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Gezsan

2 Chickens Not Laying, Eggs without Shells, & Now blood :/

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Hi, Need some assistance here - had 3 hens for about a year (free range), all fine, but whilst they were confined to their coop during winter, the lowest in the pecking order has gradually been plucked badly, which has been getting worse and worse. She's seemed ok, and i had a apron on her back for a while which seems to help. But then she started losing feathers on her chest too. I got some AntiPek spray which seems to have helped but ever since she's stopped laying and has been doing watery poos (solid, but with clear water around them). She's been a bit withdrawn the last week or so, and was wondering if the AntiPek spray could be making her sick?

And then, a few days ok, another one of the hens, started acting a bit withdrawn, was walking a bit funny one day, and has since ot laid either. She's not perked up, but still hasn't laid for about 4 days now. And then i went in to collect the eggs today, and there was a shellless egg (no shell at all), but then some blood in the nest box too (about an inch sq). As i've got 2 hens not laying at the moment, not sure which one it was.

So i guess does anyone know what could be the cause of any of the above? I was assuming the lowest hen was just suffering from getting pecked, but now another one has stopped laying too, i'm a bit concerned.

Thanks!

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Actually, to update, the first hen that hasn'been laying and pecked badly, i've just noticed she has blood around her vent so it's her that's been bleeding. I've separated her and will take her to the vet tomorrow, but anyone got any ideas what the cause could be?

 

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It’s possible that he stopping laying and withdrawn behaviour are both due to the hens going into moult. It’s the right time of year (2 of mine are moulting) and they do stop laying and get timid when they moult.

However the blood around the vent is likely to be from peck injuries so definitely keep her separate until healed.

Also, finding a shell-less egg may indicate something else going on. What are they fed?

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I did think she was moulting but it's been going on for about 3-4 months now! is that normal? And then i have seen the other plucking and pecking her (and even her pecking herself). She was laying up until about 2 weeks ago, so i wasn't that worried.

They're all fed on layers Pellets. She's still eating and drinking fine and seems ok in herself - just maybe a bit withdrawn

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To update - things seem to be  going downhill :(

Took her to the vet who couldn't see or feel anything wrong (and thought the blood was a case of over aggressive pecking), and suggested i take her home for observation and segregation.

She's still quite spritely, and seems happy in herself but  i've noticed today that she's oozing/dripping clear liquid (almost water like) from her vent? There is a lot of white 'gunge' around her vent too, which i've cleared up, but she still seems to be having this liquid coming out of her vent. There's so much that it's dripping at about a drop every 10 seconds. Does anyone know what this could be?

 

 

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Yeah, had a read up on Vent Gleet and it does look the same. Only thing is that there's no smell (which seems to be a common symptom), and it's the dripping from her vent which looks concerning.

She's drinking A LOT - probably because she's losing fluid from the dripping. I've brought her inside, bathed her in Epsom Salts, washed her down, Dried her off with the hair dryer (which she loved! :)) and popped her in a cage with a towel to see how she does. She's very quiet and still though, so not holding out much hope., Poor girl :/

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I think (having done a bit of Googling) if it was me, I’d keep her clean by washing her daily as you have done, would give her some beryls bacteria to try and get her gut sorted out, and maybe consider an anti fungal cream (probably won’t be licensed for use in poultry) if that’s not working. I’ve used oral daktarin (not licensed for use in poultry) to clear fungal infection in crops before but I don’t know if any of it would make it far enough through the digestive system to do any good at the vent end.

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Thanks, after i cleaned her yesterday again, she straight away started oozing clear liquid again and then laid a very small sack-like 'thing' . And she was closing her eyes a lot.

Unfortunately she didn't make it - i put her outside yesterday and she laid down on the ground with her wings spread out and kept trying to stand but obviously couldn't muster the energy to stay up. So i took he to the vet and she advised that it was best to end her suffering. I think maybe it was the Vent Cleet, but maybe it had struck her too hard.

Cheers for all your advice. it's all a learning curve :)

 

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