I went out to feed my flocks and just so noticed a Turken hen (Mortisha) stumbling, like she just couldn't keep her balance. She kept wanting to fall backwards. I went on and watered, and then fed. Another hen bumped into her, and she fell down, so I reached in and took her. The rooster Gomez is not happy with me right now!
Anyway, I was checking her for injuries and noticed her rear-end and belly are swollen, and dark colored, almost like a huge bruise. From about two inches below her vent to her belly. She's a turken, so they don't have feathers there. I even looked on several of the other hens, and they are nice and tight and pink colored. It almost feels watery, if that makes sense, and the bruise is not on top of the skin like normal. It's like it's under the skin. She also had a very small sore on her foot, but I'm not sure those are related.
I put her in a separate cage, and she's eating and drinking, but I'm not sure what to do. She's a pet to my kids, and I don't want to lose her.
I'm thinking the worse already. Like her bowels or something have leaked into her abdomen. I'm sure that's possible, right? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. If my camera was working I would post pictures, but it died on me. Thanks Everyone.
1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Chicken, Turken Breed, Age about 1 /12 years, normal weight
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Loss of balance, falling over.
3) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Just a little sore on her foot, but probably not related.
4) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I don't know.
5) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Yes, she's doing so now.
6) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
I don't know yet, she hasn't in the last few minutes that I've had her separated.
7) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Separation, food and water.
8 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Heal her myself.
9) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
10) Describe the housing/bedding in use
She was in a large coop and outside (but fenced in) area with six other hens and a rooster.
We feed them four-grain scratch, layer, and some garden left-overs, but they haven't had any garden goodies for a while, plus they sort-of free range in their large pen.
Anyway, I was checking her for injuries and noticed her rear-end and belly are swollen, and dark colored, almost like a huge bruise. From about two inches below her vent to her belly. She's a turken, so they don't have feathers there. I even looked on several of the other hens, and they are nice and tight and pink colored. It almost feels watery, if that makes sense, and the bruise is not on top of the skin like normal. It's like it's under the skin. She also had a very small sore on her foot, but I'm not sure those are related.
I put her in a separate cage, and she's eating and drinking, but I'm not sure what to do. She's a pet to my kids, and I don't want to lose her.
I'm thinking the worse already. Like her bowels or something have leaked into her abdomen. I'm sure that's possible, right? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. If my camera was working I would post pictures, but it died on me. Thanks Everyone.
1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Chicken, Turken Breed, Age about 1 /12 years, normal weight
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Loss of balance, falling over.
3) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Just a little sore on her foot, but probably not related.
4) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
I don't know.
5) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Yes, she's doing so now.
6) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
I don't know yet, she hasn't in the last few minutes that I've had her separated.
7) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Separation, food and water.
8 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Heal her myself.
9) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
10) Describe the housing/bedding in use
She was in a large coop and outside (but fenced in) area with six other hens and a rooster.
We feed them four-grain scratch, layer, and some garden left-overs, but they haven't had any garden goodies for a while, plus they sort-of free range in their large pen.
Last edited: