4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[ankerson]

I had two chickens from Eglu - the first, Harry, died just over a year ago at about 2.5 years old. She just seemed to grow old very quickly and then gave up. The second, George, is a Miss Pepperpot and very beautiful. She is now about 4 and has suddenly started showing the same symptoms that Harry did just before she died. She seems to lose her balance, is very slow to walk around and her comb is very pale. It doesn't help that all the hens are now moulting, so she looks a total mess. She still eats OK and will run (a short distance anyway) when I come out to stroke her. My question is: do I just assume that she is now old and dying, or should I try to get the vet to treat her? With Harry, there was nothing that the vet could really do, as there was nothing specific to treat. I know that hybrids do not live as long as the named breeds. I have two other hens - a Speckled Sussex and a Maran, and I'm anticipating that they will live longer. Is that right?

 

Any advice gratefully received.

Vicki

[Egluntyne]

Hello. Welcome to the forum.

 

Sorry to hear that George is not well.

 

Hybrids can live for around six/seven years, but this seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

 

I have some elderly girls.....around 4 1/2 now. Not laying very often and one has intermittent signs of sterile peritonitis but is still happy enough.

 

It might be worth taking George to the vet for some advice, and to make sure that it is nothing that could treated with antibiotics etc.

[ankerson]

Thanks Egluntine, I did take George to the vet and he said she had a respiratory infection, and gave Baytril. He did not hold out much hope that she would last the night. Six days later, she is still here, and I think that she actually has gape. She shakes her head a lot, and has problems swallowing large (i.e pellet size) food. She also s"Ooops, word censored!"es at her neck with her nails, presumably to try to get rid of the obstruction in her neck, and then falls over and looks dead for a few seconds before getting up and acting 'normal' again.

 

She is getting very thin, obviously, but still wanders about pecking and manages to eat occasionally, but I don't know what I should do. I don't think I have much faith in the vet. I have ordered some Verm-X and continue to chop up her food for her (!). Is my diagnosis any more likely to be correct?

 

Worried...

[HENthusiastic]

Hi, sorry to hear your girl is so poorly. If you don't think much of your vet you could add a post saying where you live and asking for recommendations of vets who are good with chickens. My local vet is rubbish so I go to somebody else who is brilliant. It makes the world of difference. I also think somewhere on omlet there is a list of recommended vets but I'm not sure where to find it. Good luck.

[Guest]

have you been given a course of baytril to give her over a few days? a booster jab at the vets and then a course of baytril would be the norm.

 

we use flubenvet for worming as i think it's much more effective. if you suspect gape then you need to double dose. we just dip 1/2 a grape into the powder and give it to the girls (or 2 halves if double dosing) will she manage a grape do you think?

 

if she's feeling thin, try her with mushed up banana in pro biotic yoghurt or a bit of tuna, anything soft that has energy value/protein in it.

 

maybe bring her in and keep her warm for a few days if she's going off her legs.

 

try some tonic in her water, avipro or lifeguard is good

 

good luck.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome to the forum . Sorry to hear about your poorly/elderly girl . Sounds like you're doing all you can - hope some of the advice here helps you.

 

From another Vicki!

[ankerson]

Yes, we were given a big dose of Baytril at the vets and then a dropper for the course of five days, which have now finished. I've read somewhere about giving magots to shift an obstructions in the throat. Does anyone know if this works, and, if so, how many maggots...

 

I've got some Verm-X as I couldn't find any Flubenvet locally - will order off the tinternet - and I'll see if I can find a better vet through the forums somewhere. Thanks for help and for commiserations. I've put out some tuna, but the cat's eaten it...

Vicki

[MedusA]

Sorry to hear about your poorly girl. If it's any encouragement, I had a very poorly chicken earlier tbis year, who perked up and made a full recovery after a course of Baytril. Admittedly she is a young bird, not an elderly lady.

 

I too would suggest Flubenvet rather than Verm X if you think she does have worms. The gaping could be due to the respiratory infection though, but it's worth a shot.

 

I hope she recovers, but if she doesn't, you have done everything you can. It really is worth finding one of the forum-recommended vets from the "Chicken Clinic" Sticky, as general vets don't usually have any experience of caring for poultry.

 

Good luck. *hugs*

[Egluntyne]

Sorry to hear about her. If she had gapeworm, she would be coughing too, in all likelihood, in an effort to expel it.

 

Can you shine a torch into her throat and see if you can see the red parasite?

 

Maybe she has some other sort of obstruction. TBH, I'd take her back to the vet.

[chickenanne]

I've heard the maggots thing, too, and apparantly it doesn't work - I think sometimes used in the past as a last ditch attempt to clear crops /blockages. Sounds disgusting, too, doesn't it? I'd imagine you're much better off with proper medication etc.