DESPERATE for ANY help. Infection, pin feathers, vent, doing everything I can to keep her with us.

[Helens_Hens]

It took a lot of courage amidst your emotional pain to do this, both the euthanasia and the necropsy. The first time is the hardest, but now you know the relief for both your chicken and you is worth it.

Thank you so much I really needed to hear this.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

UPDATE.
I dispatched Frida this morning. She was showing improvement, but I knew she was suffering. I wish I would have done it sooner. Because I did a necropsy. I wanted to know for sure what happened. And was worried about my other flocks. And I had every right to be worried. It was not EYP, she wasn't egg bound, it wasn't vent. gleet.... She had internal bleeding, broken ribs, and several punctured organs the worst being the lung. This however was not a new wound. She was in advanced state of sepsis. And was full of green old blood. This is where I get so mad.... Because my neighbors have no sense of responsibility for their dogs. And yes I know it was a dog cz she was securely cooped at night safe from predators and my dogs are inside unless we are out with them. I'm glad I decided to do a necropsy, I know without a doubt that she wasn't contagious or infected with something that my other girls could get. But she died from something that is just as deadly to them. If anyone is interested, these are the photos. They are not pleasant but neither was doing it. And warning this is my first necropsy ever. View attachment 3139080View attachment 3139081And if I'm being honest.... She was the first animal I have ever had to dispatch personally. It was hard on me emotionally to work up the courage to do it, but It wasn't about me... It was about her and ending her pain. I was nervous I would only hurt her worse and not succeed, but after many YouTube videos I did the broomstick method and it was fast and painless. For her anyways.Thank you all for the advice and the concerns. And I'm sorry if I was snappy the other day, I was just so upset and was taking everything personally. View attachment 3139086

I'm sorry to hear about Frida.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

UPDATE.
I dispatched Frida this morning. She was showing improvement, but I knew she was suffering. I wish I would have done it sooner. Because I did a necropsy. I wanted to know for sure what happened. And was worried about my other flocks. And I had every right to be worried. It was not EYP, she wasn't egg bound, it wasn't vent. gleet.... She had internal bleeding, broken ribs, and several punctured organs the worst being the lung. This however was not a new wound. She was in advanced state of sepsis. And was full of green old blood. This is where I get so mad.... Because my neighbors have no sense of responsibility for their dogs. And yes I know it was a dog cz she was securely cooped at night safe from predators and my dogs are inside unless we are out with them. I'm glad I decided to do a necropsy, I know without a doubt that she wasn't contagious or infected with something that my other girls could get. But she died from something that is just as deadly to them. If anyone is interested, these are the photos. They are not pleasant but neither was doing it. And warning this is my first necropsy ever. View attachment 3139080View attachment 3139081And if I'm being honest.... She was the first animal I have ever had to dispatch personally. It was hard on me emotionally to work up the courage to do it, but It wasn't about me... It was about her and ending her pain. I was nervous I would only hurt her worse and not succeed, but after many YouTube videos I did the broomstick method and it was fast and painless. For her anyways.Thank you all for the advice and the concerns. And I'm sorry if I was snappy the other day, I was just so upset and was taking everything personally. View attachment 3139086

I am truly sorry for you having to go through this. You did what you could. It was the right thing in letting her go.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I was worried I was too harsh everything was so personal because I was blaming myself. People don't realize how powerful words are. Even if it wasn't meant to be hurtful it sure sounded that way and I'm not sure About you but my BYC app doesn't include the "tone of voice" feature lol

Justified, IMHO. I have witnessed a certain level of assumption from some that have the attitude that anyone new ‘in the brooder’ must therefore lack experience. Indeed, we all bring something to the table and that is the attitude that should be held when replying to a request for help…especially from a new member. There’s one chance to make a good first impression.

 

[Hassett chickens]

Could it have been green muscle disease?

I am 100% a noob to chicken doctoring (though I am a wound care doctor myself for humans...) but one day I grilled one and cut into it and the meat was bright green. Some googleing that day lead me to green muscle disease.

Sorry your lady died. I got one right now thats 50/50 and its tearing me up inside. I really like that chicken.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Could it have been green muscle disease?

I am 100% a noob to chicken doctoring (though I am a wound care doctor myself for humans...) but one day I grilled one and cut into it and the meat was bright green. Some googleing that day lead me to green muscle disease.

Sorry your lady died. I got one right now thats 50/50 and its tearing me up inside. I really like that chicken.

Green Muscle Disease crossed my because of the coloring, but the poor hen clearly suffered trauma as evidenced upon taking a closer look. I'm no expert, vet, etc. but looking at the photos the green was seen around what looked like puncture wounds. Could have been a combination of infection and bruising, but just a guess.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Thank you so much I really needed to hear this.

