Warning about Vets and Chickens!

[Maddie106]

I came back from a weeks holiday today and was horrified when I let the 3 girls out for a supervised scratch & peck in the garden to find that Debbie has a really pooey bottom and a pink thing the size of an egg sticking out of her rear.Now it's either a prolapsed bowel or an egg that's gone wrong, but certainly needs a VET for diagnosis /treatment.

So I rang my vet....but neither do they "see chickens", nor could they give me a phone number for a "Farm Vet" locally. My search on the net wasn't very productive either!!

Luckily, I used to live in Holmfirth ( which is rural), so I've got an appointment with my old vets ( who DO see chickens and sorted out my geese when they were attacked by dogs 4 years ago) for tomorrow morning. ( Return journey will be about 2 hours)

Bit of a begger tho, not being able to find a local vet for chickens.
Given that lots of people now keep a few hens in the back garden, more as pets than as a commercial thing! My bill from the vet will probably be more than I paid for my Debbie, but she IS a pet.

SO....check out if YOUR vet will see chickens and if not, try and find a fairly local vet who does.

Hopefully , the outlook for Debbie will be good. Keep your fingers crossed please?

[Suechooks]

I go to a practice which has both farm vets and "small animals" vets. However they hadn't really got anyone who was a bird expert. One of the younger girl vets has taken on board the fact that more people are keeping chickens in a "pet" way rather than commercial and has been on a chicken course as well as taking an interest in the Rescue charities and doing her own research. ( When I've seen any of the other vets they have always been helpful and prepared to go the extra mile in finding an answer to the problem.)
Well done Katy-vet for responding to client demand!
Am I just lucky?

[CaroltheCarrot]

My practice has a poultry vet but he is only available one evening per week.just luck I guess he was there the time I needed him

[Glutton4...]

My Vet will see Chooks - half their staff keep them - in fact they seem to 'adopt' anythig needing a home, so I guess if I turned up with a Komodo Dragon I'd be seen!

Bless 'em!

[Bramble-Poultry]

Its is wise advice and one I often tell people do not assume that your vet will see chickens and if you have a local farm vet - whilst they will see chickens - do not assume they treat them as pets and not farm animals - when we first moved here I rang all fo the local vets and only 2 said they would see them, the first one I went to was awful and didn't seem to understand that people keep chickens as pets, never did try the other one.

We decided to remain with our old vet from before we moved hes only a 40min drive away and understands us and our animals perfectly - infact he has yet to refuse anything I take to him including the mixed wildlife we get in over the year - hes seen everything from a hedgehog to a turkey and a lizard to a magpie - and he has yet to be phazed by any of it. In fact he is so good I usually only have to actually take the animals to him if I need a diagnosis apart from that i ring and say what I need and he leaves it on reception for me with the appropriate syringe, dosing instructions etc!

Good vets are very hard to find!

[frias]

The vet I usually see if really good with chickens. His dad kept them so he is used to handling them. A couple of the nurses have ex-batts too so he's used to treating those. He also tells me he's seeing more and more backyard chickens. The last time I took a hen in he was operating so I saw one of the other vets. She used to be a farm vet but had never treated a chicken as she says most farmers don't see a vet for a chicken. Fortunately she took my hen up to see the other vet for his opinion.

[MaureenHall]

I use "Vets for Pets" in Stafford for my girls. One of the vets there also has rescue hens and is really caring, kind and considerate. They also don't charge a consultation fee for ex-batts, just the medication. I haven't taken any of my "posh" birds there yet so I don't know about consultation charges.

Good luck all of you looking for a vet like mine and like BP's

[frias]

And mine. Doesn't charge for ex-batts either.

[Bephlam]

Our local practice will see chickens, but to be honest their knowledge is really limited...and I usually self treat anyway. Thankfully we do have an avian vet locally (who we take the parrot to) and I know they'll see the chooks, but £27 per consultation is a bit O.T.T! Although, if it was a welfare issue of course I'd take them, whatever the cost!

Good luck with Debbie...fingers crossed for her!

[tlck9]

my vet charges me £7 for a consultation. My other vet who has moved to cheshire - let me know if anyone needs one local to there as she was good and would take on chickens

They are not particular happy to see chucks but will do so and I know the vets there, although there is one with a bird vet at the nearby town of wadebridge that will see chucks, but is very expensive in comparison

[jessmorris]

I've got contact details for a very good poultry vet near York if you are interested.......................

[Nicos]

Good warning!
Always best to be prepared.

[Maddie106]

Thanks folks. Debbie did have a prolapsed vent, so has had an op to put it back in. Fingers crossed that she doesn't pop it out again, because we will probably have to put her to sleep if that happens.
My vet over in Holmfirth was brilliant and to be honest, I'd take the cats to him if the 45 minute drive each way didn't stress them out so much.
We have to go back Friday so the vet can remove the purse string suture.
Cost £49, but she's part of the family.

Debbie was very happy to be back home and promptly had a peck at the cabbages and rocket in the garden before going to bed!

[Maddie106]

I'm sad to report that Debbie didn't make it.
We checked on the chooks before going to bed and found her unconcious at the back of the run. She died on my lap at 4 am this morning

[CaroltheCarrot]

O I am sorry,one of mine had to be despatched today as well,its awful isnt it