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

[Sara@Brentford]

Hi,

 

We've had two years of trouble free hens and now four have had problems in a month!

 

We are currently worried about Ruby who spends most of her day sitting on her lower legs...she will peck/eat from sitting and seems the right weight, has been dusted for red-mite, has grit & eggshells for calcium, Verm-x, Citricidal, etc.

 

She runs out when the run gate is opened in the morning, will run for food and fresh water, will run away if she thinks you want to pick her up... but will sit down again soon after.

 

She is fine climbing up & down the cube ladder.

 

She is a Spanish Penedesenca and her trademark floppy comb is looking a bit grey and her perky tail is sometimes down...

 

Her vent is fine, she laid an egg last week (but doesn't lay every day anyway), her bottom feather are a bit dirty (dribbles?).

 

I don't really know what to do...

 

At the end of July my oldest girl, Shirley, was sitting down a lot and I thought she was just happy in the sun.... one evening we noticed that she didn't come for corn and when I picked her up, she had lost a lot of weight, her comb was grey/dehydrated? and she had no interest in food or drink. We isolated her and she didn't make the night.

 

I don't know if it's the same thing.... if it's infectious.... if I can do anything????

 

Please help.

 

Sorry for the long message - I just wanted to include as much info as possible for help!

 

Thanks

 

Sara

[Egluntyne]

I would worm her with Flubenvet first off.

 

I see you have been using Verm-X. In my experience it doesn't work, and the symptoms you describe could suggest a worm infestation.

[Sara@Brentford]

Thanks!

 

I'm wondering if it's the same thing that knocked off Shirley... can they die from worms?

 

Where's the best place/cheapest/quickest to get Flubenvet?

 

I didn't find our London vet very helpful when Shirley died.... he seemed to be more comfortable with gerbils!

 

I probably need to get it online.... or OH works in Berkshire so may find a supplier to pick it up on the way home...?

 

Thanks

[xScrunchee]

£12.01 for 60g of 1% Flubenvet from Animal Medicines.

 

Cheapest I could find at the moment, ordered mine yesterday

[Sara@Brentford]

Thanks!

 

I found it for 12.50 inc P&P so ordered it quick last night for a speedy delivery...

 

Can worms kill a chicken?

[xScrunchee]

I was going to mention Best pet as being the second cheapest

 

Yes, worms can kill chickens in serious situations sadly

[Sara@Brentford]

Yep, it was from Bestpet...let hope it comes in quick...

 

How do I make sure the right hen is getting the right amount?

 

I normally let them eat as much as they like, have the grub containers full all the time...

 

Will I need to change to daily rations?

 

How do I make sure that other girls don't eat her share?

[xScrunchee]

What you do is-

Mix the correct amount of Flubenvet into a weighed amount of layers pellets (Instructions will be on the pot) and then keep the chickens on pellets for 7 days. No treats, limited free ranging.

Each hen will eat the correct dose for their body weight.

Bigger hens will eat more pellets therefore have more worming powder etc.

All of them should be wormed-not just the one you think has worms. If one has-they pretty much all have

 

If they run out of food-mix up some more but after the 7 days-throw away any that's left.

 

Hope that helps

[Sara@Brentford]

Thanks!

 

I just feel so neglectful of Shirley who died...and need to learn from the experience and look after them all!

[xScrunchee]

Don't beat yourself up over it

 

We live and learn-learning is the important bit.

Other people have had hens for years and have never wormed them and they have been fine so maybe you were just unlucky this time. Or perhaps she had an underlying health problem which made her weak anyway.

Maybe it was just old age.

 

Whatever the case-it won't hurt to worm all of your hens anyway but please don't assume that Shirley died purely because of worms

[Sara@Brentford]

Thanks!

[xScrunchee]

You're welcome