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

[chickiepiggies]

Hello, i'm a new member.

 

I have 3 ex bats, Fluffy, Muggles and Baby. On Friday Fluffy was looking a little under the weather and sat inside the nesting box. I thought it was late in the day, and sometimes they over do it a little the other two have had this before then the next day they are fine running about as normal.

 

On Saturday she was the same, looking sorry for her self and sitting inside the nest box, there were no eggs in there, so thinking she might be going broody, i removed her to snap her out of it.

 

Since then she has been off her food, not pooing normally (it's very running) and she just stands around and shuts her eyes, i have seen her eat a little and she has been drinking water. The other two are fine. They run around and get in her way and shes just not bothered by them. Usually she would give them a peck as she is head chicken.

On tuesday i thought she had perked up as she scratched with the others and pecked at the grass. I thought great, she's back, but since wednesday shes gone down hill again.

 

Its been 6 days and i'm getting quite concerned now as her weight has dropped quite a lot. I've checked for swelling around the vent and she looks clean and not swollen. Since i've had her she has been problem free. Muggles broke her leg and i had to nurse her back and she's fine now, but Fluffy has always been the layer. Almost ever day without fail, and she was always really perky, always took ages to catch her to put in the pen at night.

 

At the moment i have her in a hutch in the house, keeping her warm with plenty of water and some porridge oats. She's picked at it a bit but just wants to sleep. Her crop is nearly empty, just a little bit of food and water in there.

 

Can someone please give me some advice! Should i put her in a warm bath of water? Its been 6 days with no egg, but if she was egg bound wouldnt she deteriorate a lot quicker??

 

Many thanks in advance!

 

kerry

[Egluntyne]

I'd be inclined to worm her for starters. Your best bet is Flubenvet, which is available online.

[peggotty]

Over the last year, 3 of my ex-batts have had episodes which sound familiar to your Fluffy - up and down, but generally very depressed. I haven't really known what has been wrong, but they have all had 5 days worth of baytril antibiotic (my vet very kindly will give me ready made up syringes to inject intramuscularly). It is probably a bit random, but I guess that it knocks any potential infection on the head. Anyway, 2 of them have bounced back really quickly, and been better than ever before. Unfortunately one that I had not whipped straight down the vets did not recover.

 

My girls are not very adventurous with different food stuffs, but they will generally eat plain scrambled egg if they are poorly.

 

Wishing Fluffy all the best.

[cluckingmad]

Funnily enough, I've just had the exact same thing with Maggie (not an ex-batt girl though). She had the runs, was off food and generall looked sorry for herself - we brought her in at night for two nights, then this morning she was desparate to get back out with the others, ate a load of layers pellets and seems to be much better.... am still slightly anxious about her (she's the littlest hen and as such is my baby girl), as although she'#ll now run with the others when corn is thrown, she still doesn't really show much interst in it which isn't normal for her... however tonight she's back in the cube so am hoping it was just a tummy bug

 

 

Has anyone else had chooks like this over the summer?

[alet_chicken]

Hi kerryfriedl, welcome to the Omlet forum! Like peggotty and cluckingmad, I have had similar episodes with my ex-batts. I have had mine for 18 months now and when they are down it is still difficult to tell whether it is because of a softee or something more serious. It is usually a matter of it "feeling" right or not.

 

If Fluffy is not eating though and if she has lost weight, then maybe it is something more serious? Unfortunately battery hens are bred for their egg production rather than their health so they are very vulnerable to infection in their retirement. It might be time to consider taking her to the vet.

 

Anyway, I do hope she recovers soon!

[sandyhas3chucks]

My experience has been more like peggoty. i personally would take her to the vet. After 6 days with an ex bat like that you are looking at possibly loosing her as a friend of mine did recently. I got a message"lost ###### today found her dead in the nest box. she 'd not been well for a week"

What you have to take into account is that they have not been exposed to all the bacteria etc in the environment as "normal" chooks do from chicks. Therefore they are more prone to catching nasties.

a lot of people seem to think of chickens as different to cats, dogs etc. But of my cat or dog was ill for a week..... well it would have been at the vet before a week.

It can be a steep learning curve. I didn't realise how quicklty a bit poorley could turn to seriously might not make it when I nearly lost one of mine after 3 weeks of ownership. It wasn't until a doggy friend of mine said, well you have been them for 3 weeks now, follow your instinct, you know she isn't right, what you going to do? let her die?"

The vet I drove a long way for (hadn't looked for one in preparation) was great, though she really didn't hold out much hope for her, she did recover almost made a year was huge fluffy head Chook!

Sadly a serious bacterial infection took her after several weeks of up and down and various treatments.

a good vet will be able to look for some worms in the pooh that she will undoubtably give happily on arrival. though not all are visible.

I would def be very worried after 6 days.

