Graphic! Hen has big wound, tons of maggots, pooping yolk HELP

[michael757]

My last hen is making strange noises, very quiet noises. Being very talkative to me today, but not normal talking, but she's quiet and sounds upset.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Do you think day old chicks would be the best way to go? I can take care of them. How would this affect my hen? Will she take on motherhood like that? How will this work with introduction?

Day old chicks would be the Safest way to go. But only you can decide the best way for you.

Your remaining hen wont take on motherhood, unless she has had a tendency to go broody in the past, & you give her chicks after her broody hormones kick in. As far as introductions, you can raise the chicks indoors, then once they are feathered enough to live outside, put the pullets in the same living area as the hen, but with a fence/wire/barrier so they can see each other, but your hen wont be able to bully them. This is the same way to introduce older pullets/hens. The older the chicks are when you introduce them, the easier the co-mingling be. Also, there will be strength in numbers. Your hen will be outnumbered by the pullets, so less likely for a pullet to be singled out and bullied.

My last hen is making strange noises, very quiet noises. Being very talkative to me today, but not normal talking, but she's quiet and sounds upset.

Yes your hen is in mourning and lonely over the loss of her friend. It is true chickens are prey animals and try to hide illness and emotions, but they certainly do have and express emotions in many ways. If you can find a way to spend some extra time with her/give her extra attention for a few days, that will help her feel better for sure. You are seeing a perfect example of why chickens need other chickens for companionship. You can substitute as her flockmate temporarily, until you can find her some friends.

As @Ascholten said, finding an older hen(s) would fastee, if you knew anyone with a disease-free flock. But then that person would also need to be willing to give up their hen(s). Especially after you said you see your chickens as pets like dogs and cats (i do too!), I dont want to see you end up with chicken diseases to battle too. What you just went through was hard enough.

Depending on the temperment of your remaining hen, and the fact she is currently alone and lonely, she may end up tolerating and accepting new arrivals of any age fairly easily.

 

[michael757]

Day old chicks would be the Safest way to go. But only you can decide the best way for you.

Your remaining hen wont take on motherhood, unless she has had a tendency to go broody in the past, & you give her chicks after her broody hormones kick in. As far as introductions, you can raise the chicks indoors, then once they are feathered enough to live outside, put the pullets in the same living area as the hen, but with a fence/wire/barrier so they can see each other, but your hen wont be able to bully them. This is the same way to introduce older pullets/hens. The older the chicks are when you introduce them, the easier the co-mingling be. Also, there will be strength in numbers. Your hen will be outnumbered by the pullets, so less likely for a pullet to be singled out and bullied.

Yes your hen is in mourning and lonely over the loss of her friend. It is true chickens are prey animals and try to hide illness and emotions, but they certainly do have and express emotions in many ways. If you can find a way to spend some extra time with her/give her extra attention for a few days, that will help her feel better for sure. You are seeing a perfect example of why chickens need other chickens for companionship. You can substitute as her flockmate temporarily, until you can find her some friends.

As @Ascholten said, finding an older hen(s) would fastee, if you knew anyone with a disease-free flock. But then that person would also need to be willing to give up their hen(s). Especially after you said you see your chickens as pets like dogs and cats (i do too!), I dont want to see you end up with chicken diseases to battle too. What you just went through was hard enough.

Depending on the temperment of your remaining hen, and the fact she is currently alone and lonely, she may end up tolerating and accepting new arrivals of any age fairly easily.

Unfortunately I don't know of anyone near me that has hens. I would have to go get young chicks, but she used to be broody like 5-6 years ago, but she didn't stay like that for too long. Her and her sister were and are 7 already. I can only imagine how she feels right now, it's only been her and her sister for the past 4 years, when in 2017 they lost 4 of their sister's.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

If YOU have the time and desire to raise chicks, that is for sure the safest (& most enjoyable) route to go. Show your hen some extra attention and love, & she should do ok. (I know you said you were busy with a new job, so that may be easier said than done).

Its chick season at all the feed stores right now, so you should have some great choices as far as breeds. And chicks grow up fast. Your lonely hen will have companionship & you will have fresh eggs. Everybody wins!

 

[michael757]

If YOU have the time and desire to raise chicks, that is for sure the safest (& most enjoyable) route to go. Show your hen some extra attention and love, & she should do ok. (I know you said you were busy with a new job, so that may be easier said than done).

Its chick season at all the feed stores right now, so you should have some great choices as far as breeds. And chicks grow up fast. Your lonely hen will have companionship & you will have fresh eggs. Everybody wins!

They really do grow up fast, I remember when we got our 6 hens, they were very small and could fit in my hand. Then within a year they were all big. I do think that I will be doing that so that she can have some companionship again.

 

[Byrd gal]

What part of the world are you in? Maybe we can help find you a healthy bird.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

They really do grow up fast, I remember when we got our 6 hens, they were very small and could fit in my hand. Then within a year they were all big. I do think that I will be doing that so that she can have some companionship again.

You may have forgotten exactly HOW fast they grow. They are big (full-grown and laying) by 5-6 months!

 

[michael757]

What part of the world are you in? Maybe we can help find you a healthy bird.

I am in southern Mississippi

 

[michael757]

You may have forgotten exactly HOW fast they grow. They are big (full-grown and laying) by 5-6 months!

It has been about 7 years since they were small, I don't remember how fast it happened, time flew by then

 

[KaseySnow]

Many people use screenwire cut into strips to block flies from the coop. Also you can spray your coop with diluted permethrin 10 (brands are Martins or Gordons) once a month, but don’t use that if you raise bees on your farm.

So it's not safe to spray permethrin inside of a coop if there are bees anywhere on the property? I thought permethrin was only dangerous to insects that come into direct contact with it.