chicken hysterectomy -- live in Urbana, IL, want a vet recommendation

[agnes_day]

i hope you can find someone to help you with your pet chicken..surely someone can fix her.

 

[ultasol]

I have no problem culling chickens. I have had to cull a nice showgirl I was very pleased with, not pleasant. If I were keeping the bird as a pet and not a potential breeder it would have been a different story, consulting with a vet would have been in the cards.

Some avian vets only see exotic birds, not 'barnyard' fowl. This is a pet to her, she is within her right to seek veterinary attention for her pet. The same argument, pet versus livestock, occurs frequently within the equine industry. It is a personal choice as to how much an individual vales the function of the animal (riding, laying eggs) over the value of a non-functional (in the 'traditional' sense) existence.

We value our dogs and cats as pets, and as such there are regulations in place to prevent mistreatment. Additionally, social pressures would urge a person to seek veterinary attention for a dog or cat suffering from illness- but in some countries dogs and or cats are also eaten. The difference is simply the value the individual places on the animal- with the value society places on the animal as a secondary influence.

I am not condoning eating dogs or cats, but I am supporting her decision to seek treatment for this hen based on her value as a companion animal for the OP's family. We cannot compare this 'pet' to any old barnyard hen- to them she is more and that cannot be disputed by others. It is based upon their relationship with the animal in question.

 

[speckledhen]

Please be helpful and stay on topic. All decisions regarding vet care for an ailing bird are personal.

 

[theFox]

GoldenSilverLaced,

Personally knowing that email systems sometimes are set up with spam filters and a person that is a member here is likely to have this forum on a domain is good list, I'd PM that party you first mentioned. That way they'd get both an email notice and a notification when they get on the forum to read posts etc....

Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

 

[gardenergirl]

Have you thought about checking with the University of Illinois Vet School? They might be interested in this sort of teaching case.