[sparkysmum]

Hello Kerry, I would get to to a vets ASAP if she's no better in the morning. 6 days is a long time if she's not going to bounce back. Fingers crossed for her. Ax

[chickiepiggies]

Thanks for all your replys.

 

She is still no better her poo's are very watery and yellow and she's not eating much at all. i am in the proccess of worming her, giving her small treatment n some yoguart. but she just look so misserable.

 

Does any one know chicken friendly vet in wolverhampton or walsall i odont want to travel with her to far as i think that might make her worse (

[chickiepiggies]

got in at me local vets this morning where my cat goes, fingers crossed. i'm so worried about her she is the toughest of the 3.

[Space Chick]

Make sure you let us know how it goes.

 

I hope its something they can treat

[chickiepiggies]

not good news, because of her dramatic weight loss he's not giving her much hope of recovery unless she eats.

 

she has had 3 injections vitimans, antibiotics and something to stop the blood that is showing in her droppings. its not worms he said but something wrong with her digesting her food, he will look at the sample she did for his on his table and let me know what he thinks tomorrow and it will be decided what is best for her.

 

i've not been able to go back to work i wanted to stay with as it might be the last i see her.

 

she has lots of her favorite treats to munch on, and she has been eating i even watched her have a quite clean.....a good sign maybe. i really done want to loose her but i also done want to suffer if she is.

 

poor fluffy this will be my first chicken loss if she goes, will see what tomorrow brings.

[cluckingmad]

Oh Kerry, I'm sorry *hugs*... fingers crossed she rallies round, you never know.

 

Let us know how things go tomorrow..

[sandyhas3chucks]

just some encouragement here.

thse girls"can sometimes" make dramatic turn arounds.

He has done all he can for her treatment wise, if the antibiotics kick in ?

who knows?

there are 2 products Critical Care Formular, which your vets might have for you, or can be ordered over internet, and one which was recommended on another forum "Feed um" it is a high calorie paste (for dogs although also sold for other small furries if stuck)It is sold at pets at home also seen at small independant pet shop. thet only need a pea size blob every few hours.

ALSO .

LIVE MAGGOTS full of protein and just asking to be gobbled up (empty skins show up in the pooh, so don't panic.

I have had 23 the vets didn't think would make it, I learnt with the 1st one(she did !) not to wait with these girls.

Vet! that's it, 2 days tops (that's how long mine take to clear a softee.) then were off... no ifs or buts.

takes no time for them to loose weight critically...

but the good news is can be brill turnaround if you can get them eating.

those 3 things can really help.

soo good luck

fingers crossed here & sending healing thoughts.

[chickiepiggies]

she doesnt seem to have responded to the antibiotic he gave her she was eating bits yesterday but still passing through like water and the same this morning. she has hardly eaten this morning just wants to sit and close her eyes.

 

will just have to wait and see what the vet says.

[sandyhas3chucks]

fingers crossed

[alet_chicken]

fingers crossed here too. please let us know what happened.

[chickiepiggies]

RIP FLUFFY she now has gone to chicken heaven, and was very loved the 6 months she spent pecking around the garden.

 

she had internal bleeding and was best for her to go to sleep.

[alet_chicken]

Oh kerryfriedl I am so very sorry to hear this.

 

I think it is safe to say the last 6 months of freedom would have been the best of her life by far, and that's something she wouldn't have had without your help. Small consolation I know, but at least it's something.

[chickiepiggies]

 

this is fluffy on the left. i will miss her so much.

 

Thanks to everyone who posted replys and advice. it means a lot.

 

x

[cluckingmad]

Oh sweetheart, I'm so sorry Its heart breaking when you lose one, but she got to be a chicken for a time rather than a mere egg producer and that really does mean a lot.

 

Carolyn x

[alet_chicken]

What a little darling. Please give Muggles and Baby an extra cuddle tonight.

[sandyhas3chucks]

these poor girls go through so much, sometimes there is nothing we can do.

She experienced 6 months of being loved and free.

No consolation I know.....

you wanted her to have more.....

I had 2 go at 11months breaks your heart

I wanted more for them too.

big hugs

[mad.hen1]

There's a vet in Shifnal who is apparently good with hens.

 

That said I took mine to Connaught House Tettenhall Rd but they couldn't do much for her.

 

It was they that gave me the Shifnal no but at that point it was too little too late. I am sorry I can't find it or would post it, but if you called them they'd give it to you. Tel no. 424725

[dippy bird]

Oh gosh, so sorry you lost her. x

[mad.hen1]

Very sorry to hear the news.

 

I fully understand how it is to lose one, I cry every time but my great comfort is that my ex batts at least had a retirement and the chance to scratch and feel the earth under their feet - to be hens as hens should be.

 

You did a good thing for your hen and gave her a life she would never othersise have experienced so hang onto that.

 

All the best.