Help with indoor isolated chicken

[Guadaupe]

Hi everybody! I am new here, this is my first post even if I have been reading tons of threads for help and tips. I'm from Argentina so pls excuse me if my english is not the best .
I'm posting because i need a little bit of helps with some ideas.

Last Friday I had to take Pipa (one of my girls) through surgery.
She made it through it, but now I am facing a couple weeks of recovery, and she is being held inside of my house, which is not very big.
I settled a space dedicated for her, where she has food, water and a mirror.
During the first 24hs after the surgery I started getting worried/scared that she was not eating almost nothing. So I talked to the vet and asked if he thought it would be good for her to spend time outside, and he said yes.

I took her out today during the morning (it was sunny and almost warm -it's winter here-) and she seemed almost normal, her tail was up, she was digging, she was pecking on the ground, like a normal chicken. As soon as i put her back in her tail goes down, she becomes 'sleepy', won't eat anything (not her feed, not any fresh veggie from the garden, or anything) and refuse drinking water.

I think she is mostly bored inside, and I don't know how to help her. I am going to have her inside like 2 or 3 more weeks and she is going to get very depressed if I can't find something fun for her to do.

Things i tried:
- I hanged a cd so she could play: Didnt work
- Bringing her to her sisters: Didn't work (they attacked her, i am going to need slow re-integration later)
- Bringing the less bully of her sisters to a 'play-date' inside: Didn't work. Obsi, the sister, ate everything while Pipa just left to hide alone.

A friend suggested making some type of a 'foraging tray' for her (which i have to think on how to make, as she is inside of the house), as she seems to enjoy digging and pecking on it.

I'm attaching two pictures, of today, one inside and one outside, so y'all can see the difference in her.

I am very new to chickens, these are my first three, so if you think I'm doing something wrong, please let me know.

Thank you so much in advance

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello again!

What type of surgery did she have? Is she on any antibiotics and if so, what kind?

Let me tag a few members that probably know more than I do about this...

@azygous @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

 

[Guadaupe]

Hello again!

What type of surgery did she have? Is she on any antibiotics and if so, what kind?

Let me tag a few members that probably know more than I do about this...

@azygous @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

Hi!
Last saturday i noticed her just standing still, not pecking or digging or enjoying herself while she was outside. I brought her inside and tried some of the classic "home-remedies" (vinegar, oregano, garlic, etc). Finally I found a vet who would take birds (its not common in my area, he is more than 60 miles away).
He ordered Xrays and found that she had been eating some screws, and suggested surgery.

She had surgery last Friday (the day before yesterday), the screws were inside her 'stomach', so he couldnt get to them, but he found that she had a broken (and rotten) egg in her ovary. He took it and told me that in his opinion, the screws might have been there longer, but the egg rotting was the thing that was bothering her (it had started an infection).

So she is under antibiotics (enrofloxacin -> i hope this is the name in english), in drops, 3 drops per day. Also painkillers/anti-inflamatories (Meloxicam -> again, hope this is ok in english), also drops, also 3 per day.
He gave me an extra 'laxative': Not literally a laxative but a paste that helps her move her bowels, its all natural according to the box: malt extract, mineral oil, also once a day.

Additionally I'm curing her wound once a day using hydrogen peroxide 10 vol, and he suggested that i might use some type of 'healing ointment' such as 'Platsul' (Vitamin A + lidocaine).

She doesn't seem to be in huge pain: she is very quiet, walks and digs when outside. Yesterday she even jumped to the couch (im sleeping in the couch to be near her), to be next to me and i allowed her to sleep there.

Her poop is normal, i would like to say: some liquid and some solid.
Her crop is rather empty (because she is not eating much).

I tried her favorite things: she loves fresh lettuce from the garden, no luck. What i found that she kind of likes is a mix of shredded vegs and fruits that i make for her every couple hours.

The lack of appetite really worries me, i feel her much lighter than her sisters, and i can't seem to find how to help her. she hasnt touched her chicken feed or dried seeds (corn, oats, etc).

Sometimes I get lucky when i offer water (or get her beak wet tends to make her remember she needs to drink).

Idk if i am being exaggerated, honestly. These are my first chickens, i raised them since they were 2 days old and they are part of my family, and i suffer seeing her all downtailed because she is the brightest funniest of my flock.

Tysm for your help <3

 

[16 and me]

Hi!
Last saturday i noticed her just standing still, not pecking or digging or enjoying herself while she was outside. I brought her inside and tried some of the classic "home-remedies" (vinegar, oregano, garlic, etc). Finally I found a vet who would take birds (its not common in my area, he is more than 60 miles away).
He ordered Xrays and found that she had been eating some screws, and suggested surgery.

She had surgery last Friday (the day before yesterday), the screws were inside her 'stomach', so he couldnt get to them, but he found that she had a broken (and rotten) egg in her ovary. He took it and told me that in his opinion, the screws might have been there longer, but the egg rotting was the thing that was bothering her (it had started an infection).

So she is under antibiotics (enrofloxacin -> i hope this is the name in english), in drops, 3 drops per day. Also painkillers/anti-inflamatories (Meloxicam -> again, hope this is ok in english), also drops, also 3 per day.
He gave me an extra 'laxative': Not literally a laxative but a paste that helps her move her bowels, its all natural according to the box: malt extract, mineral oil, also once a day.

Additionally I'm curing her wound once a day using hydrogen peroxide 10 vol, and he suggested that i might use some type of 'healing ointment' such as 'Platsul' (Vitamin A + lidocaine).

She doesn't seem to be in huge pain: she is very quiet, walks and digs when outside. Yesterday she even jumped to the couch (im sleeping in the couch to be near her), to be next to me and i allowed her to sleep there.

