Sorry but anyone keep chickens? Ex battery hen needs help.

Spyda

Spyda

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Sorry, this is a non-horsey post but I'm hoping someone here will be able to offer some advice for helping this poor little girl get better.

Look what my husband brought home yesterday! She's just been bathed in the below photo BTW.

Astridsbody.jpg


I've uploaded some more photos of Astrid here -

http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm162/khovan/astrid/

She was a surprise arrival and, as you can see, she isn't in great condition having been at the bottom of every pecking order, in every home, she's ever had. We're her second home after finishing her battery hen life. She was being mercilessly picked on in her first retirement home which is why she's come to us after only a month there. I've experience with chickens but ones in good health so I need some advice for getting this poor girl back into shape.

One concern is her beak.

Astridsbeak2.jpg


It's crossed and am wondering if anything can be done to improve it or whether it's best left alone? I'm reluctant to trim or file it without advice. She eats fine with it and has a very good appetite! One good thing.

Her feet are big a worry, too.

Astridsfoot2.jpg


She's very sore on them and the pictures show how they look. She's reluctant to put them down as she walks, especially her ns one. I've bathed them in a warm water bath and sprayed them with Net-Tex 'Just for Scaly Legs'. What else should I do to help her feel more comfortable and get them looking better?

I've started her on Flubenvet and applied Cat Spot On. She's eating Layers Pellets 100g/day, plus Chick Meal, dried meal worms and pickings around the garden. I'm changing her straw daily and using Net-Tex Total Mite Kill Liquid Concentrate inside the coop.

Anything else I could/should be doing for her?
 
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Oh dear,, poor thing, she does look a sorry sight:(. I think you are doing all you can for her really and am sure she will soon be looking a lot prettier:).

As you say she is eating well then I would be inclined to leave her beak well alone.

One thing I remember reading re Ex-Batt hens is that they have trouble jumping up onto a roost/into hen house etc, so you may need to provide her with ramps to assist until she gets stronger in the leg.

Good luck:)
 
you don't need to do anything else, your chicken is not too bad, I had 3 who looked like the horrid rubber dog toys, sort of oven ready but with feed and head. The beak will come right really quickly, and the nettex scaley feet stuff is brilliant. You will be amazed at how fast they look normal.
 
So you think her feet are suffering from Scaly Leg? I wasn't sure what was wrong with them so looked on the Internet yesterday. I came to the conclusion it was probably what she had but having never seen the condition before it was a stab in the dark.

Also glad to hear she's not the worst anyone's seen. That's some consolation although I do hate to see her looking so sore and shabby.

And bless her, she laid me an egg yesterday! :)
 
oh im so sorry i cant advise - iv enever had a chicken in my life but just wanted to say well done to you for helping this poor girl - i so admire you. Have you googled chicken experts or something?????? oh im so happy she has found caring owners xxx
 
Thanks everyone for the support. I'm just glad my husband brought her home for me to take care of (and HIM the animal hating one, it's bl**dy amazing!)

I did join the Ex-Battery Hens Forum last night, but not much activity on there although some helpful 'pinned' posts there, so the other forum suggestions are helpful. Thanks! :)

shellonabeach said:
I know nothing about chickens but wanted to say best wishes for a speedy recovery for Astrid.

Bless her laying you an egg, she must appreciate all you are doing for her :)
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Oh, I know! What a sweetie. I said a BIG thank you to her. (I know, I'm mad!!! It's official!) But I really wish she hadn't gone to the trouble just yet!
 
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She will be fine, she'll feather up again pretty quickly, i wouldn't change what you're doing. Even our free range birds (we have 2500) can look pretty awful at the end of lay, good luck with her.
 
I keep bantams but don't consider myself any sort of chicken "expert", however I would say that if she's layd an egg you probably don't have too much to worry about? You'd need to chuck her out some poultry grit for her to pick up, plus some calcium, i.e. crushed eggshells, or oyster shell in gritted form which you can get at places like Mole Valley.

I've heard somewhere that Apple Cider Vinegar added to their drinking water is good and will give condition, but I think, given time, you're on the right track.
 
I think the fact that she is eating well is a great start and very promising. I had some x battery hens a few years ago and despite their terrible condition to start they all came good and looked glossy and healthy after a few months and enjoyed the remainder of their lives. Like all others who have commented I would leave the beak alone as she is coping with it and it sounds like you are doing all the right things. I wish you all the best with her recovery.
 
Oh and ex batts are fearless, they are amazing characters, one of ours loves my dogs, follows them round the yard and comes in the house and eats their biscuits - and they let her. and she trys to sit on the horses in the stable. Vey confident and such characters. you will love her being around the place.
 
Well done for taking this poor wee mite in. The only thing i would change is the straw! straw encourages red mite and thats the last thing she needs right now.

Also what does the underside of her feet look like? another possibility could be Bumblefoot as the scales on her legs don't look too bad compared to the foot.

Hope she gets better soon.
 
brighteyes said:
Might be mistaken, but there looks to be some caked manure on her very right toe - could do to come off? (the manure blob, not the toe!)
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If it's the photo above (her ns foot) the whole end of her toe has come off (she has no claw on that far right toe). The brown blob is the damaged end.
If it's her other foot, the brown bit in the picture is a brown risen scale. It's hard to see from the pictures I know. I am soaking her feet daily and helping to soften the dead scale tissue, but she's tender so I'm taking things slowly.
 
I don't think there is anything you can do about the beak.. We have a few chicks every year which develop it from a young age but often mange fine if it isn't completely crossed... and your chickens beak doesn't seem to bad. I hope she gets better soon and good on you for rescuing her :)
 
Don't worry too much. I got 30 ex free range chickens and some of them look much worse than her.
I have one very naked hen who is growing very rapidly some beautiful feathers but I do feed mine Naf Lifeguard in their water which seems to help a lot.
One seems to be a total loner and will not mix with the flock and prefers solitary confinement in my stable!
You will be suprised how quickly she improves.
Only major problem is puttinmg one bird into an existing flock as they will get bullied. Might be better to keep her out until she looks more "normal" and then pop her in with another newbie!
Good luck
 
Tiggy1 said:
I have one very naked hen who is growing very rapidly some beautiful feathers but I do feed mine Naf Lifeguard in their water which seems to help a lot.
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Interesting! I've got a parrot pre/probiotic mutivitamin and mineral supplement which I am adding to her water, as well as Calcivet, so I'm hoping these will help her through this initial stage of repair. I'll have to take a look at the NAF product though, as it's bound to be cheaper than the avian specialist products! :rolleyes:
 
Good on you getting ex bats. I have them and they looked like your when they came. I love them and yours will feather up in no time, they will thrive. Mine come into my house and pull up their skirts and run to me like hell when they see me.
 
my only add to this would be to change straw to shavings as the straw can provided a place for parasites (eg mites) to live whereas shavings dont :)
 
megwan1 said:
my only add to this would be to change straw to shavings as the straw can provided a place for parasites (eg mites) to live whereas shavings dont :)
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Rather like the Guinea pigs and rabbits then, in that respect. Okay doke. Good plan! I'll switch her over later :)
 
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