Should I Cull my Hen?

[Simmons Homestead]

This year has not been a good chicken year for me. I've had a hen die early, and I'm fighting mites. On top of it all, my oldest hen Ash is getting very old and has an abcess/bump on her face right next to her eyeball. (If anyone could tell me what that is, I'd really appreciate it.) She has this adorable "crow" in the morning that she does on top of the waterer, but today she couldn't make the jump and yesterday she fell down after I had been holding her and put her back down again.
Is she suffering, and if so, should I put her down?

 

[imnukensc]

How old is "very old?"

 

[Simmons Homestead]

How old is "very old?"

She's around six years old.

 

[imnukensc]

She's probably at the end of her run. (No pun intended.) If she's no longer laying and she's not a "pet," I would probably put her down unless you have the money/time to take her to a vet and then follow up with whatever a vet may prescribe for care.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This year has not been a good chicken year for me. I've had a hen die early, and I'm fighting mites. On top of it all, my oldest hen Ash is getting very old and has an abcess/bump on her face right next to her eyeball. (If anyone could tell me what that is, I'd really appreciate it.) She has this adorable "crow" in the morning that she does on top of the waterer, but today she couldn't make the jump and yesterday she fell down after I had been holding her and put her back down again.
Is she suffering, and if so, should I put her down?

Can you post some photos of Ash? The bump on her face, what she looks like, her legs, etc.?
How old is she?
Does she lay eggs?

Also, what you have used to treat the mite infestation?

 

[MomJones]

@imnukensc Howdy! Orangeburg County here. So this heat is really hard on the old gals especially. We have approx. 35 chickens currently and I'm noticing the older hens are struggling more than the others. I would put her down (say a prayer over her first--it calms things down somehow). Blessings.

 

[Simmons Homestead]

She's probably at the end of her run. (No pun intended.) If she's no longer laying and she's not a "pet," I would probably put her down unless you have the money/time to take her to a vet and then follow up with whatever a vet may prescribe for care.

She's something of a pet, but I don't want her to suffer. On the flipside, I don't think I could handle putting her down myself...

Can you post some photos of Ash? The bump on her face, what she looks like, her legs, etc.?
How old is she?
Does she lay eggs?

Also, what you have used to treat the mite infestation?

She's around six years. I don't think she lays anymore, but the other six-year-old hen I have does. I have used a combination of Permethrin, DE and a homeade mite spray. Waiting for a day where it's not too hot so I can use Sevin spray.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

She's something of a pet, but I don't want her to suffer. On the flipside, I don't think I could handle putting her down myself...

Many vets will euthanize a chicken if you need the help. I would even help a friend or fellow chicken lover out. Adding your general location to your profile can help peeps make the best suggestions possible at a glance.

But she doesn't look that bad to me...

Permethrin is very effective when used according to directions. The DE and sevin should not be needed.

Give her a bath and clean the fecal matter off her vent area. Lets get a look at that skin.

What are you feeding including treats and supplements?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She's something of a pet, but I don't want her to suffer. On the flipside, I don't think I could handle putting her down myself...

She's around six years. I don't think she lays anymore, but the other six-year-old hen I have does. I have used a combination of Permethrin, DE and a homeade mite spray. Waiting for a day where it's not too hot so I can use Sevin spray.

Is she lethargic or anything like that?

The bump on her face if that's been there a while, I would just watch that.

She could use a bit of a clean up on the rear - pull, wash or cut off the dried on poop. Treat her for the mites (use your Permethrin, DE is not an effective treatment).
Feel her abdomen for bloat/swelling or fluid and check to see if her crop is empty in the mornings.

It's really up to you whether she is at the point she needs to be put down. You are there and see her actions and can gauge her body condition. It's not uncommon for an older hen to have some reproductive problems that may make her a bit slower. Being set on the ground, then falling, well that could be an indication that she's declining, or she may have just fell depending on how she was set down. If she's bloated/swollen, then sometimes they can have a hard time jumping on roosts or other objects like they used too - I can't do the things I used to do when I was a teenager.

IF she is a pet and she is fairly active, interacts with the other hens, eat/drinks well, is not lethargic - then personally I would just monitor her daily - but that does take time and commitment on your part as well - she needs to be cleaned when needed and the mites need to go so treating her every 7 days for a few weeks would be important (all you hens need this).

IF she is lethargic, in a state of decline or you have other commitments, time is limited, then culling her is an option.

Just my 2¢

 

[Simmons Homestead]

Many vets will euthanize a chicken if you need the help. I would even help a friend or fellow chicken lover out. Adding your general location to your profile can help peeps make the best suggestions possible at a glance.

But she doesn't look that bad to me...

Permethrin is very effective when used according to directions. The DE and sevin should not be needed.

Give her a bath and clean the fecal matter off her vent area. Lets get a look at that skin.

What are you feeding including treats and supplements?

Alright, I added my general location to my profile.

Okay, I will spray more with Permethrin. Would I have to wear a mask and rain gear to spray that much or am I overdoing the "insecticide safety"?

Thank you, I will do that. I was going to do it anyway, since it helps soothe them.

I feed them 16% protein layer mash with oyster shell and alfalfa mixed in, fresh clover as a treat, along with washed lettuce every once in a while and corn, watermelon or cucumbers occasionally.

Is she lethargic or anything like that?

The bump on her face if that's been there a while, I would just watch that.

She could use a bit of a clean up on the rear - pull, wash or cut off the dried on poop. Treat her for the mites (use your Permethrin, DE is not an effective treatment).
Feel her abdomen for bloat/swelling or fluid and check to see if her crop is empty in the mornings.

It's really up to you whether she is at the point she needs to be put down. You are there and see her actions and can gauge her body condition. It's not uncommon for an older hen to have some reproductive problems that may make her a bit slower. Being set on the ground, then falling, well that could be an indication that she's declining, or she may have just fell depending on how she was set down. If she's bloated/swollen, then sometimes they can have a hard time jumping on roosts or other objects like they used too - I can't do the things I used to do when I was a teenager.

IF she is a pet and she is fairly active, interacts with the other hens, eat/drinks well, is not lethargic - then personally I would just monitor her daily - but that does take time and commitment on your part as well - she needs to be cleaned when needed and the mites need to go so treating her every 7 days for a few weeks would be important (all you hens need this).

IF she is lethargic, in a state of decline or you have other commitments, time is limited, then culling her is an option.

Just my 2¢

Thank you, I will keep an eye on her an bathe her.

Yeah, I learned that DE sucks the hard way...

She does seem a bit bloated, but she's not too lethargic, just slower than all the other hens. She eats and drinks and runs to the door with the other hens when she hears my voice, but just takes her time.
She doesn't eat as much as she used to though. I think she's on her way out, but if she's not suffering then I'd much rather her bow out gracefully than having her life end abruptly.

The bump seems to have appeared overnight.

(Here she is, next to my other old lady.)