Hello!
My hens are pets, I only have 4, a mixed flock.
My Salmon Faverolle has possibly never laid; at best, maybe VERY seldom laid. She's always been much slower and far less high-strung than the others. I've suspected her of being blind or deaf or maybe a little mentally challenged. But she'd had great quality of life and never actually seemed sick up until a couple of days ago.
For the past couple of nights, I noticed she wasn't roosting. She was just laying on the floor. Yesterday she wouldn't move and at and when I moved her, she would just sit wherever I put her. She wouldn't stand or walk.
Today she's just laying and sleeping, on her side even, and seems to not even have much control of her feet. She won't open her eyes for more than a few seconds, didn't eat yesterday or today, and is only drinking what I'm giving her (some pedialyte, some water with crushed up calcium, some water with ACV....yes I've tried it all). I also gave her an Epsom salt bath which she seemed really content with and happy but I don't know that it actually helped anything.
Her poop is white and watery (no surprise) with just a little dark green. I had a couple actual droppings during the bath, but other than that, just white runny stuff.
Her crop is totally empty.
When I feel her lower underside, I do feel a large egg-shaped (but smaller/not as hard) mass. Do you think she is an internal layer? Is there anything I can do?
If not, please help me with when and how I should put her down. I don't want her suffering, but I have never had to kill a chicken before and I don't know the best way to do it, or when "it's time."
Thank you so much!
My hens are pets, I only have 4, a mixed flock.
My Salmon Faverolle has possibly never laid; at best, maybe VERY seldom laid. She's always been much slower and far less high-strung than the others. I've suspected her of being blind or deaf or maybe a little mentally challenged. But she'd had great quality of life and never actually seemed sick up until a couple of days ago.
For the past couple of nights, I noticed she wasn't roosting. She was just laying on the floor. Yesterday she wouldn't move and at and when I moved her, she would just sit wherever I put her. She wouldn't stand or walk.
Today she's just laying and sleeping, on her side even, and seems to not even have much control of her feet. She won't open her eyes for more than a few seconds, didn't eat yesterday or today, and is only drinking what I'm giving her (some pedialyte, some water with crushed up calcium, some water with ACV....yes I've tried it all). I also gave her an Epsom salt bath which she seemed really content with and happy but I don't know that it actually helped anything.
Her poop is white and watery (no surprise) with just a little dark green. I had a couple actual droppings during the bath, but other than that, just white runny stuff.
Her crop is totally empty.
When I feel her lower underside, I do feel a large egg-shaped (but smaller/not as hard) mass. Do you think she is an internal layer? Is there anything I can do?
If not, please help me with when and how I should put her down. I don't want her suffering, but I have never had to kill a chicken before and I don't know the best way to do it, or when "it's time."
Thank you so much!
