Comb issue - newly rescued battery hens

[MandS]

2 weeks ago, we rescued 9 battery hens. They were in poor shape - mid molt and mostly bare skin. As usual their combs were very light pink and large, which I have been told is because they are kept in very hot enclosures.

Our weather has changed over the last week and we have had 2 days where it has gone below 5'C ( about 40'F) although during the day it has been in the mid teens (about 60'F).

Today, I noticed that one of the hens has marks all over her comb. I have not seen this before (either on her or on another hen). She is the dominant hen in her coup so I don't think it is pecking injury.

This is the her:

I also noticed a tiny bit on one of the others but it looks more like scabs from being pecked - and it is only in 3 places..


I have read that it might be due to changes in temperature - and sure enough their crops are getting smaller, but I thought I ought to check in case it is something else that I simply have never seen before.

Thanks

 

[Eggcessive]

It does look like pecking injury, but the white chaulky part looks possibly like favus, a fungal infection. It may just be dry skin since they are not laying. Miconazole/Monistat or clothrimazole are good for applying to the skin to treat fungal infection. Or try coconut oil if you think it is dry skin. Do you have much fowl pox from mosquitoes where you live?

 

[MandS]

Thanks Eggcessive. She is laying but I went and felt the comb and it is much harder and rougher than any of the others. I think the coconut oil is a great idea. They are in bed so I'll do that in the morning. If it doesn't improve, I'll go down the antifungal route.

Thanks again.

 

[MandS]

Update:

Not good.

She is gasping for air, full head back and wheezing like she has asthma.

Took her to the vets and they don't think it is bird flu but it could be by that she has aspirated because she's been gorging and therefore has got what a respiratory disease, most likely pneumonia.

We put her in a cage isolated in the garage and she's been given antibiotics and a diuretic. Just got to see how she gets on but she does not have cyanosis and her colour is good. She is struggling for breath but she is still holding out.

Any words of wisdom would be good but I think we may just have to wait and see if she can pull through and allow the antibiotics to work.

 

[MandS]

I am sad to say that Pixie died. She seemed a bit better in the morning but had got cold, so we gently warmed her up and her breathing, though strained, was easier than the day before.

At 12:35, she was on her feet in the cage and breathing as before, so I went to make up some more Emeraid to feed her by tube, but when I came back 25 mins later (I was interrupted by a call), she was dead.

She had laid an egg and I assume that strain was just too much for her. So her last action was to do exactly what she had been bred to do - a trouper to the end.

This poor little bird has only been with us 3 weeks. Her life before us, as with the other 8 rescue hens, was horrific. The farm was apparently the worst that the rescue organisation had seen. I hope she enjoyed her 3 weeks of space, dust baths and sun. She was the dominant one in the coop. I don't understand what happened. Her voice had been raspy for about a week (sounded like she had a sore throat) but the breathing issue only came on the day before she died. Thankfully all other hens are fine.

Even though I hardly knew her, I feel so sorry for her and miss her. Only three weeks but a little character that made an impression!

 

[SmiYa0126]

I'm so sorry

 

[Eggcessive]

Very sorry for your loss. It is good that you tried to help her, and made her last few weeks better.

 

[SmiYa0126]

This kind of treatment of anything is horrific, how can people be so heartless

 

[Bigvalpt]

I am sad to say that Pixie died. She seemed a bit better in the morning but had got cold, so we gently warmed her up and her breathing, though strained, was easier than the day before.

At 12:35, she was on her feet in the cage and breathing as before, so I went to make up some more Emeraid to feed her by tube, but when I came back 25 mins later (I was interrupted by a call), she was dead.

She had laid an egg and I assume that strain was just too much for her. So her last action was to do exactly what she had been bred to do - a trouper to the end.

This poor little bird has only been with us 3 weeks. Her life before us, as with the other 8 rescue hens, was horrific. The farm was apparently the worst that the rescue organisation had seen. I hope she enjoyed her 3 weeks of space, dust baths and sun. She was the dominant one in the coop. I don't understand what happened. Her voice had been raspy for about a week (sounded like she had a sore throat) but the breathing issue only came on the day before she died. Thankfully all other hens are fine.
View attachment 3268031
Even though I hardly knew her, I feel so sorry for her and miss her. Only three weeks but a little character that made an impression!

Just can't believe people can be so heartless. The bad they do should come back to them ten fold. Sorry for your loss

 

[SmiYa0126]

Agreed! We are called to be good stewards!