surely if she was egg bound she would not recover as she has done in
the past without passing eggs. Any ideas what it might be and ways to
help her?
Thanks in advance,

Chris (in the UK)

Cancerous tumours are common in these birds, as is egg peritonitis [a
cracked egg inside]
;(

Is she passing anything?
Is she eating and drinking?
What condition is her comb?

If you can afford it, you might try the vet to see if a more anatomically
knowledgeable pair of hands can help you. At least you get an opinion on
the bird from first hand experience.

--

regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks
Housing; Equipment, Books, Videos, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Working Holidays in Scotland
http://www.kintaline.co.uk

This time round i'm not sure about droppings as yet,

Comb is quite firm but last time turned a little darker than normal
and possibly a little shrunken (dehydration?)

I noticed this time how bulbous her abdomen looks and how firm it is
compared to our other healthy hens.
I was thinking about the possibility of tumours but if that were the
case I wouldn't expect her to 'recover'?

I have also done a little internal exam with a latex glove and some
oil to make things easier, I couldn't feel any obstructions of any
kind at least most of the length of my little finger! She didn't
complain too much about it either so it couldn't have been painful.

Yes I think our local vet may be the best option - although they
don't seem that knowledgeable about hens.

Chris.

Jill, thanks for your advice.

We took her to the vet today, he wasn't all that clear but appeared to
agree with the diagnosis. He didn't perform any surgery but sent us away
with antibiotics.

The hen looks a little better today but i'm not sure that's going to last.
Anyhow fingers crossed.

Thanks again.

Jill, thanks for your advice.

We took her to the vet today, he wasn't all that clear but appeared
to agree with the diagnosis. He didn't perform any surgery but sent
us away with antibiotics.

The hen looks a little better today but i'm not sure that's going to
last. Anyhow fingers crossed.

Thanks again,

Chris.

"Chris" <chris@pleasenospamprosser99.plus.com> wrote in message
news:4655e229$0$8731$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
Jill, thanks for your advice.

We took her to the vet today, he wasn't all that clear but appeared to
agree with the diagnosis. He didn't perform any surgery but sent us away
with antibiotics.

The hen looks a little better today but i'm not sure that's going to
last. Anyhow fingers crossed.

Thanks again.

The problem with hybrids is that they lay themselves to death. I started
with hybrids as most of us do, but egg peritonitis made me get pure
breeds. Okay, hybrids give you a lot of eggs all at once and then die. I
prefer to have mine live 10 years and give me eggs in the spring and
summer and early autumn. It's all right with me if they have a rest in
the winter.

Tina

Chris wrote:
Jill, thanks for your advice.

We took her to the vet today, he wasn't all that clear but appeared
to agree with the diagnosis. He didn't perform any surgery but sent
us away with antibiotics.

The hen looks a little better today but i'm not sure that's going to
last. Anyhow fingers crossed.

Thanks again,

Chris.

You are giving her the best chance.
My only advice now is to look at quality above quantity and if she starts
to decline to do the decent thing rather than ignore it.
Good luck and hope she rallies

regards
Jill Bowis

Yes, I see what you mean ... however, remember these are ex-battery so
giving them a couple of stress free free-range years at the end of
their life is surely a good thing? Maybe you dont agree? I'm sure the
group could debate this one for days!

Chris Prosser wrote:

Yes, I see what you mean ... however, remember these are ex-battery so
giving them a couple of stress free free-range years at the end of
their life is surely a good thing? Maybe you dont agree? I'm sure the
group could debate this one for days!

We have
grin

--

regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks
Housing; Equipment, Books, Videos, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Working Holidays in Scotland
http://www.kintaline.co.uk

Is there a recent thread or can you summarise the feeling?

I guess in an ideal world no one would buy battery (or barn) eggs or
meat and the issue wouldn't arise ..

"Christina Websell" <spamfree@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:5bm91oF2t5ncjU1@mid.individual.net...

"Chris" <chris@pleasenospamprosser99.plus.com> wrote in message
news:4655e229$0$8731$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
Jill, thanks for your advice.

We took her to the vet today, he wasn't all that clear but appeared to
agree with the diagnosis. He didn't perform any surgery but sent us away
with antibiotics.

The hen looks a little better today but i'm not sure that's going to
last. Anyhow fingers crossed.

Thanks again.

The problem with hybrids is that they lay themselves to death. I started
with hybrids as most of us do, but egg peritonitis made me get pure
breeds. Okay, hybrids give you a lot of eggs all at once and then die. I
prefer to have mine live 10 years and give me eggs in the spring and
summer and early autumn. It's all right with me if they have a rest in
the winter.

Tina

Yes, I see what you mean ... however, remember these are ex-battery so
giving them a couple of stress free free-range years at the end of their
life is surely a good thing? Maybe you dont agree? I'm sure the group
could debate this one for days!

Yes, it's a good thing to do this. I found that I got upset that most of