What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[shtw00724]

It's me again, sorry for all the questions.

 

I've had my ex-bats about 4 weeks now and one of them (Gertie) has less feathers than she started with which is not good.

 

I've seen the other 2 chase her away from food dishes (so I now have 3 or 4 scattered around) and she has lost feathers off the top of her head, her tail, her neck etc., she looks a right sorry sight.

 

Her breastbone is also a lot more prominent than the other 2's and has less covering on it. Her crop seems to be swollen morning and night even though she has access to grit. I am worried that I will lose her soon if I don't do something drastic but I know I shouldn't take her away from the other 2 as it will make them bully her even more when they are re-united.

 

I am giving them ex-bat crumbs and ex-bat pellets in the morning but they suddenly don't seem so keen; preffering the layers mash, poultry spice, mixed corn and tuna that I'm giving them at night (plus scrambled egg sometimes and some dried mealworms).

 

Can anyone give me any suggestions on what to do about my bullied girl and also how to feed her up a bit? I haven't let them free-range when I am there yet as I am worried incase I have any plants or shrubs in the garden that could be harmful to them (I couldn't even tell you what they are).

 

Talk about the worries of being a mother hen!

 

Thanks again.

 

Susie

 

[Lizzie]

I think I would let them out to free range a bit, give them a bit of space.

We had one hen that seemed to be pecked at and things calmed down when I let them out.

I also bought some anti pecking spray which I applied daily - I think it helped.

 

I was advised to take the naughty hen out and put her in a seperate place (a cat carrier for example) each time she started on the "victim), so in effect a kind of naughty box.

If you keep doing it, they apparently soon get the message a stop.

I didn't have to do in the end, but could be worth a try.

 

I am sure more experienced hen owners will have better advice

 

Regards

Liz

[Guest]

you need to splut the bullies up, divide and conquer. Put Gertie in with just one of them and leave the other on her own and then change over and put Gertie with the other hen for a while. Also, put several food and water stations out so no one hen can dominate the food.

 

Don't seperate Gertie on her own as that will just make it worse when you have to re-introduce her.

 

xxx

[shtw00724]

Lizzie, Poet - thank you both; I knew I could rely on the forum!

 

I guess it's much like introducing other animals as in you take the dominant animal into a new territory rather than introducing the less dominant to the existing territory. I will give it a go!

 

Poet, so sorry for the loss of your girl recently. My heart goes out to you.

 

Susie

[shtw00724]

Lizzie; forgot to ask where you got the anti-pecking spray from? I've heard other people mention some kind of tar too? Gertie hasn't got any blood on her but her poor bottom area looks sore where the other naughty chooks have yanked her feathers out.

[Lizzie]

Hi there

I bought mine from Omlet

 

Good luck - hope all goes well

 

Regards

Liz

[Egluntyne]

You say her crop is swollen morning and night, which suggests a blockage and would explain why she is so thin.

 

Why not have a read of this article **click** and follow some of the advice.

 

This may be part of the reason why she is being bullied as the others will sense that she is a bit off it.

[sandyhas3chucks]

A lot of people have successfully sorted out a crop problem using the help from here,. I did also. But I have also recently lost 2 with dif problems but both crops not emptying , mine were SOUR not BLOCKED.

During my research AFTER the event I came accross sometting that I think is quite important to understand. It talks about sour crop for chicks but relates to grown girls too. I have only cut bits that I think might be useful to understand.

 

First deciding if impacted or sour is needed as treating is different.

There ARE treatments from the vet that DO work, if she is sitting about with her eyes closed at all please take her to the vet ASAP.

 

Sour crop" is a familiar used by many people to describe the phenomenon of delayed crop emptying. Thinking of it as "sour crop", though, can lead you astray as this is not a primary condition. That is to say, there is no "sour crop" bacteria or "sour crop" yeast. The delayed crop emptying comes about because of other reasons, some of which may be: brooder temperatures cooler than the chick needs; formula fed too cool, ingestion of bedding materials, a primary bacterial or yeast (fungal) condition, etc.

 

and put the chick on paper towels so that you can check to see if any feces are eliminated. If so, this is a hopeful sign, indicating that the crop has not stopped completely. The second step is to call your avian veterinarian if one is available. The vet can do a gram stain to find out if yeast, bacteria, or some other cause causes the crop problem. They should also be able to empty and flush the crop and give medications to treat the primary cause of the problem, in addition to medications to stimulate the crop to empty itself.

"

[shtw00724]

Hi and thank you Eglutine and Sandy (sorry to hear about your chooks).