I'm so sorry to hear she didn't make it. You did the right thing putting her down. I'm glad you did necropsy to answer some questions at least. I lost a hen last year and still don't know why. It's the worst part of having them IMO. But sounds like she was in worse shape than originally suspected, so it was right to cull her. Sometimes it's just more cruel to keep on trying. Good call Helen
Signed Helen from Neb.

 

[Hassett chickens]

In a human green would not be gangrene. Gangrene is almost always brown or dark brown/black.

A bacteria called pseudomonas commonly causes a green discoloration and smells fruity. Very obvious when I walk in the room with a person with a pseudomonas infection. Smells like bannanas mixed with apples.

Bile is also green in color if gallbladder was injured.

But ill stop commenting because I know nothing about chickens.

Sorry again for your loss.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

In a human green would not be gangrene. Gangrene is almost always brown or dark brown/black.

A bacteria called pseudomonas commonly causes a green discoloration and smells fruity. Very obvious when I walk in the room with a person with a pseudomonas infection. Smells like bannanas mixed with apples.

Bile is also green in color if gallbladder was injured.

But ill stop commenting because I know nothing about chickens.

Sorry again for your loss.

This gave me horrible smell flashbacks from my ED days.

 

[Kathy L]

So we have several chickens and they all stay in the coop and attached run... With the exception of Free range Frida. She is an 11 month old Andalusion hen. She somehow manages to escape the run several times a day since we've had her for the past 6 months we have done everything to keep her in the run but she is Houdini chicken and that's not where she wants to be so we just let her free range hence the name "Frida the free range chicken" She always puts herself back up at night, has always seemed healthy other than her comb being completely laid over. But since she is always free ranging during the day I don't see her as often as I do my other girls so I don't get to look her over and look for physical changes or see any signs of behavior change. But day before yesterday my husband noticed that she was acting lethargic she wasn't active at all she was hiding in weird places behind pallets under the house and she wasn't running whenever he tried to pick her up. so I was looking for her all day yesterday to try to take care of her and find out what was going on with her but I could not get to her because she was underneath my house...the deepest darkest depths of the underworld that is underneath my house. I laid next to my foundation with a flashlight staring under my house watching her for 2 hours last night trying to get her to stay awake but I could tell she was slowly fading and finally I saw her take one big last breath and she put her head down and never lifted it up again as I was constantly screaming at her stay with us, she never flinched and the visible signs of breathing stopped so I cried and broke down. My husband said he would get her out the following morning from underneath the house since it was so late last night. So we went to bed and woke up this morning and he went to go get Frida and lo and behold Frida is still alive she was barely alive but she was still alive so he gets her out and brings her in and I immediately thought she was egg bound she has red around her vent swelling feather loss so I soaked her in a warm bath. She's very lethargic and hanging her head down sleeping. She did manage to drink a little bit of water and eat just a few nibbles of some cornbread muffin. I have forced some egg and electrolytes down her throat with a large medicine dropper and as I was inspecting her vent while soaking her I realized that it is not her vent, she's not egg bound like I thought she may have been. The problem is above her vent and there is a large and highly infected spot that I think may be infected pin feathers. But I have no idea. I cleaned her wound extremely well and ever so gently then sprayed it off with some hydrogen peroxide and slathered it with Neosporin and honey. I know honey is amazing for home remedy's such as antibacterial and also anti-inflammatory properties. I have her inside the house in a dog crate still trying to get her to eat a little bit and drink some but she will not lift her head. I have been inspecting the rest of Frida a little bit more and I have found a few large holes and other wounds, closer to the back of her neck. And underneath her on her belly, it's greenish blue! I couldn't get the best photo but I think you can definitely see the color I'm referring to. View attachment 3137307View attachment 3137309View attachment 3137310View attachment 3137311View attachment 3137312View attachment 3137313View attachment 3137315 Her skin honestly looks so horrible there's so many spots on her that absolutely break my heart how could I have let this go unnoticed I just always thought Freda the free-range chicken was happy and healthy but has something been attacking her out there has she gotten into something or is the whole reason she gets out of the run everyday because she is trying to get away from the flock? maybe are they picking at her but I have never seen them do it. I don't know. I'm just so disappointed in myself that I did not have a clue she was in this shape! I just thought she loved free ranging and she was good at it because nothing ever got her, no predators or anything so we felt it was the right thing to do, let her be herself. I'm doing everything I can to keep her with us. We love her so much she's a very brave and feisty girl and I swear I saw her die three times last night and for her to still be with us, she's got a lot of fight left in her so if y'all could please help me fight I will take any advice.

WARNING the pictures below are pretty gross. But I have since cleaned the wound.