My eco solution to rat problems

[Three Wise Hens]

Hello,

 

My 22-week-old bovans goldline has had a runny nose for the past week - the mucous is smelly, and under her wings where she puts her head to sleep is also smelly with matted downy feathers from where the mucous has been wiped off. Her comb is a little paler than usual and slightly droopy, however she seems generally all right and is eating, drinking and foraging round the garden (she's a good hunter and eats worms and frogs), though she does occasionally stand still with her eyes shut.

 

I have tried to keep her beak clean (grass, earth and food gets stuck to it) and to wash under her wings (with rather limited success, as one might imagine). Should I take her to the vet or wait for it to clear up by itself? She started laying eggs two weeks ago and laid five in total, but I have had no eggs for more than a week now.

 

Would citricidal help? I use garlic powder, poultry spice and apple cider vinegar already.

 

Many thanks,

 

Three Wise Hens

[Egluntyne]

It might do, but if she has an infection causing the odour, a trip to the vet might be a good idea.

 

Edited for typo.

Edited June 15, 2008 by Guest

[Phosphorus]

I would take her to the vet to be on the safe side. The smelly mucus would worry me - sounds infected - infectious coryza ?? Is she sneezing as well?

[Karen Pimlott]

mycoplasma? you need a vet asap for some antibiotic, watch it doesn't spread through yor flock, he may inject her & give you some to put in the water as a precaution for the others...

 

K

[The Dogmother]

I'd recommend a trip to the vet too - sounds like an infection to me. Keep her warm and well hydrated in the meantime.

[Guest]

they get smelly breath if they have sour crop don't they? Hope it's nothing serious, good luck at the vets.

[Three Wise Hens]

Thanks everyone for all your advice.

 

I have taken two of my three chickens to the vet today after they both started exhibiting signs of gapeworm - gaping beaks. They both also had runny noses. They're now on antibiotics for their snotty noses and all three hens have been wormed with something a lot more effective than the VermX I had given them last week (Panacur). Hopefully both will be on the road to recovery very soon. It's amazing how quickly hens can lose weight when they're poorly - both were quite skinny despite seeming to eat the usual amount.

 

Does VermX work for gapeworm? Clearly it hasn't in this case... Would be interested to hear if people have found it effective for worms.

 

Three Wise Hens

[The Dogmother]

VermX is generally only considered to be a maintenance or preventative wormer. It is useful if you want to farm organically, but isn't thought to be terribly effective.

 

I use Panacur myself - it's not liceneced for use on poultry in the UK, but is widely prescribed by vets and is even more broad spectrum than Flubenvet. It is usually dosed as two doses a week apart, be sure to shake it well as the suspension isn't very stable. Egg withdrawal is from the first dose and until a week after the last dose. You can scramble the eggs to feed back to the hens if you like.

[Egluntyne]

I didn't rate Vermex much....mine were still full of wrigglers, and it was bloomin' expensive.

 

Panacur will do the trick. I used some recently and it is very good.

[Three Wise Hens]

Thanks Claret! & Egluntine

 

Three Wise Hens

[The Dogmother]

The vet recommends the 10% small animal suspension, which can be bought online, from your vet or in our case, at the local pharmacy. The does is 1ml per 1kg of bird. I have to admit to not being terribly scientific in my dosing; the bigger girls get 1ml and the smaller ones get 0.5ml. But then they are tiny banties.

[Three Wise Hens]

Thank you Claret, I think I'll get some Panacur.

 

I've found 3 nasty little (dead) worms on the floor of their run since worming them - yuck! It definitely seems to have worked. But as they will no doubt pick up more worms during their free-ranging activities, how frequently should I worm them? Or should I wait for symptoms before treating? I don't want to medicate them unnecessarily.

 

On another note, I'd like to feed them up a bit as they are underweight: would oaty porridge be the best plan of action (with water or milk and a tsp of honey?), alongside their layers pellets and late-afternoon mixed corn? I've read that this can help. They also seem to like the live yogurt I've been giving them to help their tummies cope with the antibiotics.

 

Three Wise Hens

[The Dogmother]

You should only need to worm twice a year - I do it when they stop laying to moult and just before they start again in the spring (mine are pure breeds, so don't lay in the winter) that way, I don't have to worry about egg withdrawal.

 

be sure to giev them some protein if they are underweight - tuna or chock crumbs are both good for this. Also add some poultry tonic to the water - Battles Poultry Tonic or Lifeguard are both very good.

 

Sounds likethey are getting loads of good care with you.