Injured chicken dying?

[ICE_Lilly]

Hi everyone. Quick question about my Chicken. She has just started laying eggs and has had a hard time with it (usually has a little blood afterwards) figured it's normal at first? Then a few days ago it looked like her insides were sort of out a bit but then my husband saw them sort of go back in. Her back feathers are all bloody and look pretty bad. I think because of the blood another hen may have been pecking at her backside to make it even worse. This morning I went out and she's lying down barely moving and looks like she's just not doing well. My husband wonders if she's tried to not pass any waste because of the backside being so raw/bloody. and if she does have an injury in that area if maybe it's gotten an infection just from not being clean.

Apart from a vet (which we'd rather avoid for cost reasons) Should we attempt to clean the area and see if she does ok or should we just take her out of her misery? She's my favorite (is it sad to have a favorite chicken??) but I hate to see her just lying down in pain.

Thanks!

 

[Lollipop]

Sometimes it`s just better to cull them, sorry.......Pop

 

[CrazyChickMom]

I don't know much about chickens but I would try to save her. I am new at this and have no advice. Keep asking for help on here...someone will have some idea! Sorry Pop! It's her favorite...she can't cull it yet!

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Good Morning,

She might be "egg bound" - do you have a heating pad? If you do, put it in a box and place a towel on top of it...you don't want it to be directly against the chicken. Help her over to food and water now and again and just wait to see what happens. Make sure your heating pad is in good working order. I would start with a low to med. setting and see how quickly the warmth can penetrate the towel and start warming her up. If it takes a while ,you might want to strat on high just to get her towel warmed up and then dial it down.

Heat can help birds pass eggs...it also reduces the chill she's feeling with stress. It would also help if you can cover the entire box with a heavy towel...it'll keep some heat in and being in the dark or twilight also helps birds under stress or in shock. She may very well pass the egg. We can talk about what you are feeding her and how you are keeping her later.

It's important to get her warmed up and a little less stressed out right now. I've kept chickens for 6 years. Before that grew up on a farm. Don't remember having this happen with a chicken but, I've kept parrots for over 25+ years. Some of those years were spent breeding them.

Good Luck - keep us posted.

 

[ICE_Lilly]

Thanks for your replies. I went out to check on her again and she had died in the hour since I had checked last. I'm glad she's not suffering any more. She didn't look too comfortable this morning. Circle of life, right?