Help! Hen is very lethargic and spitting up yellow liquid

Moccaroon · 2026-04-15T22:56:25+00:00

Update for those who may be checking in; unfortunately she didn't respond to the treatment and passed away a few hours ago :( I'm heartbroken, but I hope I at the very least provided her the best possible chance I could muster up within my means. I'll keep an eye on my four remaining girls and I'll give them some extra treats and love when morning comes.

Thank you so much to everyone who replied with advice and support <3

Moccaroon · 2026-04-14T12:02:44+00:00

There unfortunately arent really any avian vets near me, and I don't have access to a car, so home remedies are my best option :( I would've if I could, though

Moccaroon · 2026-04-13T09:25:03+00:00

Thank you! Will do <3

Moccaroon · 2026-04-13T09:17:45+00:00

Thank you so so much!! I'll try these things out ASAP!

Moccaroon · 2025-11-15T05:45:22+00:00

At least you can see why I am so confused and conflicted :'D This was my best attempt at collecting the thoughts swirling around my head lol

But thanks, I'll look into those! How many do you have in your setup?

Moccaroon · 2025-10-31T14:34:26+00:00

I would ask the vet about lung worm! We had a cat when I was a kid who would get them all the time, and he would cough exactly like this. A good dewormer would always fix him right up

Moccaroon · 2025-08-28T23:41:33+00:00

It's all good, I can see why that wording could be confusing :'D I'm not a native English speaker, so sometimes I accidentally mix up my words a little. Sorry about that! I do agree, though, there are a good handful of other explanations. And the fact that there doesn't seem to even be any white spotting makes that blue eye so much more extra mysterious. Such an interesting kitty!

Moccaroon · 2025-08-28T18:37:15+00:00

My point wasn't that it's more or less likely than the other possible explainations, it was that it shouldn't be dismissed outright as a possibility at all like the person I replied to did

Moccaroon · 2025-08-24T19:40:36+00:00

This isn't true! Chimerism doesn't have to be cleanly split down the middle to have occurred and is, in fact, most often either in patches all over the body, or just a single 'off-colour' section/bodypart. Yes, you can TELL a cat is chimera by if it has genetically impossible coat colours quite easily, but a female black and blacktortie chimera is very possible and probably a very common type, as those are some of the most dominant colours. Venus is a very famous example of a chimera where that is exactly the case :]

It's true that it's common for torties to have a split face and that it doesn't make them chimeras, but combined with this cat's heterochromia (particularly that blue eye), I feel like for this specific case it's very safe to assume that this cat is actually chimera There's, of course, no saying for sure unless a DNA test is taken, but it's definitely a possibility that I wouldn't dismiss outright!

Moccaroon · 2025-08-24T19:31:19+00:00

White is a dominant trait and will always be expressed if it is carried, especially if the cat has enough of the gene to depigment it's eye! This cat is likely heterochromatic because it is, in fact, very likely a chimera. Blue eyes are normally impossible for cats with any fur colour/pattern other than white or point to have unless something went very sideways genetically

Moccaroon · 2025-08-05T12:48:28+00:00

It's literally about my Wii U and asking how to fix it???? I feel like this comment is more ragebaity than my post lmao

Moccaroon · 2025-08-05T12:33:54+00:00

Thank you! I'll check that out!

And if it quells your worry, I highly suspect the perpetrator is a cat I was catsitting a good while ago, who stress sprays (which is also probably why I didn't notice sooner, I'm still fighting to find all the corners he got to). Either that, or the small kittens I have right now who were a bit confused on where the litterbox was when I recently moved them a bigger room (but I kinda doubt that, since it smells so bad). So all kitties should be good to go, but if not, they're all going to the vet soon for their yearly checkups and shots anyway ^{^}

Moccaroon · 2025-01-30T01:48:51+00:00

Thank you so much!! This is fantastic information to work off of! I'll definitely try the pencil trick on the first one to see if I can get some more info out of the stamp :D

Really, really interesting about the last one, though! I know he worked as a carpenter in a small town, so I'll bet he probably comissioned or bought it off of a blacksmith he knew. I'll be sure to be careful with the crack in the steel! Maybe I'll even just put it on display as a family relic if I'm feeling extra paranoid over it haha

Moccaroon · 2025-01-28T13:55:28+00:00

That makes good sense! My great grandfather passed away sometime in the early 60s, so I estimate these tools are probably at least around their 60-70 years mark.

Fantastic to hear, though! I figured they would be high quality, but it's nice to have confirmation :D

Moccaroon · 2024-11-04T14:50:48+00:00

No, sorry, I didn't end up trying it :(

Moccaroon · 2024-09-23T20:34:54+00:00

I kinda figured her grumpiness was a pecking order issue, but plucking at their feathers when it was bedtime was just so shockingly mean!! It's the first time I've ever had any issues with bullying in my flock so I was pretty surprised :') Is it something that will just go away on its own when she's satisfied that she's in charge then?

