UPDATE - SHE IS NOW SICK - suggestions welcome -is-there-a-chance-a-production-breed-will-never-produce-an-egg-see-pics

[Squawkers]

How is she now?

 

[Bawkbok]

Well, she's hanging in there doing chicken things. She is foraging and ranging for bugs and occasionally successful but due to the cold, most of them have gone down under. She is drinking fine, still has yucky poop, not runny anymore but sort of greenish chunks. I saw her eat a few bites of feed (yay) and will sometimes eat scrambled eggs, boiled chicken, cooked carrots. Her voice is extremely scratchy and barely audible. I was looking through Gail Damerow's chicken health handbook and cannot find anything on laryngitis. She has lost weight but seems to be maintaining. She still seems to be at the top of the pecking order though her demeanor is not as strong as it used to be if that makes sense. I don't know what to think but am grateful she is still with us. I have been putting EnteroForte in their water which aids with digestive issues, stimulates appetite and increases intestinal flora. It is a natural remedy containing thyme and oregano. Not sure what else to try. She has no respiratory symptoms and all orafices are clear. Thank you for asking.

 

[Squawkers]

Well, she's hanging in there doing chicken things. She is foraging and ranging for bugs and occasionally successful but due to the cold, most of them have gone down under. She is drinking fine, still has yucky poop, not runny anymore but sort of greenish chunks. I saw her eat a few bites of feed (yay) and will sometimes eat scrambled eggs, boiled chicken, cooked carrots. Her voice is extremely scratchy and barely audible. I was looking through Gail Damerow's chicken health handbook and cannot find anything on laryngitis. She has lost weight but seems to be maintaining. She still seems to be at the top of the pecking order though her demeanor is not as strong as it used to be if that makes sense. I don't know what to think but am grateful she is still with us. I have been putting EnteroForte in their water which aids with digestive issues, stimulates appetite and increases intestinal flora. It is a natural remedy containing thyme and oregano. Not sure what else to try. She has no respiratory symptoms and all orafices are clear. Thank you for asking.

I hope she recovers.

 

[Bawkbok]

I hope she recovers.

Thank you; us too. She is a lovely bird with such an endearing personality - isn't that always the way? It seems to be our favorite chickens that fall ill. That's life in chicken land I guess.

 

[Squawkers]

Thank you; us too. She is a lovely bird with such an endearing personality - isn't that always the way? It seems to be our favorite chickens that fall ill. That's life in chicken land I guess.

It does seem that way. I had this one hen that I had a love hate relationship with, and every time one of the other chickens got sick I always asked why wasn’t it her? (Sounds awful, but I was just so sad it was the other one that I loved) and then when she finally died I was so sad I had had her so many years it felt empty without her.

 

[Bawkbok]

She caught a lizard last night and the Orpington, Opal, quickly stole it from her and took off running. Goldie gave chase and chased her around the yard to get it back. She quickly tired and gave up, coming back to the site where it was found. I discovered another lizard under a log and dangled it in front of her face. She took it and ran behind another log to eat it in private. Opal discovered she had another one and quickly approached for the steal again, I intercepted her with my best hocky slide move. Goldie enjoyed her lizard dinner and I felt happy she was going to roost with a large meal in her crop. All is well in chicken land.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thank you for the update. Good to hear that she is doing well.

 

[Bawkbok]

Thank you for the update. Good to hear that she is doing well.

I don't know how "well" she is - her poop is still nasty, watery in the coop and greenish goo during the day. When I pick her up, she has lost considerable weight and her breast bone is protruding. I'm going to work to get a good picture of her this afternoon. She mostly acts normal and is not responding to the shaker treat cup any longer. I very seldom provide treats and when I do it has changed to Kalmbach henhouse reserve. She is eating scrambled eggs again and drinking to my liking. Not eating feed as much as she used to but I have seen her take some bites the last couple of days. I am hopeful she'll continue to recover but I'm guarded in that I know there is an internal problem somewhere so I'm keeping myself grounded knowing my days with her are probably numbered. Just appreciating every moment with her. She's my love.

 

[Bawkbok]

Question for you all --- before coop time I brought her into the house to clean her butt feathers as they were poop dirty, she doesn't always squat as low as she should so I clean her up as necessary. Her vent looks good and is clean. I noticed her legs and feet were as cold as ice. I don't know how this compares to the other two pullets as I didn't pick them up. I'm assuming it's from the colder weather? After 90 minutes of ranging, running and scratching, shouldn't they have been warmed up? We are having a NNW blustery cold wind of 10-15 mph consistently all day every day for several days now. It was below freezing last night and we're headed for a freeze again tonight. The high has "only" been around 55 (cold for this climate this time of year). Do chickens lose heat in their legs and feet when they're cold? Her legs are normally yellow but lately they seem to be greyish. Is this a lack of blood flow? What might be going on here? What if anything can I do about it? Thank you.

 

[AinaWGSD]

Chickens do lose more heat through their legs and feet than the rest of their body because they don't have any feathers to keep the heat in. If she's cold, she would try to cover them with her feathers to warm them up.

The vibrant yellow in yellow skinned chickens' legs is caused by beta-keratine which is acquired through diet. Since she's not been eating well for a while you're probably seeing the color fade due to the change in what she's eating.

The best thing you can do for her is to make sure she's sheltered from the wind and encourage her appetite as best you can.