Sick hen please help

[Little Chicken Girl]

thank you, I've left her with the vet. He discovered an abscess on her tongue and is worried she may have more internally. He has got her on antibiotics but she's really not looking good and wish I would have taken her out of hours somewhere last night now, but fingers crossed.

My thoughts and prayers for you and your little gal! I hope it turns out alright.

 

[Eggcessive]

thank you, I've left her with the vet. He discovered an abscess on her tongue and is worried she may have more internally. He has got her on antibiotics but she's really not looking good and wish I would have taken her out of hours somewhere last night now, but fingers crossed.

Poor little thing. Some diseases that can cause lesions in the mouth and throat are fowl pox (a virus spread by mosquitoes,) canker (a protozoa,) or some repiratory diseases. Sometimes they can get strings or hairs wrapped around the tongues, causing loss or an abcess of the tongue. Ask your vet what they think it is. Thank you for taking her to a vet and keeping us posted.

 

[Danielkent]

Sorry for not coming back to any of you, but unfortunately the vet had to put my girl down as she almost past when he was examining her on day three of antibiotics. She made no recover after the antibiotics and he believes there were internal abscess'. He was unable to give me a full diagnosis without preforming a post mortem. Which I couldn't pay for at the time! I would have liked to have had a definitive answer as it's left me second guessing constantly.

I am now left with two girls who I have been checking on hourly!!! Both seem fine and healthy with no signs of illness or infection and have received a lot of lap time!

I know this should be in another thread but just wanted your opinions on having just two girls? Should I introduce another?

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

Sorry for not coming back to any of you, but unfortunately the vet had to put my girl down as she almost past when he was examining her on day three of antibiotics. She made no recover after the antibiotics and he believes there were internal abscess'. He was unable to give me a full diagnosis without preforming a post mortem. Which I couldn't pay for at the time! I would have liked to have had a definitive answer as it's left me second guessing constantly.

I am now left with two girls who I have been checking on hourly!!! Both seem fine and healthy with no signs of illness or infection and have received a lot of lap time!

I know this should be in another thread but just wanted your opinions on having just two girls? Should I introduce another?

I am so sorry that you had to lose one. Definitely not a fun thing... As for the current situation, I would say that the two chickens should be totally fine at the present... as long as you continually have at least two and the two do not appear overly stressed at the loss of their companion. Chickens develop a unique bond when raised together and are very rarely as close to other chickens that have been introduced later... However, chickens are instinctually key on companionship so you still might want to get another hen to ensure that neither of your two girls get shocked if the other suddenly passes.

If you do get a new hen, here are some things (from my experience) that might be helpful to consider...

For best results migrating a new hen into the flock, you might want to get a mellow, easy-going breed that is comparable in size to the ones you have because breeds that are alike generally gravitate towards one another and except each other more readily.
The best way to introduce chickens is gradually and gently (i.e. they have separate, spacious areas where they can see and hear each other for a little bit until they get to meet each other (This is optimum but not necessary, depending on how much space your chickens have). When they do meet, it should be outside where they will have plenty of space to retreat as well as appease their curiosity... without harming each other or getting overly stressed.)
Getting an adult chicken would most likely be best in your situation because adults usually except other adults more easily than they do young pullets/chicks. Chicks also do best kept in numbers 3+ so you would have to get at least that many chicks, optimally.


I hope this text was helpful! I also hope that it works out for the best In what you decide about a new flock member.