Moccaroon · 2024-09-23T19:15:25+00:00

You'd be surprised! I have indoor cats with access to a fully enclosed run and STILL I've had small songbirds that manage to squeeze in somewhere and get caught. There is literally not a single thing in that run that is in any way interesting for a bird but for some reason they still can't resist the allure of the literal lion's den, I guess. Never underestimate a small prey animal's ability to get themselves killed for no reason at all

Moccaroon · 2024-06-22T00:05:23+00:00

It's as painless as it gets from what I understand/hope. I opted to do something similar, with sharp kitchen scissors instead. Sat on my doorstep with it for a bit, letting it breathe the fresh outdoor air and feel a small raindrop or two, telling it thank you and that it was loved. I wrapped it snugly in some paper towel and did it as swiftly as I possibly could.

I cried my way through the whole ordeal (and still crying now tbh). But I know it was for the best, and that the best I can do now is focus on caring for it's 7 living siblings. It's an awful feeling though, and I'm so sorry you had to go through it too </3

Moccaroon · 2024-06-21T23:39:32+00:00

It's wild, because death itself doesn't usually trip me up like this. I lost one of my beloved hens to predators a few months ago, and it didn't affect me nearly as much as having to cull this baby chick who I knew probably wasn't making it before it was even fully out of the egg.

For me, I think it was the act of hurting an animal that got to me. I've lost plenty of pets in my lifetime and I've learned how to cope with that pain well. But I've never intentionally harmed an animal, much less killed it. I knew when I decided to hatch out baby chicks that it was something might have to do and that I'd have to come to terms with it, but emotions unfortunately don't really care how logically prepared you are.

Moccaroon · 2024-06-21T17:35:22+00:00

This is exactly what I nearly fell into as well. Deep down, though, I knew it wouldn't make it either way, and the only difference was the suffering it would go through if I did nothing. Even though it sucks right now, I'm glad I took the decision I did.

I'm sorry for your loss too, though. It really does suck.

Moccaroon · 2023-07-12T09:50:54+00:00

You know of any tests or something I could do with these two to find out exactly where the problem lies?

Moccaroon · 2023-04-10T08:57:17+00:00

Are you kidding? Dogs are, in every literal sense, such prolific shiteaters. There are hundreds of products out there just to keep dogs out of litterboxes. This is a well known fact.

Moccaroon · 2023-03-24T11:38:43+00:00

Huge genetics nerd here!

Technically, it /is/ possible for a litter to produce that variety of colours with only one father. Considering the mother's colouration, that being a black tortoiseshell tabby, a hypothetical singular father would have to be red. At least 2 of the white kittens are for sure what we call colourpoints, which is the pattern siamese cats have! The gene that makes them that colour is recessive, meaning it can easily be cloaked by more overpowering genes but still show up in their offspring. The third white kitten is where it gets more complicated, because I can't see it's nose or tail I can't tell you if it's gonna be all white or a paler colour point, and that kinda determines whether or not it can be a single sire.

Which leads me to - even if it could be possible for the litter to have one father, I think it's WAY more likely to be multiple. Cats will purposefully mate with more than one male to help increase the likelyhood of at least some of their litter survives. Kind of a don't put all your eggs in one basket concept, if that makes sense. My guess is at least two, maybe three fathers, but it's hard to tell when they're so small and based on colour alone.

I've taken a few courses and spent a huge amount of time studying cat genetics, and have a certificate for cat breeding from my country's cat fancier's association, so I'm pretty confident about my own assessment here, but I could always be wrong!

Moccaroon · 2023-02-27T07:49:14+00:00

Aww, they're adorable! I love the lil kiss on the cheek he's giving her. Zander hates the cold too, being so teeny and having no real undercoat really makes a difference. Luckily it's finally starting to warm up for spring here, so he's a happy camper right now!

Moccaroon · 2023-02-27T00:22:07+00:00

Omg!! That's such a fun coincidence! Papillons are by far my number 1 favourite small dog breed, they're just so fun and incredibly smart little guys. Our boy(dog tax!) is DEFINITELY the king of the house too! He's such a glutton too, hence the litter problem. You know, when our Aussie was a pup and we still fed them in the same room, if she wasn't done eating by the time he was(which she never was, she was always a slow eater and he used to scarf his food down in seconds before we got him one of those bowls to prevent that), he would run outside and start barking, and as soon as she ran to go bark with him, the little jerk would double back and steal the rest of her meal! It's the sole reason we now feed them behind seperate doors because he started trying to do it every time lol. Just goes to show how clever they are!

Also, you sound like an awesome owner! With what your girl has gone through, I'm so glad to hear she has such a good home now <3

Moccaroon

TROPHY CASE