Her poop is normal, i would like to say: some liquid and some solid.
Her crop is rather empty (because she is not eating much).

I tried her favorite things: she loves fresh lettuce from the garden, no luck. What i found that she kind of likes is a mix of shredded vegs and fruits that i make for her every couple hours.

The lack of appetite really worries me, i feel her much lighter than her sisters, and i can't seem to find how to help her. she hasnt touched her chicken feed or dried seeds (corn, oats, etc).

Sometimes I get lucky when i offer water (or get her beak wet tends to make her remember she needs to drink).

Idk if i am being exaggerated, honestly. These are my first chickens, i raised them since they were 2 days old and they are part of my family, and i suffer seeing her all downtailed because she is the brightest funniest of my flock.

Tysm for your help <3

I nursed a paralyzed hen back for almost 3 months inside with me. She was also one of my most feral hens, so it was hard on her. She won't die of boredom. She may need some time to rest and heal. As for food, I had some difficulties sometimes too. I found that raw or scrambled egg, wet mash (her feed soaked in water), and tuna to be helpful. I found "Stress-aid" (an electolyte powder to add to the water) also to be very helpful. Once she's ready to re-join the flock, definitely supervise re-integration. It took another week or 2, but now Maggie's a happy, healthy member of the flock.

 

[Guadaupe]

I nursed a paralyzed hen back for almost 3 months inside with me. She was also one of my most feral hens, so it was hard on her. She won't die of boredom. She may need some time to rest and heal. As for food, I had some difficulties sometimes too. I found that raw or scrambled egg, wet mash (her feed soaked in water), and tuna to be helpful. I found "Stress-aid" (an electolyte powder to add to the water) also to be very helpful. Once she's ready to re-join the flock, definitely supervise re-integration. It took another week or 2, but now Maggie's a happy, healthy member of the flock.

(is it stupid that i really thought she could die of boredom? i mean boredom > not eating > dead girl).
Idt i can get stress aid here in argentina but i have seen some vitamin powder to mix in the water i am going to ask the vet about that. and i will try eggs. Tuna you mean like the canned tuna? i would think that that's too salty for them but i can definitely try too. wet mash was also ignored for days. but i'm definitely taking some of your ideas and thank you for answering <3

 

[Kateybedgood]

She does look so sad I had to keep a hen inside once when she was on antibiotics after a fox attack she had puncture wounds, she really didn’t eat much inside too she seemed depressed. After a week I made her a little pen outside by herself but by the other chickens, put her in that during the day and brought her in at night. She seemed a lot less depressed after that. I was surprised when put her back out that the girls she was raised with were mean to her for a few days. But everything is back to normal now, except if I prop my door open she just walks on in the house. I hope she gets better fast. Your doing a good job

 

[Guadaupe]

She does look so sad I had to keep a hen inside once when she was on antibiotics after a fox attack she had puncture wounds, she really didn’t eat much inside too she seemed depressed. After a week I made her a little pen outside by herself but by the other chickens, put her in that during the day and brought her in at night. She seemed a lot less depressed after that. I was surprised when put her back out that the girls she was raised with were mean to her for a few days. But everything is back to normal now, except if I prop my door open she just walks on in the house. I hope she gets better fast. Your doing a good job

Yes!!! I want to build a little pen to be in the coop with the others but safe from them; but her stitches will be there for ~3 weeks so i have to wait a bit for that. I love that that worked. I was surprised at the sisters being mean at them too. They're just three and they were always so close, and after just 2 days inside of my house, they started pecking at her. I identified the one that bullies her more, tho. The other one seems to just react to the situation. Thank you so much for your answer <3.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

She may be bored, but she may also be tiring out easily trying to recover from the infection and surgery.

If possible, get her outside every day like you have done, this will break up the day and get her moving a little.

If her flock is attacking her when you take her to them, you may find that even once she recovers they won't accept her back and you'll have to find alternative housing for her. It may be worth starting now to make a place for her to be next to her flock so she can visit, but still be protected.

Hopefully in the coming days she will perk up as she heals. Keep us posted.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have no suggestions for you at this time but I just want to say welcome to BYC and your English is AMAZING!!! I wish you and your hen all the best and a quick recovery to her. Be of good courage!

Oh, I do have a suggestion. Instead of washing her with peroxide, switch to saline solution. You can make your own:

Mix 1 teaspoon of salt with 1 cup of warm water that you have boiled for 15 minutes and then let cool to room temperature (start with a lot more than 1 cup, then measure after it has boiled, or cover while boiling). You can also add a pinch of baking soda to the solution. If you have a spray bottle, you can put the saline water in that and spray her with it, then you don't have to scrub her. You can do this twice a day, then put the healing ointment on her.

 

[Kateybedgood]

Yes!!! I want to build a little pen to be in the coop with the others but safe from them; but her stitches will be there for ~3 weeks so i have to wait a bit for that. I love that that worked. I was surprised at the sisters being mean at them too. They're just three and they were always so close, and after just 2 days inside of my house, they started pecking at her. I identified the one that bullies her more, tho. The other one seems to just react to the situation. Thank you so much for your answer <3.

They definitely try to establish a new pecking order when some gets pulled out for a bit. It only lasted a little bit for mine they pecked her a couple times and chased her around to tell her she’s at the bottom now and went back to normal. With you only having 3 I’m sure it won’t last long after she heals up. I used one of those fold up puppy fences that ring shaped and just let her peck around and put a sheet over half for shade. I know some people will remove bully chickens and put them in time out cage for a few days. So it drops them down in the order so they aren’t so entitled and mean.