Is there a reliable and safe medical treatment to eliminate hen from laying?

[missypebble]

Hi Kathy - Thanks for your response! I just called my local vet about two hours ago, and the implant + examination will cost me a little over $250. He said it's for 12 months, but it is vary by breed/ bird, etc. I've made an appointment to have my one RIR to get the implant next weekend. She just laid an egg earlier today - the shell was there, but it's a thin egg shell. She's never able to lay an egg with a good/ hard shell - I think if I have to count the 4 years I have her, she probably laid a total of less than 5 eggs with good/ hard shell. I put out oyster shell, added calcium powder to the feed, etc. but I think her body doesn't absorb the calcium very well. I'm determined not to lose this hen to another heart wrenching episode of EYP or any of the egg-laying problem. I know she could die of many other things, but EYP isn't something I'd like to be challenged with. I'm lucky that she's still with me so Thank God for that!

 

[MrsBrooke]

I am hoping for the best!

MrsB

 

[missypebble]

Mrs.Brooke- sure hope mine forgives me....Last egg she laid was on 11/14 and I just looked at some short recorded video, she was acting a bit odd a couples of days after that. I didn't think much of it (I'll be forever hate myself for this) and just carried on. I also noticed she was spending time by herself a bit more than usual, but then again, I didn't think much of it. I thought she was always like that - she liked to take "nap" here and there .... Then just a few days prior to me having to leave town to visit my family in another State, I decided she wasn't quite well and my husband dropped her off at the vet - it was the last time I saw her as herself. She passed away in my arms, and without telling you further details, it was painful and an agony for me to see. Sometimes, I wonder why God created such fragile, sweet, angelic creatures like our hens, then they have to go through soooooooo much ordeals in life....(sigh). I miss her dearly and will always remember her.

 

[chickenstar]

Hi, I have a hen who is curently on the desorelin hormone patch,and all I can say is thank god for the implant because it has saved her life!,I get it replaced every five months just to be safe and the only side effects are eating a little less a bit moody at first and a pale very shriveled looking comb , but all in all my girl is much healthier and happier!,she actually had a soft shelled egg rupture inside her a got a bad infection had to be on two antibiotics at a time , baytril and clavamox, she was so sick and I was out of my mind with worry! Luckly I took her to the vet right away and they were able to save her, I whould have been devastated if anything were to happen to her, she's part of my family and lives in the house, we all love her dearly, so I know exactly how you feel, the patch is exxcellent, good luck and all the best to you and your girls

 

[missypebble]

Hi chickenstar - you said that your hen had an incident of an egg broke inside her but the vet managed to save her....that's a good vet! May I ask what the vet did to your hen to save her?

My one vet here, who is authorized to see chicken always tells me that if an egg broke inside a hen, it's pretty much hopeless, even with antibiotics. So, I'm even scared of that possibility....Btw, he does not and will never give me Baytril to my hens....he said it's not "legal to give Baytril to chickens..." but from what I've been reading on this forum, quite many chicken keepers do give Baytril to chickens - do you know if Baytril is a better antibiotic?

All of my hens (now only 2) spend their time inside the house as well. I love them all, but the one that recently passed away was a really sweet, docile hen. I got really, really attached to her during her last week with me because of how miserable she looked and it was painful to watch her suffer.

I've never heard of the patch you mentioned - how costly is it? Did your hen change her personalities ? I've been reading up about the hormonal implant, and many said it would change a hen's personalities - I'm not too thrilled about this for a simple reason that I love her exactly the way she is - personalities wise! She's mischievous, smart, sweet, feisty, funny and very personable to us.....so I'm hoping she won't change so much!

Thanks for your response and I'll keep the idea of the patch in mind!