How Quickly Does Albendazole Work?

[cluckingmad]

Since losing Millie the other week I seem to be very protective of my girls and am spending at least an hour sitting outside with them every day (very therapeutic for me it has to be said)... noticed yesterday that Maggie was keeping more to herself and today she seems to be ever so slightly hunched. She's as spritely as ever but when we finally did catch her she felt fairly thin along her breast bone and I coudln't feel her crop at all (she had been free ranging for a few hours)...

 

My lovely OH has just thrown some corn for the girls and she did run up to it, although not as fast as the others, and then she just sort of pecked a bit half-heartedly at it, rather than gobbling it down like normal.... we already have the 4 babes in the lounge at night, should we bring Maggie in too and feed her up a bit? Am thinking maybe weetabix with yogurt but really don't know much about what to feed her other than layers pellets!!

 

They've all just finished a 7 day course of flubenvet and we've checked her for lice etc, no signs at all (but she wasn't sitting still for any longer than she wanted to!)...

 

Any suggestions to help ease this worrying mums mind?!

[CluckyBucks]

Hello there worrying mum

 

Im paranoid too that theres something wrong with one of my girls, deep down i know she is fine.

Its perfectly understandable that you are extra worried, following the death of your other hen (Very sorry to hear about) xx

 

 

Just try and see that she is okay. as long as she is eating, drinking and walking, i think she should be alright

 

xx xx

[sandyhas3chucks]

Hi, while wetabix is useful, it also comtains a fair bit of salt.... not so good, if using a lot. Ready brek is pure oats, made with water, is often enjoyed. You could try mealworms & or live maggots to help build her up.

I think we all suffer with this paranoia thing especially when just lost one or had poorlies.

I had one that I thought was eating, but when watched was just grabbing t it, then checked her crop . empty.

gave her ready brek 3 times that day, each time I could feel her crop had something in.

She had just had 2 dif courses of antibiotics

Happily this or time and she is eating well now and looking much bettr.

Good luck.

[cluckingmad]

thanks for the suggestions - porridge it is. Will get her on her own for a little bit tomorrow and make sure she gets some food in her - am off work tomorow and most of thursday so can really keep an eye on her...

[sandyhas3chucks]

that will be nicxe ome quality treat time together.

[cluckingmad]

well, the porridge went down a treat She was a little difficult to catch (no change there then), but we had a nice cuddle together in our front room while she woofed down a load of porridge (with added raisins... am a sfty I know, but she's one of my babies!)... got it all over her beak, face, comb, the cat..

 

Her crop is now lovely and full and she's back out in the garden with the other ladies - still keeping herself to herself, but will keep an eye on her and get her in for some more TLC later on

 

Carolyn x

[chickenopolis]

I haven't tried porridge with my girls, but when they are a bit under the weather, I given them probiotic yoghurt and layers pellets (leave it about 5 minutes and you get a squashed mix).

 

Flo had a soft egg and an upset tummy yesterday, I gave her a few spoonfuls of the mixture, she woofed it down, and this morning she seemed to be back to her old self. Mind you, it was all over her face, my feet, her head, her feet, the patio.....but hey.....

 

I don't have any experience of porridge, but I will get some on my next shopping trip.

 

Hope Maggie perks up.

 

Thinking of you.

 

Sarah x

[cluckingmad]

Thanks Sarah - I really don't know what I'd do without this forum, you're all so brilliant Maggie's definately poorly, she's staying away from the other girls so will bring her in tonight I think. Then I can make sure she gets her food and water without fighting the others off!

[cluckingmad]

Right. I can now report that Maggie most definately has diarrhoea... she managed to fire it over the towel on my lap and got me

 

Its green and very runny, she's in a box away from the others currently so we can fuss over her a bit, she's eating her porridge well, loves her raisins and we're about to give her a supper of natural yogurt/layers pellets mushed together... fingers crossed she's better tomorrow...

[sandyhas3chucks]

I had on that had dihorea. A sample sent to Retfords showed ansty bacterial infectin and Erythromycin was needed. The she was still unwell vet suggested further course of Batril, as we bith feared we would lose her. She responded well, although has antibiotic tum and needed probiotics to aid her gut in getting back to normal.

Looks like things are going to be ok, but they can go down really fast, and dihorrea can dehydrate her too,

Mind you it is difficault as too many treats can give them the squits too. Bokashi is very useful. Many people suggest live yoghurt too, but I have 3 that plain live porobiotic yuoughurt will GIVE upset tum!

[smokiechicken1969]

hi just following your post with interest. i feel my cream leg bar isnt very well the last two days. same as yours, bit quiet, free ranging one minute, then sat puffed up and head pulled in slightly the next.

 

her poo is ok so far but crop was soft tonight. she's just had poridge and gone back in her bed but will be in the house with us tomorrow if she doesnt perk up.

 

im off to search this forum for some more clues but in the mean time let us know how your girl is getting on. someone wil be along soon to advise you on the diarrhoea.

 

hope she perk up x

[cluckingmad]

Thanks everyone

 

Maggie slept in the front room in a cardboard box last night after a second helping of porridge/raisins... tried her on yogurt/pellets but she was totally disinterested!

 

She didn't want breakfast today but her crop was still fairly full (it is emptying though) so she was probably just not hungry - shes outside with the others now enjoying the sun, isn't keeping as much apart from the others as she was yesterday so am feleign hopeful... she's also preening, which I doubt she'd be doing if she was feeling really poorly so fingers crossed

 

Another good sign - her poo doesn't smell at all (other than the usual pooyniffs), so doubt a bacterial infection is to blame (am a biologist, sad but true that we can recognise an infection by the smell !)

[sandyhas3chucks]

I am NOT a biologist but know just what you mean about the smell, it is something I have "learnt" unfortunately in the last year.

Just to be clear though?

her crop aught really to be full at night but empty or almost in the morning(before getting any food) I use this as a useful indicator if mine are iffy! though sometimes the really early layer does not fully empty if there is one imminent!

[cluckingmad]

Nice, isn't it?! I was concerned about that too, but she was fed late last night, just before going to sleep so am suspecting that may have had something to do with her crop still having food in it this morning (hideously early... thanks to Parcelforce!!)

 

She seems to be more herself this afternoon - causing havoc with the other girls in the garden She may not have laid for a while, we've bee ngetting 5 eggs a day from 6 hens but no way to determing who's not laying Have gently felt her abdomen and think I can feel an egg on its way, wondering if its a softie causing the problems?

[chickenopolis]

How's Maggie today?

 

My two have been free ranging all day, Flo, who was under the weather earlier in the week, seems to have her bounce back. Hope yours has??

 

Sarah

[cluckingmad]

She has My littel girl is back with the others and causing havoc Last week Pepper discovered that she could jump onto and then over the fence separating the lawn from the flowerbeds... she has since led a full scale chicken revolution and now ALL the little darligns have been digging in the flowers, upping the bulbs etc etc... although seeing Maggie behaving like herself and obviously being much happier was worth all the inevitable replanting of bulbs that I will be doing tomorrow!!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That's great news . (Not about your bulbs, though .)

[chickenopolis]

That's brilliant.

What's a few bulbs...!