jgarner1327
Songster
I had four New Hampshires that are 10 months old, and they are free range for part of each day. They get organic feed and organic fruit/veggies, etc from the kitchen. Last week one was not walking, just standing. I brought her in the house and she laid an egg in the kitchen corner, and it was very thin-shelled. She didn't want to walk anywhere. I took her to the coop and she stood under a shelf, then went into a straw lined nest but just stood, not wanting to lay down. I finally brought her back into the house to watch her. I called the regular vet for my dog and cat and they don't take chickens, and then I called the specialty bird vet and left several messages on Sunday, they were open but no one called me back till the next day. So then I paid $5 for on-line vet help and no one was available. (three days later still no call back so I called and got a refund!)
Meanwhile the chicken comb got dark and then she passed out and died. Next day I did an autopsy and she had a 2-inch nail, 2 screws, and over 50 pieces of windshield type safety glass in her gizzard. I just bought this house in 2017 and have picked up various nails and screws because the previous owners repaired cars here.
Five days later the remaining three chickens were fine in the morning, laid eggs as usual, but in the evening I found another chicken dead in the run. I did an autopsy and found 2 long thin screws and a couple pieces of glass and a ton of woody weeds packed so tight in her gizzard that I could hardly unpack it, and the abdomen had a lot of blood in it. Would she eat the weeds if she was in pain? I figure the screws and nails punctured her esophagus or gizzard causing bleeding. So my other two chickens are still fine so far but I'd like to get them x-rayed to see if they have any nails or screws in their gizzards. I am calling these my sacrificial chickens that are cleaning the property for the next batch. They are beautiful big chickens and it's just too bad.
Meanwhile the chicken comb got dark and then she passed out and died. Next day I did an autopsy and she had a 2-inch nail, 2 screws, and over 50 pieces of windshield type safety glass in her gizzard. I just bought this house in 2017 and have picked up various nails and screws because the previous owners repaired cars here.
Five days later the remaining three chickens were fine in the morning, laid eggs as usual, but in the evening I found another chicken dead in the run. I did an autopsy and found 2 long thin screws and a couple pieces of glass and a ton of woody weeds packed so tight in her gizzard that I could hardly unpack it, and the abdomen had a lot of blood in it. Would she eat the weeds if she was in pain? I figure the screws and nails punctured her esophagus or gizzard causing bleeding. So my other two chickens are still fine so far but I'd like to get them x-rayed to see if they have any nails or screws in their gizzards. I am calling these my sacrificial chickens that are cleaning the property for the next batch. They are beautiful big chickens and it's just too bad.
