In my last post, I introduced you to LadyBug. It has taken me some time to do that for many reasons.
Here is the update on her that I promised!
I am not 100% sure about her breed although she looks to be a Barred Rock.
When she first came I was not really thinking about her being in a post because she is not my bird and I didn't expect her to be here for very long. I received a call from my neighbor asking for help. She herself was very sick and was not able to care for her hen that was obviously in distress. A neighbor closer to her brought the hen to me. She rode in on a terrible thunderstorm. I reached in and pulled her from the tiny carrier and placed her in a bigger one and ran for cover from the rain. By the time the rain stopped, it was really dark. I lifted her out to examine her and she was very thin. No meat on her little bones at all. Her backend was super heavy and I suspected that she was eggbound. I didn't want to try to soaking treatment as nightfall approached and being off the grid a hairdryer isn't even something I own anymore! So I tucked her into the cage and prayed that she would be alive for the treatment the next morning.
The next morning I warmed some water to soak her in and added some Epsom salt in an attempt to help her pass the egg or eggs. She was so weak I expected that she did not have the strength for the contractions but my options were limited so we proceeded. I decided to use virgin coconut oil due to its antimicrobial properties as a lubricant.
here is an article from wikihow that gives more details about identifying an eggbound hen and the treatment.
https://www.wikihow.com/Cure-a-Chicken-from-Egg-Bound
When I put the hen in the water she melted into it. I then saw something floating in the water......
OH NO! Mites or lice! Poor hen but thank goodness she was in quarantine. Even though I suspected her condition was not contagious ie: being eggbound. I NEVER take chances like that. New birds are always kept in a separate location until we know for sure and that is a minimum of 30 days on my farm.
I waited for an hour after the treatment and no egg. I called her owner and explained what I had done and asked her what her thoughts were. We do not have a vet anywhere near here that would treat a chicken. If a hen is eggbound for 48 hours it is considered life-threatening. We decided that I would try another treatment later that day.
I called my neighbor the next morning and was unable to get her. Her illness had been getting worse so I decided that I would treat the hen as I would my own. after all, she called me because we are in agreement in the way we care for our animals and it was actually what brought us together as friends. I figured she would call me when she could.
The hen ate her breakfast with gusto and other than laying down seemed ok. No panting or any indication of pain.
So I set us up for another treatment. After she dried I dusted her with DE. (Diatomaceous Earth).
The bathing went on for two weeks!! The bath didn't seem to help her with laying the eggs but she seemed to enjoy it so much and the bugs hated it I figured why not. Now if you research online you will see advice that says if you do not get the egg out within 48 hours reach inside her break the egg and remove the pieces. This is actually a very serious procedure because the broken eggshell can actually cut and tear her insides and then you have another emergency to deal with!
By now I had talked with her owner and her owner asked me to keep her comfortable she didn't want her suffering. She was in the hospital at this point and her husband was overwhelmed with their farm chores so I agreed to keep her here and continue her care.
Weeks went by and my neighbor next door and my husband said she isn't going to make it. I said does she looks like she is suffering or in pain?? They replied NO. So then I will continue to help her build her strength. They didn't see but I did. Day by day she was getting stronger and stronger. Every day I would catch bugs for her or help her catch them.
Give her a dust bath or some veggies. One morning I came out to let her walk around and she squatted to poop and a giant yellow blob came out. It appeared to be an egg! Later that day I found another yellow blob in her outside pen.
Two days later she was running after bugs in the garden. Her owner had just come home from the hospital so I was going to give them both a few more days to get back in the swing of things and then I would take her home.
I didn't get the opportunity to take Lady Bug home. My friend's husband called me and said that she had passed peacefully at home. I was so stunned. The last time we talked she was feeling better and glad to be home. She thanked me countless times for saving her hen. Her animals were very precious to her.
Every day Lady Bug gets stronger. I am not a vet! So I can not explain what happened but she seemed to heal herself! She just needed a safe place, healthy food, and a little help.
She is strong enough to run around and by now we have the mites/lice BUGS off her so I started letting her follow me around the yard while I work. She did not have a name so I called her Lady Bug, it stuck. She comes when I call her.
I do not know if she will ever lay again. But She is worth her weight in gold as a bug catcher. I am glad to have her here on our homestead.
I can't stop thinking about my last conversations with my friend. We talked about the hen and our other critters.
I am so glad that I told her that I thought she was a special person. I am glad that she knew I cared.
I have often worried about who would care for my critters if anything ever happened to me. I know she had that concern too.
I am still a little numb about it. I knew she was really sick but she seems to be doing so much better.
It really really makes you think about the priorities in your life. So I have taken a few weeks to digest it all, I might need a few more.
Thanks for stopping by the homestead!
@SugarCreek
