The Poultry Keeper

LisaLou · Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Herts

Thank you all again for your kind words.

I spoke to the vet and the place I bought Rachel from today. I have an appointment at the vets tomorrow, the earliest one I could get. As I suspected, both vets at my local practice have experience with chickens as we live in a rural area with lots of small holdings and farms close by. I will let the vet have a look at her and see what they think. I am hoping they will trim her beak for me.

The place I bought her from was very helpful. They said they thought her symptoms were due to stress as apparently the eye closing thing is quite common in stressed chicks. The vet I spoke to verified this too.

Rachel is looking a touch perkier this evening. She's been scratching about and preening herself and her head hasn't been down on her chest as much today.

I am hoping that this could be all due to stress and after her beak is sorted tomorrow, she'll be able to eat better.

One good-ish sign too is that while I was watching them earlier, Rachel gave Pheobe a bit of a peck when Pheobe tried to eat a bit of food that she was interested in!

I'll keep you all up-dated.

LL xx

debcat · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 7:19 pm Post subject:

have you tried giving her mash, or pellets mashed up with warm water
She should be able to manage this better than the pellets
Good luck at the vets tomorrow Very Happy

Deb_Moderator · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 3661

I am glad she seems perkier. Even more happy that you have called the vet. When you called the breeder, did they offer to take her back?

LisaLou · Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Herts

Deb, no they didn't. I was happy with the advice they gave but worried that they didn't suggest this especially since I explained that I was an inexperienced chicken keeper.

Debcat, I mixed their food with water this morning just for Rachel. It's all gone!

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

Hey LisaLou!

That is sounding so much better!!! Excellent stuff!!!

Hope the vet feels positive too tomorrow! Don't forget to let us know how you get on.

Debs

debcat · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:43 pm Post subject:

If she was eating the mashed up pellets fine then it maybe that her beak is the only cause and that once it's trimmed anbd she can eat properly she will be fine Laughing

LisaLou · Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Herts

Well, Rachel's fate is sealed I'm afraid.

I took her to the vets yesterday and she took one look at her and told me to take her back to the place I bought her from.

Her view was very similar to many of you on here. There is something wrong with Rachel and although my vet didn't carry out a full examination, she agreed that her beak is deformed and her symptoms suggested stress.

The vet explained that although, if I wanted to, she would carry out an examination and try and treat Rachel, this course of action would be costly for me and any treatment would mean that we couldn't eat her eggs or any eggs that the other girls produced either until the treatment was finished.

She asked where I bought her from and said that she'd heard good things about the place and this seemed like a one-off. She also seemed to think that I wouldn't have any problems getting a replacement Rachel.

So.... tomorrow, Rachel and I will be taking a trip back to the place she came from to see what the park manager says. On the advice of my vet, I will be asking for a replacement, but I won't worry too much if that doesn't happen. I'll just source another breeder and replace her that way.

I feel really quite guilty, but I know that the place I bought Rachel from will either treat her and get her better or put her to sleep, which may be the kindest thing. Confused

Thanks again for all your comments. I'll keep you informed.

LL xx

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

Oh so sorry to hear that - but I'm sure you are making the right decision.

Best of luck tomorrow.

Debs

Deb_Moderator · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 3661

Those decisions are always soooooooo hard to make. Sad

Aussie Chick · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 6:06 am Post subject:

Good luck today LL. I too have heard good things about the place you are going. I'm sure they will be very helpful and replace her. I hope they choose to make her well rather than the other option!

So are we up to the boys names now for your new girl? Are you going to get the same breed?

LisaLou · Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Herts

LisaLou · Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Herts

Rachel's gone.

I took her back and the guy I saw seemed to think there was something wrong with her. He put her in with some of the other birds he's had returned (people take unwanted cockerels and if they have too many chicks from a batch there to be re-homed) and said he'll keep an eye on her.

He showed me some of the other RIR he had in and explained that all their beaks were clipped when they were young to prevent feather pecking. None of the others he showed me had such strange looking beaks though so I wonder whether Rachel's beak was a bit abnormal to start with.

He asked whether I wanted to replace her with another bird (although he didn't offer to exchange her) but I couldn't honestly bear to bring another one home with me, it seemed so disloyal so I am down to 2 chickens at the moment.

I will eventually get another chick to take Rachel's place but not just now.

The other two girls are doing well and I've spent the morning pottering around with them cleaning the coop and putting new wood chips down on the floor of the run.

Just for info, both the vet and the guy I saw yesterday did say that Rachel closing her eyes and standing with her head on her chest were both signs of stress although as so many of you have said, it could be a sign of something more.

The guy yesterday did say I had done the right thing by bringing her back because I am so new to chicken keeping and possibly wouldn't have spotted it if there was something more serious going on.

I wanted to let you all know what had happened and apologize if I've annoyed anyone by copping out. I just couldn't stand to think that I might be missing something and causing Rachel any pain or discomfort.

Knobby · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 3:06 pm Post subject:

I really cant see how anyone would be annoyed !!
Youve done what everyone else would have done......good luck with your search for No3 Very Happy

debcat · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 3:15 pm Post subject:

there's nothing to apologise for
and you have'nt annoyed anyone Very Happy

good luck with the other 2 and your search for a third Very Happy

NannyP · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 3:16 pm Post subject: