Fostering a hen
Can you help us by fostering a hen/hens short term?
When we collect hens from farms we take them all, whether they are deformed, injured, unwell or psychologically damaged.
We always re-home healthy hens to our new re-homers, and usually we care for the above hens ourselves until well enough to rehome or we will keep them as our resident hens.
A problem a foster hen may have..
DAMAGED LEGS/OFF THEIR LEGS
- It is common for a small number of battery hens to be 'off their legs'. This is due to the cramped conditions of the farm and the hen being knocked down to the floor and not ever being able to get up again.
The treatment they will need..
- Their first 2 days they will be encouraged to eat and drink, made comfortable and their bed kept clean.
- Then they will need to be stood up and supported 3 times a day to strengthen their limbs and remind them what they are supposed to be doing.
- Eventually moved on to standing alone for a few minutes.
- Once they start to stand, they will need to be encouraged to walk. This is done by tempting them with a favourite treat or gently moving them along with your hands.
Sometimes they adapt a new style of walking due to shortening of tendons and muscles or arthritic seized joints. They walk oddly but have high quality of life.
OPEN WOUNDS
- Open wound, due to being pecked in the farm.
The treatment they will need..
- Antibiotics in water
- Antiseptic spray to discourage flies and other hens.
- Sometimes isolation
PROLASPE
- Prolapse, this is due to the hen being a prolific layer, or trying to lay a particularly large egg. This isn't overly common, but occasionally we will get a hen that is suffering from it.
The treatment they may need..
We will do the initial procedure on a hen with a prolapse, but when fostered out you will need to be prepared to do the procedure or be able to get hen to us within a couple of hours so we can treat it.
Proceedure
Use a rubber glove, and vaseline/ky jelly if you have some. Push the prolapse back into vent, gradually remove fingers holding vent closed briefly. If you have the anti-septic purple spray, then please spray the area to secure no infection takes hold. Also Hemeroid cream on vent helps settle the internal swelling.
We use a system which has a 100% success rate with the hens we have treated. Once prolapse is in, hold vent down firmly with a wound padding covered in hemeroid cream, use a bandage across vent round to chest (make sure you don't have this too tight or across her crop) then continue round her body under her wings as if making a tight nappy. Leave this 6 hourly ensuring she's allowed some time in the morning to lay an egg. If after removal of bandage her prolapse has stayed in then leave hen without it to dry out. Keep regular checks. If prolapse re-occurs then repeat the process. Normally after a day or two the prolapse will not occur again.
Afterward's, you will need to keep a close eye on hen over the next few days, she will need a diet of corn and other treats but not any layer formulas. This diet will slow her laying down to allow her body to recover.Watch that other hens do not pick at her to much.
There are many other conditions that a hen may be suffering from once out of a farm - the above list explains the most common. If you are interested in a particular hen, we will ensure you have all the relevant information and guidance.
What will happen:
- You will meet the foster hens
- We will show you any procedures/treatment
- You will receive a care plan and emergency numbers
- You will be given the hens medication if necessary
- We will pay expenses if veterinary care is needed after taking your hen/hens home (although only emergency veterinary care, as for anything else, we prefer to use our own vets, or treat ourselves)
What you will need:
- A place to keep them (please ask if you are unable to supply a cage/hutch/run/pen and we will try to supply you with one)
- Enough time to treat the hen (if necessary)
What will happen once the hen is well:
- Return the hen to us for re-homing or
- Find a nice home yourself for the hen