 

I took the 'naughty' chook out for a day and put her where the others could see her. They all clucked mercilessly all day! I was worried it would stress the 'naughty' chook (Petunia) too much being separated from the others so the next day I put them back in together but let them free range. They loved it and no squabbles as far as I could tell! I also loved watching them scrabbling in the dirt (and digging all my pebble beds up!) and eating the insects. Something must have agreed with them as for the first time since I've had them, I had 3 eggs the next morning instead of 2 (or on the odd occasion 1)! MY niece keeps reptiles so she may have some limestone flour, if not, our local pets stores should have some as they sell reptiles.

 

Still worried about Gertie's crop. I have some olive oil so can warm that up, syringe her some and massage her crop. As for the white maggots, do I buy them from a fishing tackle store (as in bait)? Daft question, but won't the maggotts turn into flies or will they be digested before that can happen? Can eating the maggotts cause infestation of another kind?

 

Another SFQ, am I supposed to try just one of 3 methods or can I try all of them simultaneously

 

Lastly, one of my other chooks sat on the grass whilst free ranging yesterday and had what looked like a 'rest', then got up again. No eye closing. I take it even a chook's legs get tired sometimes and need a rest or is it abnormal for them for sit down and take a load off?

 

Thanks again; the advice and support here is invaluable

 

Susie

[sandyhas3chucks]

1. Don't worry they will take a rest, time to worry is when they loked huffed up & do it a lot usually with eyes closed. Was it a lovely sunnny spot, they love to sun bake.

2. yes maggots from bait shop, you keep them in the fridge, put some mash in the bottom or they will try to escape. wirth or with out a lid, I use a lid but you need to open it often to allow fresh air in and any amonia out. £2 for 1/2 pint here. They are bred in clean comditions(strile I should jolly well hope) Fishermen often pop them in their mouths to warm them up! (doesn't bear think about) I think I was told aseveral afew times a day. Abd yes if you leave them in the warm they will 1. escape 2, turn into beastly flies.

Someone said they don't eat anything just burrow down, biyt that doesn't make sence if you think about their life cycle. they DO try to burrow down soon as they escape I have seen them, so my guess is it is a bit of both.

They seem to come out whole and dead well some do seen them in the pooh!

3. Have seen some suggest putting the oil on small piece of white bread. Didn't try that but would be easier I should think.

[shtw00724]

Thanks Sandy

 

I remember my little brother leaving a tub of maggotts in our back porch and going in one day to find it full of bluebottles! Not a nice experience! I think I have a tub somewhere for maggotts with breath holes in it (as my dad used to go fishing). Just hope I don't go midnight snacking in the fridge and eat a maggott when my eyes are spot-welded together

 

I felt Gertie's crop last night and whilst big, it isn't hard and is soft and squashy instead which from the descriptions I've read here sounds more like a sour than an impacted crop.

 

I had given olive oil the night before which was difficult to do on my own but much easier this morning by soaking bread in it and then feeding. I also massaged her crop. As it's more likely sour crop, I have the following plan of action:

 

1. Will smell Gertie's breath tonight and if not very nice will...

2. Hold her upside down and try and get the crop at least partially emptied

3. Feed her some live yoghurt and only soft foods such as mash

4. If that doesn't help will take her to the vets

 

Luckily she is still (so far) eating and drinking and very lively in herself.

 

My vets don't specialise in poultry but will take a look at her and are happy to administer an anti-fungal/antibiotic if need be.

 

So questions is; how long should I leave it before taking her to the vet?

 

Also, I have moved the Eglu to a different spot and the grass is long there. Should I cut it?

 

Thanks again. Bit of a rollercoaster this henkeeping lark!

 

Susie

[sandyhas3chucks]

tellme about that Rollercoaster.

Little Moes breath did not smell the first day or to.

I read that not to give ACV if they already digestion problems and to feed pureed food. I heard Apple was good for the sour crop. Unfortunately nothing worked for Moe in the end, but I would say vet sooner rather than later if you have a descent one. Nystatin is the best but metronizidol is sometimes given & can be effective. ( it worked the 1st time and used oral daktarin at same time, dunno if good idea but worked that time although the events unfolded different that time too)

With hind site I would have gone back to the vet the next day for sure the day after Sunday if the good guy was on. but he wasn't and that was the day the other girl died (had to pts) The treatment had only started friday, but if we had crop drained her say Sat or Sun then she would still have had enough strength to try.

Get vet sorted 1st, check days the one you want is there , then make your call depending on how she is etc.

Well that's my point of view.

good luck