How Quickly Does Albendazole Work?

[susanb]

Daisy (a Bovans Goldline) has been a bit listless for about a week now. Prior to this she had a phase of getting into the garden and free ranging more than average! After a day of "listless" she laid a very soft shelled egg and then picked up. Next day laid a normal egg. Another day later she went listless again and has been the same for about 3 days now - but no sign of any other egg. She is eating bits and pieces - but not as enthusiatically as usual ! She has still managed to escape over the fence into the garden - so is not completely poorly.

 

She seems to just want to sit about, or stands still. Instead of "charging" over for treats, she wanders over slowly. She generally looks a bit sleepy.

 

I have not noticed a change in her comb, her eyes are still bright etc

 

We got her in March when she was "about 16 weeks" - so this is our first season with chickens. Do they normally go a bit tired at this time of year? She has been a very reliable layer with lovely speckled eggs one a day.

 

We have seen "one or two" of her feathers in the run - could this be signs of moulting ?(even though she is not really even 1 year old).

 

They have mixed grit to pick when they want and are fed on layers pellets and the odd treat (wheat, pasta, sweetcorn etc).

 

Anyone any ideas on anything we should be doing? Do we just need to wait a bit longer and see if we get another "softie"?

 

Thanks, in advance.

[JS1]

I'm sure someone who knows more than me will be along soon, but I just wanted to ask if she'd been wormed recently. One of mine had similar symptoms and it turned out there was a pretty major infestation. In retrospect she had also lost weight and her eggs had small pale yolks, when she actually laid them.

 

Hope she perks up soon.

[Jools]

She is probably heading into her first moult which really takes it out of them. Laying a few softies can also make them feel under the weather too.

 

She should stop laying while she moults, which will take a few weeks and looks pretty scary first time you see it! It's a good idea to add something like Lifegard or similar to their drinking water and/or a little Poultry Spice to their food. Some old timers also swear by cod liver oil, so a little dripped on their pellets is a good idea.

 

I always amazes me that they wait til the cooler weather before stripping off, but then when you see their lovely new feather coat for winter, you realise why.

[Egluntyne]

Has she been wormed?

[susanb]

she has never been wormed.

 

I ordered some flubenvet earlier today - just in case - and hopefully that will arrive tomorrow and I can get her started.

[susanb]

If anyone is curious......

 

this morning we found a poo which contained about a 2 long inch piece of old silicon sealant in it. (We recently had our conservatory roof refurbished and the builders helpfully dropped rather a lot of the old sealant around the garden). So we think she has had some kind of gut blockage. She is still a bit listless but at least she seems to have her appetite back!

[Jools]

Oh my what a silly girl! Her, not you! Here's hoping that's her sorted now.

[Egluntyne]

Blimey! She'll feel better after getting rid of that no doubt.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Better that than worms I suppose . Hope she didn't eat any more of it .