Hen pushing her insides out

[LaFleche]

She is less than a year old. The eggs are still a small size. The other hens don't seem to hurt her, though I think they are concerned. My husband suggested we put her down to end her suffering. She can be in the coop while the others are in the run, but I don't think that is what she wants.

Recurring prolapse at such a young age leads me to assume that she is suffering from some kind of oviduct dysplasia. I would butcher her immediately or this very evening at the latest.

 

[NatJ]

I recommend the cleaver or axe method, as everything else prolongs or even aggravates the suffering.

Yes, chopping the head off works well.
Some people use a sharp tree-lopper (thing like giant scissors.)

You want a sharp tool, so it's just one quick chop.
You can hold the chicken upside down by the feet so she sticks her head out, or wrap her in a towel and lay her down, or put her in a cone (I've read of people using traffic cones, or a feed bag with one corner cut off for the head to stick out).

After the head is cut off, the body will move around quite a bit: legs kicking, wings flapping, blood splattering. It can be messy and can upset people to see it, but as long as the head is OFF, then the bird is not feeling anything from what the body is doing.

 

[Cecisflock]

Does this go away by itself, or is it a chronic condition?

Chronic in most cases

 

[Sally PB]

I'm sorry for both you and your chicken.

 

[Johanna Albertine]

Recurring prolapse at such a young age leads me to assume that she is suffering from some kind of oviduct dysplasia. I would butcher her immediately or this very evening at the latest.

Thank you. We did put her down.

 

[Johanna Albertine]

Yes, chopping the head off works well.
Some people use a sharp tree-lopper (thing like giant scissors.)

You want a sharp tool, so it's just one quick chop.
You can hold the chicken upside down by the feet so she sticks her head out, or wrap her in a towel and lay her down, or put her in a cone (I've read of people using traffic cones, or a feed bag with one corner cut off for the head to stick out).

After the head is cut off, the body will move around quite a bit: legs kicking, wings flapping, blood splattering. It can be messy and can upset people to see it, but as long as the head is OFF, then the bird is not feeling anything from what the body is doing.

Thank you. I found a vet-recommended method called cervical dislocation (breaking the neck). My husband was able to do this last night.

 

[LaFleche]

Thank you. We did put her down.

Sometimes ending the suffering is the best and only thing one can do.