Unwell Sussex Hen

[Pippa154]

I posted a few days ago regarding my poorly Sussex hen, she was very weak and sleepy all the time. This has improved slightly, I've been giving her honey water and pellets mashed with warm water, she drinks this mixture but only when offered it by hand in a tub. She won't help herself to water or food. I wonder if she is going blind? I've seen quite a few posts regarding blindness.

She can now support her weight but doesn't move around a great deal, I guess if she can't see then she won't feel confident moving around. I've had her in the house for a week now to keep her warm but over the last few days she has not really improved and I can't continue keeping her in the house - she is currently in our lounge which we are decorating so it is empty. We have a young dog who is desperate to get at her!

I fear that if I put her back in the coop (we have one other chicken) that she will be seen as weak and may be pecked at. I've thought about putting her to sleep, apparently there are bags available which put them 'to sleep' as it were, humanely. Has anyone heard of these? I'm not sure she could survive without being hand-fed every day so it seems the kindest option.

 

[N F C]

I'm sorry to hear your Sussex is unwell. I'm not familiar with the bags but you're right about her getting pecked if you put her back with the other, stronger birds. We have to keep one of our RIR girls in a separate place, she's lame and the other's tormented her mercilessly whenever we tried to reintegrate her. Other than her lameness, she's well, eats like a horse and lays almost every day.

Sometimes having animals means we have to make tough decisions, and only you know what is best in your situation. Hope your other birds are ok and everything works out for you.