Mostly blind hen with other issues

[bobbi-j]

I should also comment that I was unable to find any evidence of mites, though I realize they can be very difficult to confirm.

It may not have been mites. Things happen sometimes that are beyond my control. All I know is, a normal, healthy broody will not die on the nest. I understand your reluctance to try it again, though.

 

[TheResidentialFarm]

It may not have been mites. Things happen sometimes that are beyond my control. All I know is, a normal, healthy broody will not die on the nest. I understand your reluctance to try it again, though.

Maybe it wasn't mites. That's the hard part--the not knowing. Now every time I hear a chicken sneeze or see one sitting off by itself, I expect another to go down.

But alas, I think our mostly blind hen may be best put down. Yesterday my husband did morning chores and put her food and water on the ground (from off her perch) but didn't actually put the hen on the ground. She didn't make the hop down (about 2.5-3 feet) all day and therefore didn't have access to her food and water until I lifted her down from her perch. A side effect is that she's now getting more wary of us because we pick her up multiple times per day to get her on and off her roost. I don't think this is sustainable for our lives right now.

 

[Saaniya]

Don't cull her ..
Let nature handle everything ..
If we can care do it don't end her life if she's able to eat nd drink its great let her live she's ur pet

 

[Sara Ranch]

It's not an easy decision to make. I adopted quite a few vision impaired chickens (both genders). It took awhile to notice the problem, observe how it affected them, and make a plan to work with them.

The chickens do like their independence. Like humans, they adapt to their limitations. I had several that I really thought the most humane thing to do was to cull them. Instead, I worked out a new plan for them.

Like you, I had to put them on the roost and take them off the roost. I had to carry them into/out of their housing. They don't like it. Now I open up their space during bright daylight hours, tell them it's time to go to their room for bed. It's bedtime. I have sand on the floor, so it's softer when they get down. They are now the first ones in the their room for the night. They usually wait until everyone else has left before they jump down in the morning. I talk them out of the room and to the outside. Sometimes I have to herd them with my legs/feet. I talk them to the feeding station. When I have time, we go for walks together to practice following/listening/using my voice. I am blessed that I have the patience and the time to work with them. I'll keep them going as long as I can. When they tell me they are ready for chicken heaven, then they will go to chicken heaven.

Can you provide a lower/easier to access nesting spot for your girl?

I have a ramp for some of my girls (who are sight impaired). That makes it easier for them.

If you are close to WV or willing to meet somewhere, she could come here to live out her days. She'd be fine with my senior citizens.

 

[bobbi-j]

Maybe it wasn't mites. That's the hard part--the not knowing. Now every time I hear a chicken sneeze or see one sitting off by itself, I expect another to go down.

But alas, I think our mostly blind hen may be best put down. Yesterday my husband did morning chores and put her food and water on the ground (from off her perch) but didn't actually put the hen on the ground. She didn't make the hop down (about 2.5-3 feet) all day and therefore didn't have access to her food and water until I lifted her down from her perch. A side effect is that she's now getting more wary of us because we pick her up multiple times per day to get her on and off her roost. I don't think this is sustainable for our lives right now.

You need to decide what's best for you and your flock management. If she were mine, I'd be putting her down too. I work full time, DH farms, and neither of us have the time to care for a special needs chicken.

Don't cull her ..
Let nature handle everything ..
If we can care do it don't end her life if she's able to eat nd drink its great let her live she's ur pet

Sometimes letting "nature handle everything" is more cruel than ending an animal's poor quality of life. Sometimes when you let nature handle everything, animals have a slow, painful death. Pets or not, sometimes it's best to let them go.

 

[TheResidentialFarm]

Thanks, everyone for weighing in. I agree that "nature handling everything" is often more cruel than putting an animal down. I have a special needs horse that could likely stay alive for her natural lifespan without medical intervention for her issues, but without certain therapies and pharmaceutical pain management, she would be constantly miserable. If the day comes that I can't keep her comfortable anymore, I will absolutely put her down rather than watch her be uncomfortable and dull for another decade. This hen is similar.

She's starting to adjust to living with the ducks, starting to get off her perch by herself (though we added wall mounted food and water so she's covered wherever she is), and as of yesterday, we left the door to the duck house open so she can venture out in her own time. I'd like to see how she does this way for a little while before making any more decisions. In my mind at least, a lot rides on her ability to regrow her feathers. If she's half naked going into winter, I'll constantly worry she's too cold in our northern climate.

 

[Sara Ranch]

I'd love to hear how things work out.

She may cuddle with the duckies in the winter. Can you add a heat source? Is the duck house insulated?

Usually the feathers grow back with the next molt. Several chickens I adopted were wearing bikinis. The existing few feathers grew healthier with their diet and their environment (here) being better (than previous living conditions).

The great molt of the senior citizen flock is nearly complete. Some girls have grown into winter wear. Others just haven't picked up [grown] the needed feathers... I'll watch them to see how they do. This group huddles in smaller groups outside when it's cold and inside at night, so they may be ok. Our temps have been in the 40's at night, no heat in their house, and they've done ok. And they may still grow in some feathers. There's time.

My one week old baby chicks, still wearing their fluff, are begging to free range in the house. *sigh* Time to put them in a larger brooder or give them some free play. (Hard to believe they are a week old! But that's what my calendar says!)

 

[TheResidentialFarm]

I can update as things progress. That might leave me with a bit of journal to help track how it's going.

The ducks are currently in their summer house in the garden. It has a solid roof, but is essentially a large dog kennel reinforced with pallets and sheet metal so nothing can grab sleeping ducks through the grating. It's great for ducks in summer because it has so much airflow, but in early October, they'll move into the front room in the insulated chicken coop. There are low roost bars in the front room, so she could still live with the ducks through winter and at that point, interact with her old flock through the fence between yards if she ventures out in the cold.

We'll see if she grows back the feathers during her molt (a few of her sisters are in the "it looks like someone stuffed me into a sack and shook me up" stage). At least 3 times since we've had her, she's been covered in pin feathers on her back and shoulders, DH and I are pleased she's growing feathers back, and then before the feathers unfurl, she's suddenly bare again and we don't know why.

 

[TheResidentialFarm]

Ground Layer is doing much better than I expected! Well, she looks awful because she's half naked and COVERED in pin feathers....but she's eating and drinking and doing normal chicken things!

We gave her a ramp of the same style as in the main coop, and she can now get up and down from her roost without help.

She has wall mounted food, grit, and water as well as ground food, grit and water, so she doesn't need to leave her roost if she doesn't feel like it.

She's ventured outside several times (that we've witnessed) to briefly scratch and peck. She also scratches around in the straw in the duck house. I've tossed her a couple cherry tomatoes to find.

The ducks are sort of vaguely curious about their new friend, but definitely don't bother her.

The next transition will be moving the ducks into the front of the chicken house in the beginning of October. Hopefully the duck house doesn't get too cold for her before then. I'm looking forward to seeing what she looks like with new feathers!

 

[TheResidentialFarm]

Ground layer looks better than I've ever seen her. Her new feathers are growing in quickly and thoroughly. She dug a dust bath for herself, knows where her food and water are, and manages to find (eventually) the tomatoes I toss for her.

I have seen one concerning behavior though, and not just one time, but up to a couple times per day. As she's pecking around in the grass (which is very short outside the duck house), she will suddenly run backwards 8-12 feet while whipping her head back and forth in the air. It's how I imagine she'd react if someone surprised her by grabbing at her head. After she snaps out of it, she seems fine again, but none of our other chickens do this.

Any ideas? It seems almost neurological.