Sick 6 to 7 months year old hen

[rebrascora]

Those legs are incredibly short and chunky for a pullet! Is she a meat bird? Unfortunately they are bred to have a short life span and unless they are kept on a strict diet and exercise regime, their organs or legs/hips will usually give out before they reach a year old.
I am guessing she is a pet and you are desperate to save her, but you may find that even if she does recover from this, she will probably become sick with some other ailment. These birds are not usually long lived. I am assuming you tried to integrate her with a neighbour's flock rather than take her with you when you move? Integrating a single bird can be very difficult and they often get a hard time. What are your long term goals for her if she survives this? To keep her with you as a house chicken or try to rehome her? If the latter, the chances are that she will not live long without a lot of tlc, so it might be kinder to euthanize her.

 

[Ihab]

Hi
I am sorry but what is tlc
I want to keep her and maybe get som small chicks at the beginning of summer for her.
I have been trying to get her to eat less with no success i would like to get some recommendation for her diet
For my travel i have a cousin that will take care of her if she is better fyi she seems to be a little better so it seems I'm doing something right put half a tablet aspirin for adult in her water
Thanks

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

Hi
I am sorry but what is tlc
I want to keep her and maybe get som small chicks at the beginning of summer for her.
I have been trying to get her to eat less with no success i would like to get some recommendation for her diet
For my travel i have a cousin that will take care of her if she is better fyi she seems to be a little better so it seems I'm doing something right put half a tablet aspirin for adult in her water
Thanks

Great advice here....sorry your girl is having such problems.
"TLC" is "tender loving care." In other words, keeping her as comfortable and happy as possible.
As pointed out, if she is a bird that was meant to be used as a meat bird, her life will be short. You've given her wonderful care and love during her life but, sadly, she may not live as long as you had hoped.
As with all of our beloved pets, we try so hard for them when they are ill but sometimes nature takes its course and we lose them.
Go with what the good experts here advise and if worse comes to worst, know that she had a good life and you did your best to make it so.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree with the others.

@Ihab do you know what "breed" she is supposed to be?
I would have to guess she is a Cornish Cross or similar. They are bred to gain rapidly so they can be butchered at a young age. With meat birds, unless they have a restricted diet from the start and a lot of exercise, their body just can't support the rapid weight gain.

You can still offer supportive care, see that she is drinking. You mention her crop is squishy - check it first thing in the morning before she eat/drinks to see if it has emptied, but you will want to take into consideration that if she declines further, it would be best to put her down.
The wound on the leg looks fairly o.k. Try to keep it cleaned. I see the other leg is also developing a sore as well. This is common with meat birds since they tend to lay down a lot because their legs can't support their weight. Watch the sores that they don't become infected.

I'm very sorry.

 

[Ihab]

I have been giving her electrolyte water making sure she drinks every now and then checked her crop an hour ago was empty I have store bought food. She is 4 plus kg now is it possible to diet her down to a healthy weight? and how should I go about it? And if so what is her life expectancy?
I really appreciate your answers since she is my first chicken and I am keeping as a pet.
Thanks

 

[Wyorp Rock]

4+ kg is around 8.8lbs. Even if you start to restrict her diet and get her more exercise, she probably won't lose enough weight to make that much of a difference. The problem with meat birds is their organs (heart, liver, kidneys) can start to fail, along with their legs not supporting them due to the weight gain. I'm sorry, but her life expectancy outlook is not positive. Typically these birds are butchered around 8-9wks, so she has lived longer than normal due to the good care you have given her.

I do understand that she is a pet. I've never had meat birds, but hear they can be quite sweet. I wish I had better answers and knew of a way to help you make changes so she can live longer.

 

[Eggcessive]

If she is a broiler or meat bird, they are usually butchered between 6 and 8 weeks old if they are heavy enough. People who try to keep them longer or as pets usually limit their food so they do not get too heavy, and let them outside to free range. Unfortunately, they have problems with weak or broken legs, and may suffer heart attacks. The sore on the leg could be from wanting to lie down. Many people get these meat birds accidentally, and realize they may not live a long life.

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

The fact that she seems to be having trouble breathing may be an indication of heart failure. Her comb is still red which means that, so far, she is able to compensate and provide oxygen to her tissues.
That being said, she also probably has little "reserve," meaning that any stress will cause her to decompensate. At nearly ten pounds she has a lot of weight to support and all her organs would be stressed, especially if she is a meat bird that was meant to have a life of only a few months.
Your kindness and caring have gone a long way towards giving her a life that many hens never experience, especially those meant for the market.
HUGS.

 

[Ihab]

I see
With all of the medicine i have been giving her is she safe to eat if if I would put her out of her misery
The whole family is traveling Friday this week I would hate to find out she died when she is with my cousin and trouble him.
Man it's heartbreaking but thank you all for the support

 

[Ihab]

Is it possible that she have avien flu?