- Nov 5, 2013
- 3
- 0
- 7
I have a three year old hen who stopped laying eggs about a year ago. That said, half the time her poop looks like it consists of part yoke making me wonder if she is breaking eggs on the way out. I have watched her for over a year and nothing has led me to believe she had a broken egg in her. Twice now I have had her in the house, bathed her, cleaned her vent, and kept her under a heat lamp until I felt she was ready to go back to the coop. This time, however, her backside was soo bad she couldn't hardly walk and she was clearly in pain. I brought her back in the house and after three baths, her backside is clean, albeit almost featherless now, and she is resting under heat lamp again. She is the sweetest pet chicken and is happy to live in the bathtub and makes no effort to get up and walk around instead just brooding under the lamp. She has what I consider a large vent but I don't know if that is just inflammation from it being clogged? She is happy as a clam to be a house chicken although I'm not sure my husband agrees with the long term arrangement. 
Hoping for some advice, suggestions, expertise please. I love this girl and want the best for her. Thanks so much!
UPDATE: She has been in the house for a week now. Getting baths every other day to remove the blockages. Her comb is getting very pale in color. She has no desire to get up and around instead choosing to roost under the heat lamp. She prefers to be hand-fed to eating out of her dish. She gobbles when hand fed, however! She is drinking well. She wasn't interested in yogurt when offered but is loving her grains, breads, and fresh corn. Her love of steak has decreased. I thought she was missing her sunlight, what is left of it in North Idaho, so I took her outside briefly and she instantly resumed "penguin" stance and one of my roosters rushed over to her so I scooped her back up and brought her in the house again for her own comfort and safety. She clearly didn't want to be outside. (I thought she might also miss her friends. Not so much as it turns out.) We have not real avian vets around here so I am desperate for advice/suggestions or I am at the point of euthanasia. While she looks terrible, to me, I think she would be content being a house chicken til she dies. But, she looks bad and pale. I don't want her to suffer. She was my first chicken ever so I have a personal attachment to her as well.
Thanks so much!
Hoping for some advice, suggestions, expertise please. I love this girl and want the best for her. Thanks so much!UPDATE: She has been in the house for a week now. Getting baths every other day to remove the blockages. Her comb is getting very pale in color. She has no desire to get up and around instead choosing to roost under the heat lamp. She prefers to be hand-fed to eating out of her dish. She gobbles when hand fed, however! She is drinking well. She wasn't interested in yogurt when offered but is loving her grains, breads, and fresh corn. Her love of steak has decreased. I thought she was missing her sunlight, what is left of it in North Idaho, so I took her outside briefly and she instantly resumed "penguin" stance and one of my roosters rushed over to her so I scooped her back up and brought her in the house again for her own comfort and safety. She clearly didn't want to be outside. (I thought she might also miss her friends. Not so much as it turns out.) We have not real avian vets around here so I am desperate for advice/suggestions or I am at the point of euthanasia. While she looks terrible, to me, I think she would be content being a house chicken til she dies. But, she looks bad and pale. I don't want her to suffer. She was my first chicken ever so I have a personal attachment to her as well.
Thanks so much!
Last edited:
