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

[Guest]

I lost Shalott and Mariana to what we think was peritonitis, now my gorgeous Maud (my girl who sits on my knee for cuddles) has it and Fatima is showing sign of it too I think.

 

We took Maud to the vets and she's had a shot of baytril but the vet said her chest sounded "crackly" too. I just hope we caught it in time but going from past experience I'm very worried indeed and so upset.

 

Do all hybrid chickens succumb to this problem eventually? It's heartbreaking.

Edited May 29, 2009 by Guest

[HENthusiastic]

I'm so sorry to hear about your bad luck with your girls. I dont know the answer to your question, but I just wanted to extend my warm wishes to you for what you are going through.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Justine, I'm so sorry to hear this . I really hope it's not inevitable .

[poachedegg]

Hope Maud recovers quickly.

x

[peggotty]

I heartily wish that our hens had not been bred to produce eggs beyond their resources. But during traumatic times, hold onto the memories of all the simple pleasures your hens have enjoyed and shared with you. Eating wildlife, waking the neighbours, destroying plants, seeing off the local cats.....the opportunites for chicken fun are endless! (Perhaps I didn't exactly mean that you are sharing these pleasures with them, but you know what I mean )

 

One of my girls did make a recovery from egg peritonitis and is trashing the garden with great vigour as I write, so hopefully it is not inevitable.

 

Love and hugs to you and yours.

[The Dogmother]

I'd like to say that it's not inevitable, but ex-batts do seem more prone to it due to the enforced 'bulk laying' that they do before they retire. I was talking to my vet about this a while ago and it seems that the excessive laying causes problems with their tackle later in life.

 

I'm sorry to hear that one of your girls is poorly.

[Guest]

thank you all.

 

I kind of knew what you were going to say about their tackle getting worn out etc. Just didn't think it would happen so soon. I've let them all out this morning as it's sunny and Maud has come out too, albeit slowly.

 

She's had her baytril and calcium supplement for the day so I guess time will tell eh

 

Wish I had a thicker skin sometimes

 

catch you later

 

xxxx

 

p.s. thanks peggoty, I agree about the breeding, we can't leave well alone can we.

[Valkyrie]

Wish I had a thicker skin sometimes

Nope, because then you just wouldn't be the same and the little batties wouldn't have such a happy life before they go. Fingers crossed and sending hugs.

[Seagazer]

I hope Maud gets better soon.

[Tiggy]

I'm sorry to hear your girls are poorly ((hugs))

[jackiepoppies]

Big hugs and good vibes to you all Justine.

 

Jx

[Budgies]

I'm so sorry to hear that Poet.

 

I'm just wondering if your vet might think it worthwhile treating the girls for infectious bronchitis? This might account for the crackly breathing (although of course it's not the only thing that might cause it) and the infection then lodges in the egg-laying tackle, causing peritonitis.

 

I'm thinking it might be you've got IB going round your girls and the outcome is turning out the same in each of them?

 

Just a thought, sorry you're having to cope with all this.

[legend21]

I am so sorry for you, I have not got my ex batts yet, but I really feel for you and hope all goes well for you.

 

xx

[sandyhas3chucks]

3 weeks of release & my head girl looked like dying , but she DID reconer and had a spolit 10 months of freedom. she also had metacam & rehydrsation fluid with Baytril. did they give high enough doses, nmy vet said they used to not give enough and best twice a day. good luck thinking of you it is the pits!!!!

[Guest]

hi sandy, metacam is an anti-inflammatory isn't it? I asked about an anti-inflam but was told baytril acted as an anti-inflam and she didn't want to give a seperate one because it can have a detrimental affect on the kidneys.

 

She's not really looking a great deal better so far

 

I can't bear it because I love her so much, I'm thiking we might have to let her go.

