Clucky McCluckerson
In the Brooder
One of my older hens (3ish yo) seemed kind of lethargic yesterday and had a little bit of blue tint to the tips on her comb. I assumed heart failure, and I expected to find her dead in the coop this morning.
She slept in the nesting box last night because she couldn't jump up to roost. She was still alive this morning. I'm not sure where to go from here.
She had her tail feathers down most of yesterday, but she wasn't waddling. She also seemed to be eating and drinking just fine. This morning the didn't want to leave the nesting box, where she had slept. The other chickens were walking and sitting on top of her.
She finally came out of the coop, but she just laid in the middle of the run. My other hens started walking on her and pecking at her again.
I immediately got her out, put warm water in a tote, brought her in the garage, and gave her a warm soak for about 20 minutes.
She seemed to relax, and she's now in my bathroom sleeping. I've massaged her abdomen and felt around her vent, but I don't feel a hard mass that would indicate an egg.
Her abdomen/intestinal area seems squishy (waterbelly?), but it's not distended. She's always been pretty healthy, so, I've never had to deal with any illness in my flock.
I'm just really not sure where to go from here. It's 18 degrees outside. I can't see just drying her off and putting her back in the coop. I also have 3 big dogs in the house. Her staying inside isn't really feasible. Do I just set her up a dog crate with food and water and leave her in the basement to see if she ever passes an egg? Do I cull her?
Any help is appreciated.
She slept in the nesting box last night because she couldn't jump up to roost. She was still alive this morning. I'm not sure where to go from here.
She had her tail feathers down most of yesterday, but she wasn't waddling. She also seemed to be eating and drinking just fine. This morning the didn't want to leave the nesting box, where she had slept. The other chickens were walking and sitting on top of her.
She finally came out of the coop, but she just laid in the middle of the run. My other hens started walking on her and pecking at her again.
I immediately got her out, put warm water in a tote, brought her in the garage, and gave her a warm soak for about 20 minutes.
She seemed to relax, and she's now in my bathroom sleeping. I've massaged her abdomen and felt around her vent, but I don't feel a hard mass that would indicate an egg.
Her abdomen/intestinal area seems squishy (waterbelly?), but it's not distended. She's always been pretty healthy, so, I've never had to deal with any illness in my flock.
I'm just really not sure where to go from here. It's 18 degrees outside. I can't see just drying her off and putting her back in the coop. I also have 3 big dogs in the house. Her staying inside isn't really feasible. Do I just set her up a dog crate with food and water and leave her in the basement to see if she ever passes an egg? Do I cull her?
Any help is appreciated.
