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

[pollenbird]

Morning everyone,

 

We were on holiday for a couple of weeks (got back at the end of the last week) and my parents kindly looked after the chickens.

 

Noodles, the smallest gingernut, had been having a mini moult before we went away (she was completely bald on her belly and around her vent), but seemed quite happy, eating and running around.

 

We've come back to find her living in my parents conservatory - apparently they went round one morning and found her with her vent and foot bleeding and another chicken chasing her away from the food. We picked her up last night, her vent seems to be healing and although she's very skinny at the moment, she is eating and drinking.

 

Her comb however is very pale - almost grey- and completely flat on her head - not standing up at all. I think some people on here have suggested that this is to do with a heart problem?

 

She is living in the greenhouse at the moment as we want to make sure she is completely recovered before she goes back in with the others...and as she's been away for over a week i am not looking forward to having to re-introduce her

 

Anyway, does anyone have any other ideas for what we could do to help her get better?

 

Thanks in advance,

xx

[chickenanne]

Moulting (or rather, growing new feathers) takes lots of protein and energy etc, so it isn't unusual for chickens to look poorly, with a badly-coloured comb etc.

To be brutal, if she does have something wrong with her heart, there isn't anything much you can do about it. I would therefore be tempted to keep a good eye on her until she recovers, but not worry too much about heart failure etc.

worth trying to keep her at least within sight of the others, and maybe in the coop at night when it's dark. This will limit your re-introduction nightmares!!

[chelsea]

The pale comb could be related to the moult....my 3 moulters all had very pale combs during their moult and are only just getting their redness back.

 

The blood may be from a pecked area, maybe the other chicken has pecked her, if that is the case if it is severely pecked you may need to seperate the poorly girl until the wound has healed (I see you have already seperated her which is good )as the blood will attract the other hen to keep pecking. If the injury looks minor you could bathe/clean it with some diluted tea tree & water or a little bit of salt water. If you have some purple spray you could pop some on too which will help as its an antiseptic also.

 

Chick crumb, a little bit of rinsed tuna, meal worms, or a sloppy water based porridge with some poultry spice will aid her getting over the moult.

 

If you are really concerned/unsure what is wrong or if she looks like she is getting worse I'd give the vet a ring.

[buffie]

The good news is the comb usually goes blue or dark purple with heart problems. Give her a high protein diet and she should be fine if it's moult (does sound like the time of year paleness), if you're worried the vet can look of course.

 

Re the intro, have you got another hen that is docile that can move in with her? This is something I do and then have them living in close proximity to the others. I have a welsummer with one eye now who will be re introduced next year with her gentle pals!

 

If she's well enough I'd let her be near them in the daytime, so they see her.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Buffie x

[Egluntyne]

I agree with Chelsea and Buffie. My moulters all have pale combs which have diminished in size. IF it was a heart problem, it would be more likely to be bluish.

 

The fact that she is eating and drinking is encouraging.

 

Perhaps when you reintroduce her it would be a good idea to have more than one food station, as food is often the cause of squabbles.

 

The fact that she is moulting and off lay will have altered her position in the pecking order and this could be the reason why there has been some unpleasantness.

 

However, if she still doesn't seem quite right in a few days, it might be worth getting a vet to look at her.

[pollenbird]

Dear all,

 

Thank you so much for all your replies.

 

Just an update - Noodles has been free ranging with the others for the last few days. There has been a little bit of chasing rather than pecking but generally they've been fine although Noodles is very noticeably an 'outsider'.

 

We've had the eglu run and greenhouse open for her and on Saturday night, she tried to go to bed in the eglu with the others and was evicted by the others and so went off to sleep in the greenhouse. Last night, Noodles made sure that she was first in the eglu with no intention of moving and when i looked in late at night. all 4 were snuggled up together. The white ones also look very silly - we had sprayed Noodle's bottom with gentian violet - as they now have purple necks and wings

 

Anyway, whilst Noodle's isn't back in the gang yet, they are tolerating her and so fingers crossed it won't be long before all is back to normal

 

Thanks again for all your advice.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

xx

[chickenanne]

That sounds like great progress! Glad to know things are settling down.