Old hen - Any tips to keep them happy?

[Lechugapicante]

Hi all, I have an older disabled hen, 8 years, blind with coordination issues. I have to keep her isolated so I worry about her. I do move her to a separate enclosure once a day for some yard time.

One question I have is if I should hold her on my lap regularly. She was never a cuddler with me in her younger years. I wonder if now it would be comforting though to get pets and engagement. What do you think?

Do you all have any tips for keeping aging hens happy and cared for?

Thanks!

 

[MrsMeanGreen]

I am still fresh in my chicken keeping, so I haven't had the honor of caring for an aging hen yet. With that said, my completely inexperienced opinion is that if she wasn't a cuddler before then she probably isn't now either. I think sitting near her and spending time with her plus the sound of your voice is probably comforting. I would also think that with her vision and coordination issues, if you introduced someone new, it may make her fearful/stressed since she knows she can't protect herself.
However I am sure someone on here has some great suggestions for keeping your lady bird happy in her sunset years.

 

[texsuze]

Kudos to you for thinking things through for your special needs girl! Your setup in the pic looks good--fresh air, easy access to water/food, in the vicinity and hearing range (?) of other flockmates yet protected from pestering. Only concerns would be preventing predators (including dogs & cats) from getting to her if you are not around.

If she doesn't squawk when you pick her up to move her to her pen, she might not have a problem being held in your lap for a few minutes. One of my BA special needs girls was cooperative when I moved her around during the day--I guess she knew the game plan and was happy to be near others.

Keep an eye out for 'poopy bottoms', since fly strike can sneak up on the special needs hens quickly--ask me how I know.

I've had several elderly girls who needed extra care over the years and never regretted giving them the time and constant concern they deserved. Good luck!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Your hen has rooster coloration, was that something that happened along the way?

Haven't dealt with a blind chicken yet so not sure what to suggest on that front, but I do currently have an 8 yr old hen that's got mobility issues. Not so bad that she can't be left with the flock, but I do separate her in the morning so she can eat in peace (she'll just lie down in front of the food bowl and put her face in it) and she no longer free ranges at all, or if she does come out, she'll only step outside the door, lie down in the grass and eat whatever she can reach while lying there. During treat time I hold the treat jar in her face so again, she doesn't have to move and doesn't have to fight off the others.

I do have to check her for poop sticking to her, as she spends so much time sitting.

Mine doesn't mind being petted but doesn't appreciate handling beyond that, so I don't go out of my way to pick her up.

Assuming you have other birds, it might be comforting if you can move your hen close to the flock during the day so she can hear them at least, even if she can't see them.

 

[Lechugapicante]

Thank you for your responses! These are all great tips.

She is an interesting bird! A few years ago she came back from a molt looking super fancy! I actually posted on here and received some skeptical responses. Some thought that it wasn't the same bird, haha! Others theorized that she had something happen to disrupt her hormones, she also stopped laying after that. So she looks like a rooster now, spurs and all! Here she is in her younger years pre and post transformation!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you for your responses! These are all great tips.

She is an interesting bird! A few years ago she came back from a molt looking super fancy! I actually posted on here and received some skeptical responses. Some thought that it wasn't the same bird, haha! Others theorized that she had something happen to disrupt her hormones, she also stopped laying after that. So she looks like a rooster now, spurs and all! Here she is in her younger years pre and post transformation!

Very cool, thanks for the before and after photos. I agree that it's likely something hormonal and the fact that she stopped laying would correlate with that too.