Ruby’s Toe is Broken & Possible Ascites

[Hen Pen Jem]

I'm rooting for RUBY!!!

God Bless

 

[micstrachan]

THANKS!!! I am so thankful for YOU!

I let her go to bed and didn’t check her crop, but I really hope she got all that great protein! (as long as her digestive system can handle it).

 

[micstrachan]

Hi there,
So, honestly, I’ve been thinking Ruby will eventually starve herself to death. It made me sad, but I figured at least her last days her discomfort was better and she got to do her normal chicken things. Well, despite not eating much, her body language has been excellent! Her tail is high, and she happily free ranges all over. She still distances herself just slightly from the flock, and last night her crop was pretty empty at bedtime, and she’s been having fluorescent green poop, which bummed me out.
But guess what? Tonight she had stuff in her crop! It wasn’t big, but she had definitely been eating. She may actually beat this, at least temporarily.
The reality is, we won’t know until she passes what her exact issue is, but we’re treating it like salpingitis. For beloved pets only (because it’s expensive and not guaranteed), I may become an advocate for this combination when treating salpingitis:
* Heavy duty antibiotics
• Anti-inflammatories (medicinal & natural)
• Hormone implant
• Lots of free range time (because she only wants to eat stuff she finds herself, no matter what delectables I offer)

At the end of the day, I really, really wish someone would breed chickens for pets, meaning not excessive laying to fry their systems combined with longevity and friendliness. I do thoroughly enjoy their eggs, but love their company more.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings micstrachan,

These health situations do take a lot of time, on the part of the hen, for even just a small measure of recovery. Everyday that she lives, and, is able to be out with the flock, is a good day. I am pulling for her.

But, I hear you...regarding breeds that may have less or no incidence of reproductive disorders. Thus, will have less reproductive issues. I have a little game hen, who is a rescue, she is four years old. She only lays eggs about 3 times a year, in small clutches of about 11 eggs, then, goes broody for a time. But, she is so sweet, a good mother, and loves me to stroke her cheeks. She gets along well with the other members of the flock. She has never had any reproductive problems. Game hens are also known for a long life span.

But, there are other breeds that have below average egg laying. I have put together a list of some breeds that not only have "below average" egg laying, but are also, well suited to captivity, docile, and hardy. The list is from the Henderson's Breed Chart. Further research on these breeds may help you find some that will fit into your environment and flock.

Below Average Egg Layers:
Buttercup or Sicilian Buttercup
Cochin
Fayoumi or Egyptian Fayoumi
Houdan
Polish
Sultan

Of course, there is always a stipulation to our requirements of the perfect pet hen.

But, maybe a 2 or 3 of these breeds will bring some stability to the health of the flock, as a whole. All of these breeds are known for broodiness, except the Buttercup.

God Bless

 

[micstrachan]

Greetings micstrachan,

These health situations do take a lot of time, on the part of the hen, for even just a small measure of recovery. Everyday that she lives, and, is able to be out with the flock, is a good day. I am pulling for her.

But, I hear you...regarding breeds that may have less or no incidence of reproductive disorders. Thus, will have less reproductive issues. I have a little game hen, who is a rescue, she is four years old. She only lays eggs about 3 times a year, in small clutches of about 11 eggs, then, goes broody for a time. But, she is so sweet, a good mother, and loves me to stroke her cheeks. She gets along well with the other members of the flock. She has never had any reproductive problems. Game hens are also known for a long life span.

But, there are other breeds that have below average egg laying. I have put together a list of some breeds that not only have "below average" egg laying, but are also, well suited to captivity, docile, and hardy. The list is from the Henderson's Breed Chart. Further research on these breeds may help you find some that will fit into your environment and flock.

Below Average Egg Layers:
Buttercup or Sicilian Buttercup
Cochin
Fayoumi or Egyptian Fayoumi
Houdan
Polish
Sultan

Of course, there is always a stipulation to our requirements of the perfect pet hen.

But, maybe a 2 or 3 of these breeds will bring some stability to the health of the flock, as a whole. All of these breeds are known for broodiness, except the Buttercup.

God Bless

Thank you so much for this list! I think I’m sticking with my plan of no chicks this year, but it will be my second year without chicks, so maybe next year!

 

[Kathy Golla]

Totally agreed Michelle.
So far my Black Australorp has been my healthiest hen. A lot of that is because she’s active.

 

[micstrachan]

Well, I couldn’t bear to see Ruby starve herself to death. Tonight while she walked around foraging (or pretending), I could see the “fin” of feathers up the middle of her chest. I’ve only seen that during early stages of molt or with a skinny bird. Ruby might be both (hormones may have triggered a mini molt.. I see her feathers here and there, but nothing major.) Anyway, her crop had the tiniest amount in it and she felt super light, so I syringe fed her 20mL of a mix of mostly kaytee exact baby bird formula & hemp protein plus egg yolk & honey for quick energy, coconut oil for sustained energy, & a little nutridrench (all mixed with warm water.) Afterward, she drank and drank and drank. Not sure what that means, but I could actually see her crop! I plan to repeat in the morning. I may do just kaytee exact in the morning.

Ruby’s poop is still watery, but has bits of real poop in it, and is no longer fluorescent green. However, she still isn’t eating nearly enough on her own. I do see her eating a little bit, but I also see her faking it. So I need to either step up the syringe feeding or learn to tube feed. I think she needs some more time to get her appetite back. At least I hope so, as her swelling has not returned (meaning, she seems to have responded to treatment of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and hormone implant.) Is there any vitamin supplement that stimulates appetite? Some sort of B complex?

@casportpony, I accidentally bought 60mL luer lock syringes, but the feeding tubes do fit over the tips. Would that work? I’ll go visit Go Team Tube Feeding to get specifics on volumes needed to sustain life. I’m quite sure Ruby weighs MUCH less than when I first brought her to the vet. Some of that is from fluid and some of that is muscle wasting. I will weigh her before tubing, if I do it.

I hope Ruby is feeling good in the morning since she went to roost with a little bit of nutrition in her.

Here she was on Saturday. You can see how skinny she is getting, and she’s walking hesitantly, but her tail is up.

 

[Kathy Golla]

So I have to ask. She will eat nothing you offer her? By herself, not with the others?
When you are offering her something, are you separating her out where the others can’t see her? Have you tried this approach multiple times with multiple types of food?
Tube feeding should be a last resort, it’s invasive and stresses them out, which can be counter active.

 

[micstrachan]

So I have to ask. She will eat nothing you offer her? By herself, not with the others?
When you are offering her something, are you separating her out where the others can’t see her? Have you tried this approach multiple times with multiple types of food?
Tube feeding should be a last resort, it’s invasive and stresses them out, which can be counter active.

No, I can step this up. Thanks for asking. I can offer more things where she is not intimidated by the others. She tolerated the syringe feeding pretty well, also.

 

[micstrachan]

Ruby looked good this morning and was voluntarily eating feed, so I let her be. I think she had real, actual poop under her roost, too. May repeat syringing tonight, depending on how full her crop is, and place paper towels or something under her roosting spot. I don’t want her to wither away if she has a chance at enjoying more life!

I just realized this never posted this morning. After work, Ruby had good body language and I let her run around. However, once I handled her, I found a pretty empty crop, so I syringe fed her 20mL again. She’s getting more like 22mL since I do 4x5mL syringes that full up closer to 6mL each. We lose just a little bit from each one. I think tomorrow I’ll do it twice, in the morning and after work. Feeling a little disheartened. Ruby does not like this experience of syringe feeding. I will also try pulling her out away from everyone else to offer some favorite foods.