Horrible subject but please answer

[taffy1970]

Where do you draw the line with your Chickens when you have an ill one, im hoping that i do not upset anyone here, but vet bills are so expensive and i know that they are family pets, but vets do like to charge an excessive amount of money and when you have a rescue hen, do you just give and try your best or pay £100's of pounds putting her right??? I havnt got lots of money and she will need anti biotics which will cost me loads anyway, ill pay that and try to find a way, its frustrating, sorry to make such a morbid post xxx

[julieann]

I think this is a really difficult one Taffy. Everyone will have a different threshold regarding both financial and ethical reasons. I think we each have to decide our own financial limit as everyones income is different, if you have given as much as you can afford both financially and practically and feel the end has come then that is the best decision for you and your hen. you are obviously a caring person or you wouldn't bother to ask, so trust your own judgement and try not to feel guilty if the decision is a sad one.

[MissEllie]

It's not morbid taffy, it's practical.
Sorry you're having such a hard worrying time with a poorly chook. I haven't had to deal with this yet but I can understand where you're coming from because if im completely honest I think I'd feel a bit like it too. I would hate to see my pet suffer but also couldn't afford big vets bills.
See how she is in the morning, hopefully her antibiotics will be working.

[taffy1970]

Miss Ellie i havnt got the antibiotics, but she has had a dose of metacam tonight, will ask about anti biotics on monday and the cost etc, really do not want to see her suffer, i think she has egg peritonitis, but im stuck on the whole situation, she looks so well apart from her poor little tummy, its too sad :-(

[Alyshy]

Hi Taffy,
I have heard that extra calcium and vitamin D can help.

Jonathan

[Tony H]

Hi Taffy its hard when to decide enough is enough I have lots of chucks now so do get a lot of ailments i decided some time ago that i would seperate them and give the ill chuck tlc and a dose of chicken spice and a broad band antibiotic which you can get of e-bay and leave it to nature, i personaly dont take any to the vet as the cost can be overwelming the cost of a visit could let me save up to 10 girls from the cooking pot so concentrate on that more, dont get me wrong i love all my girls and do my best for all of them

[Mrs B]

If there is hope of a complete recovery then I don't mind paying out money but luckily none of my vet bills have been much more than £25 so far.

I recently had a chook PTS because she had a prolapse that was bleeding heavily, in this case it was a chook that did not like being handled or being separated and other problems which made me think that repairing the prolapse was not in her best interest, the vet did not even mention surgery.

On the other hand Little Dot was badly savaged by the whole flock a long time ago, she had a massive hole in her head. Dot is a very affectionate bird, is quite content on her own as long as she can see the flock and loves being handled. The vet and I took the view that she was a fighter and did not seem to be suffering from stress so her wound was stapled and she was given medication. Dot made a splendid recovery, still gets the odd peck but nothing too bad now.

Having a good chicken vet does make a huge difference and they will help you make the decision.

[jackian]

I have only had to make the decision once but in the end Florry was PTS because of a prolapse.. I hated doing it but knew that antibiotics etc., would be too exspensive for me.If i thought she could be defineatly saved i would have done.You obviously care a lot so don't beat yourself up about it.
Just think how you could spend the saved money on caring for your other girls.

[bluebell]

Taffy, well done for posting

Keeping hens is a learning curve. Unfortunately, like anything else that is new, it can take a while for us to notice the symptoms of even the most common ailments.

Sometimes we are able to monitor our hens and see if they improve. However, things like respiratory problems, eye problems and skeletal problems (i.e. suspected broken leg) will need to be seen by a vet. They have the power to prescribe medication and can undertake x-rays and surgery. Unfortunately a lot of medication is, by law, prescription and requires the vet to authorise and dispense it for use.

Minor things - i.e. broken claw nail, abrasions, worms, can be dealt with by us as hobbyist poultry owners.

At the moment money is tight for everyone. No shame in admitting that. One definite starting point where an ill animal is concerned is finding the right vet. A vet who is used to seeing poultry regularly will be able to advise you what your hen is suffering from and explain to you what the course of treatment would be (and more importantly how this course of treatment will work).

With time comes experience, and with that people are able to recognise what is wrong with their hens and either decide if it can be treated at home or whether the services of a vet required.

I hope your chook is OK, Taffy.

