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

[thisoldhouse1879]

Hi

 

I wonder if someone could help us, we are quite new to keeping chickens but seem to be doing something very wrong.

 

At the moment we have Nugget who we bought in Oct 08. She has always been a bit of a problem and we have been treating her for what we think is lice (lots of white lumps on her bottom and very dirty feathers). We have also treated her for red mite and she has been wormed regularly.

 

I have just come home from work to find she is can hardly stand up, she is obviously miserable and more worryingly she seems to have an extremely swollen crop. The crop was fine this morning and she was eating fine this morning and last night.

 

She has been doing clear liquid poo's for about a week now (no substance to them at all) and tonight her comb is very dark and flopped over.

 

The others seem fine, we have treated the house for lice, mites they have recently been wormed and I have put some cider vinegar in their water a couple of days ago.

 

Can anyone give any advice as to what might be wrong with her.

 

Any advice gratefully received

 

Thanks

 

Louise

[Egluntyne]

When you say swollen do you just mean the crop, or the abdomen in general?

 

What have you been using to worm them?

[thisoldhouse1879]

Hi,

 

The abdomen in general really. For worming we have been using Verm-x.

[Space Chick]

Most people favour flubenvet to Verm X

[thisoldhouse1879]

Hi

 

I will get some tomorrow if possible. Do you think this could be what is wrong with her?

 

Thanks

 

Louise

[Egluntyne]

I agree aboout the Flubenvet. Verme-x is pretty useless in my experience.

 

I'm wondering if the swelling is due to sterile peritonitis.

 

Has she been walking with an odd wide-legged gait recently?

 

Has she stopped laying?

 

TBH I'd take her to the vet as she doesn't sound too good.

[thisoldhouse1879]

Hi,

 

Sorry but what is sterile peritontis?

 

I have not noticed her walking differently and she never started laying in the first place. I had put that down to being "one of those things".

 

Re the vets- do you take yours to a normal domestic vet?

 

Thanks

 

Louise

[teri]

most vets will treat chickens, however if you can find a vet that deals with livestock they usually have a better idea about chickens in my experience. i am lucky enough to live on the edge of a very rural area so my local vet is very good. it may be worth phoning round a little bit first.

good luck and keep us posted

teri

[thisoldhouse1879]

Hi

 

Thanks for the advice, I will first thing tomorrow.

 

For now I have brought her inside in a large box and can only hope she will make it through the night!

 

Fingers crossed tomorrow

[xScrunchee]

Aah, I hope that she makes it through the night

[thisoldhouse1879]

Just to let you know that Nugget made it through the night but passed away this morning.

 

We are all very sad

 

Louise

[xScrunchee]

Aah, really sorry to hear that

 

Thinking of you

[CluckyBucks]

I am very sad to hear that

{HUG}

 

xx xx

[Egluntyne]

Very sorry to hear it.

[Olly]

Sorry to hear that.