What's wrong with my hen?

[hanjames98]

I have two ex battery hens and the other seems fine but I am concerned for this hen as her coat is healthy but I don't know why one eye is a different colour to the other! She is quite old now but I do not like the look of her legs, eye or bottom! Is this normal? Or is it a serious condition I need to do something about? Are their any treatment or home remedies? Or tips?? I have two 3 week old chicks that will be going in the outside coop with them when they are old enough and I don't want them to catch anything, my other hen seems perfectly healthy though with no similar problems!! Please help as I'm really worried!

 

[sunflour]

Welcome.

So sorry I don't know the answer, but would be concerned and want to find out before risk of exposing the young chicks.

I would recommend posting the issue under emergencies to get more attention and hopefully someone with experience can give you some help.

Sorry about the issue, hope she has nothing contagious and will be ok.

I am glad you decided to join us.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us! It looks like the discolored eye is blind. Also, your hen has scaly leg mites. I think there's some kind of medicine you can give for scaly leg mites...you could probably get it at a local feed store.

 

[justplainbatty]

I have two ex battery hens and the other seems fine but I am concerned for this hen as her coat is healthy but I don't know why one eye is a different colour to the other! She is quite old now but I do not like the look of her legs, eye or bottom! Is this normal? Or is it a serious condition I need to do something about? Are their any treatment or home remedies? Or tips?? I have two 3 week old chicks that will be going in the outside coop with them when they are old enough and I don't want them to catch anything, my other hen seems perfectly healthy though with no similar problems!! Please help as I'm really worried!

I agree with bantamfan4life. You can use vasaline on the legs and feet to smother the mites. Keep her coated for a week or two. If you can, using toothpicks to clean out the crud from under lifted scales, that helps. Also, when applying the vasaline, try to get it up under the lifted scales. Use frontline for puppies or cats for systemic insect control. I hope the blindness in her eye is from injury, cateracts/age, not a side effect from ocular Mareks. Make sure she is in quarantine for at least 6 weeks. Good luck!

 

[drumstick diva]

Poor girl, being a battery hen was bad enough. She deserves a good retirement. Hope the ER people can diagnose her problems.

 

[hanjames98]

Thank you everyone for your advice! Her eye has been like that for a few months! I am really hoping it's not mareks! Thank you for the Vaseline tip I will be using that and I am going to go to my local country shop to pick up some scaly leg spray and ask for mite repellant! Thank you everyone! Just incase anyone was wondering we think she is roughly 4-5 years old now so she is an old bird! Thanks again x

 

[horsegirl10]

sorry...i have no idea

 

[justplainbatty]

Thank you everyone for your advice! Her eye has been like that for a few months! I am really hoping it's not mareks! Thank you for the Vaseline tip I will be using that and I am going to go to my local country shop to pick up some scaly leg spray and ask for mite repellant! Thank you everyone! Just incase anyone was wondering we think she is roughly 4-5 years old now so she is an old bird! Thanks again x

She may be younger than you think. Most commercial operations would probably not keep hens past their second laying cycle. After that, they are eating more than they are producing, not good for the operation's bottom line.

I'm so glad you have her, hope she is not a mareks bird.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Hope your hen is OK.