[bluebell]

Hi Taffy its hard when to decide enough is enough I have lots of chucks now so do get a lot of ailments i decided some time ago that i would seperate them and give the ill chuck tlc and a dose of chicken spice and a broad band antibiotic which you can get of e-bay and leave it to nature, i personaly dont take any to the vet as the cost can be overwelming the cost of a visit could let me save up to 10 girls from the cooking pot so concentrate on that more, dont get me wrong i love all my girls and do my best for all of them

Hi - just wanted to point out to everyone - antibiotics MUST be prescribed by a vet. If for human use antibiotics MUST be prescribed by a doctor. If someone is selling antibiotics on ebay they are breaking the law if a written prescription is not requested to back this up.

Also, DEFRA and EU have very strict guidelines in place regarding use of antibiotics.

[perchy]

I think it is a post most of us have thought about.

I have been very fortunate, my vet is brilliant, and the charges have been minimal, as Bluebell says the vets consultation fee is probably the highest I have paid, but most treatments have been under £20 including ab's etc, still alot if you don't have a spare £20, I am unable to despatch myself and don't know anyone near enough who could, so sadly £12 for pts I think is worth every penny, no distress for me or the lady, Sadly eyp's prognosis is not good, my Perchy did pick up temporarily but as they have one cavity fluid does build quite quickly and therefore affects lungs etc, not nice to see, she went peacefully at the vet's, I hope she picks up for you, check out vets in your area, and some will do a couple of payments instead of the full amount.

[stace]

Vets are a very sore subject with me i'm afraid. My vet is perfect for the dogs,but the chooks are a differnt story. I have been keeping chooks for about 5 years now, and at first panicked at every sneeze etc. But as bluebell says it's a learning curve. I monitor them, see whats going on, and have bought natural remedies to add to water etc. As the nearest chicken vet is 30 miles away, and first visit is £90, its not an option for me i'm afraid. I love my girls and they have everything they need, but for us there has to be a limit on what we can spend on them when they are poorly.I keep them wormed, liced all bedding etc is cleaned, apple cider in their water with added garlic cloves, i now know the signs for egg bound, soft shell, and teat them myself, bathing them bringing them inside. I may have been lucky in some respects, as i have lost about 10 girls in 5 years, but all have passed pretty quickly. If they get ill fluffed up etc, i keep them comfy indoors, and let nature take its course.Its never easy for any of us, we all cope in different ways, but i try to prevent rather than cure.

[wendy]

Difficult one isn't it ?
Someting like EYP then there isn't really a cure unless you go down the road of complete spaying, an inplant every 3 months or so or draining and AB's. I haven't heard of many that survive the anaesthetic and all are expensive. I let nature take it's course. My little battery hens have been messed around with enough.
Bumblefoot, of which I have had quite a few, I have taken to the vet for AB's as it is very quick and easy to clear up. Not had a wheezie one yet
A prolapse can be sorted very often by yourself. I have only had one hen with it and treated by the vet, but still didn't survive. So I will have to deal with each on as it comes along. Sour crop and impacted crop, again I have only had a sour crop, I dealt with and not had a problem.
I have never had one PTS if they are suffering then my OH does the 'deed', if possible I just let them go on there own. As said most of mine are worn out when I get them, so most die because of being completely worn out.

Does she look like this ?


This is Priscilla, she didn't have an infected EYP and died about 6 weeks after I noticed the problem. She was well, other than walking strange, until about 2 hours before she died. It was quick and peaceful when her time came.

[MissEllie]

Miss Ellie i havnt got the antibiotics, but she has had a dose of metacam tonight, will ask about anti biotics on monday and the cost etc, really do not want to see her suffer, i think she has egg peritonitis, but im stuck on the whole situation, she looks so well apart from her poor little tummy, its too sad :-(

Sorry taffy, I misread it and thought you already had the antibiotics. As you'll see from all the posts you're not alone and there's plenty of people here to give advice.
How is she this morning?

[Alaine1304]

I have a similar problem and would welcome any advise please

One of my ex bats Fluffball has been a very poorly girl since yesterday. She wasn't moving about much at all yesterday and will no come out of the coop today. She's just sitting there looking very sad and has a very messy back end. In my heart I think I know the end is near, but don't know what to do for the best. Any help would be truly appreciated - no matter how hard the answer might be for me to hear. :(