I have a 1 year EE hen - that I don't really know what happened to ... 2 weeks ago I left for the weekend and had a family member taking care of the chickens and when I came home 3 days later she had a large wound above her vent/under her tail, and a almost like a tumor-like object under her vent - couldn't really tell if it was "pasty butt" 'ish or what because there were maggots in the mess and I'm a really really queasy person.
I immediately soaked her in warm water - thought maybe it was/is egg bound or a broken egg - cleaned it as best I could and put her in ICU (outdoor chick brooder) it's the only dark area I had to put her in... I've been soaking her daily (I think I've missed 2 or 3 days out of the 2 weeks thus far - just can't be everywhere at once
) with just warm water, dewormed her (since I don't really know if they were maggots/worms (or both) ... so I also dewormed everyone. And blue-koted her "wound" ... Since then, the wound has pretty much healed up but there is a hole that seems to go right in to her (not the vent) almost like she's rotting
... and her vent still has the "tumor'ish - clogg? ) ... I really wish I wasn't as queasy as I am - because I'm sure there are many of you that would be taking more invasive measures
... I just can't
She's now at the point where she is very weak and won't eat much - I try to entice her with eggs and yogurt and she'll nibble that - but she's totally off ANY chicken food. I did vitamins/electrolytes a few days after the wormer but then she wouldn't drink the water - so she's just back to plain fresh water.
I soaked her this afternoon in water/betadine and she really enjoys the warm baths for about 10 minutes - then she wants out.
I'm at the point now where I wonder if I should give antibiotics or just end her suffering... She WANTS to roost - still keeps getting up to the roosts if I let her out for a little bit - and I actually had to put a roost in the brooder for her because she kept trying to jump up on top of the light - I thought for sure today she was a goner - but low and behold - tonight she's still on her roost.
Can she come back from being this far gone? ? ... or should I do the humane thing and end her suffering (which is a "honey-do" thing).
I just feel awful that I can't physically do more and take more invasive measures - but I really - just can't
I immediately soaked her in warm water - thought maybe it was/is egg bound or a broken egg - cleaned it as best I could and put her in ICU (outdoor chick brooder) it's the only dark area I had to put her in... I've been soaking her daily (I think I've missed 2 or 3 days out of the 2 weeks thus far - just can't be everywhere at once
She's now at the point where she is very weak and won't eat much - I try to entice her with eggs and yogurt and she'll nibble that - but she's totally off ANY chicken food. I did vitamins/electrolytes a few days after the wormer but then she wouldn't drink the water - so she's just back to plain fresh water.
I soaked her this afternoon in water/betadine and she really enjoys the warm baths for about 10 minutes - then she wants out.
I'm at the point now where I wonder if I should give antibiotics or just end her suffering... She WANTS to roost - still keeps getting up to the roosts if I let her out for a little bit - and I actually had to put a roost in the brooder for her because she kept trying to jump up on top of the light - I thought for sure today she was a goner - but low and behold - tonight she's still on her roost.
Can she come back from being this far gone? ? ... or should I do the humane thing and end her suffering (which is a "honey-do" thing).
I just feel awful that I can't physically do more and take more invasive measures - but I really - just can't
