Aging Hen

[jibjab]

I have a 10 or 11 year old "pet" hen. She lives in the house most of the time. She is lame and has trouble with her balance. She is eating very little but will take hand-fed yogurt (a little). Her crop feels full but that can't be since she isn't eating. Actually she acts like she wants to eat but has trouble picking up the food. Does anybody have suggestions for what I can do for her?

 

[un-named]

check her feet for big scaly looking stuff.... if she has that start putting vaseline on her legs and feet on a regular basis. That should help the scaly stuff to shed and she will have younger looking feet. This may be what is causing her to be lame.
I don't know how to help her eat...maybe her vision is affected and she needs larger, deep bowls to eat from so where ever she pecks she has the best chance of getting food?
good luck with her.

 

[CMV]

You could try a crop massage after feeding her some bread soaked in olive oil. That may help to break up any impactions in her crop. It sounds like her crop issues may need to take precedence over any other health concerns at the moment. If she can't eat then she's not going to make it.

Keep us posted as to how she's doing.

 

[kari_dawn]

I agree. Crop massage for her, olive oil, and provide her with grit to help grind everything up.