SW31
Songster
We must have one of the most expensive hens on the forum, but she is much loved!
We noticed a couple of weeks ago that she had odd poop - very bright green and watery. She hadn’t laid for several months and is approx 4 years old. We have learned, sadly from experience, never to leave this and act immediately. We took her to the local vets the same day who were concerned that there was some thing inside her abdomen but no fluid. They recommended seeing a specialist vet and recommended the small wild animal centre at the central veterinary university in Toulouse - approx an hour away by car. They also gave her an antibiotic injection as a precaution.
The university kept her in for 24 hours for an ultrasound check and found a mass which they did not think was cancer. She went back on Friday 9th April for an operation to remove the mass and most of her egg laying and uterus parts. They fitted her with an implant to stop egg laying in the future. We picked her up on the Tuesday. We felt it was better to give her a couple more days where she could be monitored. The university gave us a prescription for antibiotics for ten days, both morning and night. This was our only concern as she’s a nightmare to give drugs and we would have preferred to giver her an injection but this was vetoed on the grounds that it would be too large an injection.
She has been healing well so the university advised we could stop the antibiotics fight with her by Friday. We separated her from the other hens but let her bestest friend in for visits when we brought her home. At night we gave her a low level walk in hen house so she didn’t have to stress the stitches. After a couple of nights we let her bestest friend sleep with her. When we were comfortable that there was no risk to the stitches we led her mingle with the other chickens. She decided yesterday that she could comfortably walk up the stairs into the larger hen house.
We take her back to the university on the 27th for a check up. She will need new implants every 4 to 6 months which our local vets can do. Frankly I’m amazed how well she is healing. She sitting on the terrace with me as I write making gently honking noises - usually a sign she is happy.
We noticed a couple of weeks ago that she had odd poop - very bright green and watery. She hadn’t laid for several months and is approx 4 years old. We have learned, sadly from experience, never to leave this and act immediately. We took her to the local vets the same day who were concerned that there was some thing inside her abdomen but no fluid. They recommended seeing a specialist vet and recommended the small wild animal centre at the central veterinary university in Toulouse - approx an hour away by car. They also gave her an antibiotic injection as a precaution.
The university kept her in for 24 hours for an ultrasound check and found a mass which they did not think was cancer. She went back on Friday 9th April for an operation to remove the mass and most of her egg laying and uterus parts. They fitted her with an implant to stop egg laying in the future. We picked her up on the Tuesday. We felt it was better to give her a couple more days where she could be monitored. The university gave us a prescription for antibiotics for ten days, both morning and night. This was our only concern as she’s a nightmare to give drugs and we would have preferred to giver her an injection but this was vetoed on the grounds that it would be too large an injection.
She has been healing well so the university advised we could stop the antibiotics fight with her by Friday. We separated her from the other hens but let her bestest friend in for visits when we brought her home. At night we gave her a low level walk in hen house so she didn’t have to stress the stitches. After a couple of nights we let her bestest friend sleep with her. When we were comfortable that there was no risk to the stitches we led her mingle with the other chickens. She decided yesterday that she could comfortably walk up the stairs into the larger hen house.
We take her back to the university on the 27th for a check up. She will need new implants every 4 to 6 months which our local vets can do. Frankly I’m amazed how well she is healing. She sitting on the terrace with me as I write making gently honking noises - usually a sign she is happy.
. But, I took Hattie to the vet right away (had to mortgage the chicken coop to pay for it 
) and a year later she’s as good as new! Sooo glad to have people skilled enough to help our feathered friends when they have serious injuries
.
