Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[TomS]

Hi,

 

This is my first post, though I've lurked here for ages. We have 2 hens, a and a Miss . Pepper went broody about 4 weeks ago , and around the same time, Geri started getting an enlarged crop.

 

I have built a broody cage for Pepper and she is currently going cold turkey (24 hours so far). However, the other one is looking really miserable and doesn't seem to be eating properly. We are massaging the crop daily and giving her Avipro as well. It looks like Geri may not survive the winter which would leave us with a lonely chook. All the breeders seem to have stopped supplying until spring!

 

We are in the Reading area, does anyone know if its possible to get POLs (2 off) at this time of year in case the worst happens?

 

Thanks!

[smanners]

Sorry to hear about Geri

We managed to get 3 new chooks (POL) on Saturday from a lovely breeder in Salisbury. Too far for you I'm sure but there are breeders about selling POL all year round.

Practical Poultry , Smallholder magazine list them at the back.

I was really keen to get a Cream Legbar for blue eggs but couldn't find one anywhere local to me. But if it's Hybrids like Pepperpots and Rangers you want they are definately still around

Hope all works out and Geri pulls through

[moomin]

Hi TomS,

 

Perhaps you could take you're little chook Geri to the vets if she's so miserable? - just to get a second opinion? You have tried to cure her yourself, well done you, but if that hasn't done the trick, a bit of professional advice may help? A consultation fee maybe wouldn't cost much more than a couple of new chickens (I have no idea but when we have taken our G/Pigs to the vets it's been about thirty quid - but that's without the treatment ).

 

Is her crop still large in the morning? I had an obsession with crops because my chicken Skye's quite often felt 'squidgy', even now I still run my hands over them every morning - if they are flat and empty then it's OK.

[TomS]

Well, just as I was considering taking Geri to the vet, she popped her clogs during the night. I guess that the blockage in her crop was worse than we thought (she was still eating yesterday).

 

We buried her in the back garden, with a flag from the American Football game at Wembley marking the spot (the kids idea).

 

Unfortunately, this leaves us with one chicken, which is not good. So I'm on the hunt for 2 or 3 new ones to keep her company.

[TomS]

Well, I went to the local poultry dealer and bought a Wellsummer and two bantams. Popped them in the run with our resident broody who made an odd noise and then seemed to fall asleep again. The three newbies are quite happy (with a little pasturing from one of the banties) getting to know their new run.

 

I will put all 4 in together in the eglu tonight, and see how they get on in the morning. I hope there won't be too much fighting because Pepper doesn't want to leave her nest.

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to hear that Tom, have you tried feeding Geri with live maggots? That will help with an impacted crop too.

 

I know of a supplier up this way that has POL chooks all year round.