I have one hen that started having a messy bottom about one week ago. The feathers around the vent were caked with moisture and manure. Was she sick? She acted perfectly normal otherwise. She ate, drank, clucked, and cooed just like before. None of the other hens had a messy behind. So was she sick? I don’t know. I waited and watched for three days. There was no change. Then I dosed their water with antibiotic. I hate to do this. I am really anti antibiotic but I was afraid that she might act fine one day and be dead the next. Since adding the medication to her water her messy behind became a little less messy every day. Did the medication help her or did she get better all on her own. I guess I will never know because I did not have the courage to just let nature take its course.
Now I am waiting for the antibiotic to flush out of their systems before I can use the eggs.
To medicate or not to medicate?
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Humans don’t really like the idea that death, ours or the chickens, is a natural event.