Poorly Mini

Mini is not right. I swear, that hen will be the undoing of me. She's pale in the face, and keeps closing her eyes for a little snooze. Her eyes seem a little irritated, but there is no discharge. Her chest sounds clear, and she's making normal chicken noises. Her crop is empty, but she appears not to be eating, just picking at the grass. She hasn't, as far as I can tell, lost any weight. I have noticed some rather runny poos in the run, and I suspect she might be the culprit. She hasn't laid an egg for over a week, as she had gone broody. The broodiness appears to have passed now, though, and she's outside the coop.

Mini has never been an overly healthy chicken, and seems to have a bit of a rubbish immune system. The only thing I can think of is that she has a soft egg that she needs to lay, and is feeling a bit rotten because of it. I can't feel anything in her abdomen, but don't want to poke her about too much in case I make it worse. Her vent is clear and doesn't look inflamed.

Instead of rushing her to the vet, who will almost certainly shrug his shoulders and then charge me twenty pounds, I have decided on trying to treat her at home. I've added citracidal to the water, poultry spice to the feed and when the ever tolerant husband gets home, Mini is getting a darn good spraying with a mite killer.

Hopefully, I'll stumble across the remedy for whatever is ailing her.

The down side

Delilah, on the right.

There is a downside to hen keeping, and I've been reminded of it today. Chickens are such funny little characters, that you find yourself getting attatched to them almost without realising it. So when one of them gets ill, it's very upsetting.

Delilah is a very sick hen. She doesn't seem able to move very well, staggering like a drunk and using her wings to steady herself. Her face and comb are pale, and she's spent a lot of the day huddled in the run. We've been to the vets, and she's been given antibiotic and steroid injections. A temporary hospital wing has been set up in the garage with lots of deep warm bedding, food and water. Her best chicken pal, Mini, is with her. There is nothing more to be done, but wait and see if she is alive in the morning.

I feel bad for calling her a cow now.