I’m thinking this isn’t going to turn out okay

[BellaLunaTick]

Right here. I have additional photos. But we tried to cut the screw, and it clearly caused her pain. Her appetite is great, her eyes clear, she's active and seems fine. I know, she's not fine. The screw is deep-wiggling it doesn't find the head, if there is a head. We have her in the garage in a crate, and she took a nice dump for us, which looks totally normal. The lump is solid, is not the screw head (wrong place), and is not fluctuant at all. It's right where the leg meets belly.

A lot of post to say this--thank you everyone for the help, concern, advice--what a wonderful place. I think we're going to let it be. We'll leave her isolated to see how she lays, and then let her be with her family. We're not going to cut her or otherwise try to surgery it out. It looks solidly healed, so I think anything we do will just hurt and make it worse.

I'm sorry if that seems bad.

She's getting many treats, and seems okay.

 

[Eggcessive]

Gosh that does look pretty well anchored. Please keep us updated on how she gets along.

 

[casportpony]

I think it's probably best to leave it and I will tell you why. I think that she might have swallowed the screw and the reason you can't feel the head is because it's still in the gizzard.

 

[BellaLunaTick]

I agree, I do think she swallowed it. I think it's made it past her gizzard somehow, but then it perforated rather than passed through. I try really hard to be careful with screws and nails, but we bought this place two years ago, and it was littered with construction materials that had been burned and half buried, plus shotgun shells and the like. We scoured the yard proper (we have woods out back, but the chooks don't get to go there), but the chickens have over half an acre for their area, and since so much of the stuff was buried, we clearly missed something. She probably scratched at a spot, saw what looked like a worm, and ate it up. Because I love them, but they're not too bright sometimes :-(

Thank you, and thanks to everyone. This is a nice place.

 

[Tesumph]

Right here. I have additional photos. But we tried to cut the screw, and it clearly caused her pain. Her appetite is great, her eyes clear, she's active and seems fine. I know, she's not fine. The screw is deep-wiggling it doesn't find the head, if there is a head. We have her in the garage in a crate, and she took a nice dump for us, which looks totally normal. The lump is solid, is not the screw head (wrong place), and is not fluctuant at all. It's right where the leg meets belly.

A lot of post to say this--thank you everyone for the help, concern, advice--what a wonderful place. I think we're going to let it be. We'll leave her isolated to see how she lays, and then let her be with her family. We're not going to cut her or otherwise try to surgery it out. It looks solidly healed, so I think anything we do will just hurt and make it worse.

I'm sorry if that seems bad.

She's getting many treats, and seems okay.

Never apologize for doing what you think is best for your animals.
If she starts going downhill in any way, I think a visit to the vet would be best.

For what it’s worth, I think our chickens eat a lot more whacky things then we could ever imagine. I’m sure if we knew the real amount of screws, nuts, bolts, wires, plastic, glass, etc., that they’ve actually consumed (and digested) in their life, we’d have a heart attack.

Best of luck to you and your hen! She looks like she’s in good spirits despite being so “screwed.”

 

[Peppercorngal]

Right here. I have additional photos. But we tried to cut the screw, and it clearly caused her pain. Her appetite is great, her eyes clear, she's active and seems fine. I know, she's not fine. The screw is deep-wiggling it doesn't find the head, if there is a head. We have her in the garage in a crate, and she took a nice dump for us, which looks totally normal. The lump is solid, is not the screw head (wrong place), and is not fluctuant at all. It's right where the leg meets belly.

A lot of post to say this--thank you everyone for the help, concern, advice--what a wonderful place. I think we're going to let it be. We'll leave her isolated to see how she lays, and then let her be with her family. We're not going to cut her or otherwise try to surgery it out. It looks solidly healed, so I think anything we do will just hurt and make it worse.

I'm sorry if that seems bad.

She's getting many treats, and seems okay.

Poor girl she looks hot and not happy to be isolated. I don't know what you had to cut the screw. I would have used "endcutters" and just snipped it off in a second. But, you have to do what you feel is right. If she is feeling well, eating, drinking and pooping normally you may want to release her to the flock. She would be happier don't you think? Unless you have plans for some sort of treatment? This is a scary situation for you, but I don't think your hen is too upset about it! I wish you the very best and praying that things do turn out to be ok! By the way, you haven't told us where you are located? Where are you? Looks somewhere very warm!

These are endcutters.

 

[Kathy Golla]

Those end cutters look like the bomb, and maybe you will think about trying to use those to make her a tad more comfortable while laying down.
But you know your hen best...do what you think is best. Please keep
Us updated!

 

[Kathy Golla]

“Best of luck to you and your hen! She looks like she’s in good spirits despite being so “screwed.”

Omg, so good..

 

[Rietta]

Good choice to leave it I would do the same and just watch it for infection. Most interesting thing I have ever seen. Thanks for sharing... and do update us from time to time. Hope she lays

 

[Fishkeeper]

Is a vet not an option? Even if you don't have one in the area who treats birds, you might be able to get one to agree to at least X-ray and see what's going on.