[tooties]

Hi Poet,

 

I had 3 ex-bats and lost one after only 6 wks and a bout of softies. At about the same time one of the others stopped laying and now has sterile peritonitis, but seems to be coping well. Recently our last one has begun laying softies.... and I know exactly what you mean. Its heartbreaking if they are struggling and we worry over them like mother hens don't we!

 

I put it down to them being bred to overlay, and now their little bits are just worn out poor loves. As someone said in a previous post, the thing you need to hold onto is what you have given them - a loving home and a chance to be a real chicken and to end their lives (if and when it comes to that) with a bit of dignity and happiness, having known what life was supposed to be like.

 

Much love to you and all your brood

xx

[Plum]

So sorry to hear the other girls are affected now, I really hope they pick up. I've seen the lovely photos you post of them and now don't know what to say just they pick up.

[Hen Watch]

Sorry to hear about your poorly girl Poet.

 

I was going to ask exactly the same question as you - I've got 2 and a half year old Omlet hybrids.

 

Stella had swollen abdomen and laboured breathing 5 weeks ago. Vet gave Baytril injection plus 10 days of oral at home, she recovered and is ok and laying.

 

But last week Henny got the same. Her abdomen is huge, she had the same injection and is on oral Baytril but still swollen. So it has not worked with her so far. I may have to ask vet for further advice.

[WitchHazel]

Sorry to hear that Maud is unwell. It's easy to feel...helpless...when one of our Girls is ill. You're doing everything you can, she couldn't wish for a better chicken mum.

[Guest]

thank you all so very much for your concern and kind words, my heart goes out to those of you who have gone (or are going through) the same thing.

 

Maud went to the vets on Monday, as you know, and had a baytril injection and a calcium injection. She's been having half a baytril tablet inside a sultana from Tues onwards, plus a pinch of nutrobal on a grape and a grape dipped in avipro, plus lots of different treats to try and tempt her; sweetcorn, mushy weetabix with sugar, sultanas, pro biotic yoghurt, grapes, mixed corn, mealworms, mashed potato but she didn't show much interest

 

I was beginning to think we'd have to let her go but today she does seem perkier She doesn't seem as bloated or waddling as much, her breathing seems a little easier (she was visibly struggling to breathe). I put some seed sticks in the run today and she had a good peck at them so I made up a big bowl of weetabix, bread and a tin of tuna all mushed up together with some water and she tucked into it with gusto!

 

She's had her baytril loaded sultana for the day and a grape dipped in avipro and I'll give her some nutrobal later.

 

I am cautiously hopeful. I know, from past experience, that she's not cured yet but she seems to be having a better day so far so am thankful for that and praying she carries on getting better.

 

xxxxx

 

p.s. Fatima seems fine so far, still keeping a close eye on her though.

[Jules.]

Sending you lots of (((hugs))))

[dancing cloud]

Lots of ((hugs)) to you and yours, and fingers/paws/wings crossed for Maud

[sparkysmum]

Poet, so sorry to hear about Maud. Hoping for a happy ending. Ax

[Guest]

still fighting to save her. She went back to the vets on Friday and we've got another 2 weeks worth of baytril. She's been having half a tablet in a sultana every day, nutrabol and avipro.

 

I've tried to tempt her appetite with; mashed potato, soggy weetabix, cooked rice, mushed cake, sweetcorn, mushed bread, tuna, sultanas, grapes, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, scrambled egg and even some dog food!

 

She's picked at bits but not really eaten anything properly apart from last Thursday when she did tuck into some mushed up bread, weetabix and tuna all mixed up and she did have a good go at some cooked rice yesterday.

 

I don't think she's drinking hardly anything though. I've tried syringing some water into her but she just shakes her head too much and I don't want to force her.

 

In case her underside is too sore, I've put her in cat carrier with a fluffy towel to sit on and some water with avipro in, some mushed weetabix and a few sultanas.

 

we've put the cat box in the run so she can be with the others.

 

she's very thin and I think if she doesn't make some sort of progress tomorrow, I'm going to have to make that hard decision

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Sorry to hear that, Poet .