New hens not going into Eglu Go Up

[LunaKiw1]

Pepper, our Miss Pepperpot, has not been herself for a couple of days now and today she seemed really unwell. She doesn't seem to be passing any poo (just a very little and sometimes white stuff only). She hasn't laid an egg for last four days (although she usually lays most days). She was moving slowly when we did let her out in the garden this morning but instead of racing around as usual she just hunkered down on the patio - but fluffed up and not properly sitting though. We're not sure if she's brewing a softie (we've not had one of those since her very first egg back in April) or she has a crop problem. My OH smassaged her crop and it felt large and softish. When he did it again a couple of hours later it felt a bit smaller and he could feel a lump further down which wasn't there previously. So is something moving? Or is that an egg that's stuck? Her bottom seems Ok - bit pink but not looking raw or anything, although her rear end feathers are a bit smeared with white. She's off her food (very unusual) but we did get her to eat some mealworms mixed with vegetable oil this morning. We've put a Snugglesafe in the nest box of the Eglu although her sister Ginger(nut Ranger) normally sleeps in there so Pepper may not get the benefit of it, and a hot water bottle under the roosting bars. This is our first experience of illness so very worried. We only have the two chooks and they are very attached to each other so although we thought about bringing Pepper indoors in a cat basket we were worried about leaving Ginger outside on her own. Is there anything else we could try tomorrow? Should we take her to the vet's on Monday? all advice appreciated please.

[Plum]

It's horrid when they are unwell and you are unsure what is wrong. The crop should be full at this time so I would check that in the morning before thinking it's that.

 

Like you say it could be a softie on the way but I would check her all over for other things that could make her unwell like listening to her breathing, checking her nostrils, see if she feels lighter, any parasites? Has she been wormed lately?

 

Hope she has picked up by morning.

[Egluntyne]

Has she been wormed?

 

As she has been off color for a few days, I would take her to the vet on Monday.

[LunaKiw1]

Well no real improvement this morning. She seemed a bit brighter when we opened the eglu door and she came out with Ginger. Ginger started eating and drinking as normal but Pepper then just stood. WE have brought her indoors and she's sitting down on straw and a covered hot water bottle in a cat basket. She eat a few mealworms soaked in cod liver oil but didnt finish them as she would normally. Her crop is a lot smaller but of course she's not been eating. So dont think it is that. Still no sign of any softie. There were only miniscule droppings under where she slept last night. They are wormed every four weeks using Vermex and last dose was about 2 weeks ago. There have been no signs of any worms in poo and Ginger is fine. We'll just look after her today and try vet tomorrow. Im worried she isn't drinking. But a quick try to use a pet syringe to get some into her beak was a diaster and she just got really upset. How on earth do you get anything into their beaks?

[Plum]

Have you tried cut up grapes that will get some in.

 

Also I would wrap her up in a towel and hold her head to syringe fluid in beak.

[LunaKiw1]

Managed to get a littlle bit of water into her by dripping syringe of water from above onto her eak and as she turns her head some goes in. I've held a dish under her nect to catch drips! She seems to understand what I'm doing. Also, OH nipped out and got ome probitic yoghurt and we've mixed it with porridge oats and she took some little lumps off my finger. She's settled down in the cat basket gain. No sign of any poo or egg though. Ginger is now free ranging alone in the garden but seems content enough. Pepper is noramlyy the naughty toddler type who doesn't want to be held or kept enclosed and also complains if she can't see Ginger so her qiet attitude clearly shows she's unwell and uncomfortable. If it is a softie what can the vet do though if we take her tomorrow? The last egg she laid was on Monday. Thank you so much for replying - its so nice to feel someone else is trying to think of what to do.

[Egluntyne]

I would say that she needs to see a vet.

 

Does her chest sound rattly?

 

She could have an underlying infection that is making her feel ill.

[laurmurf]

one of the first questions you will get asked by the vet is 'when did you last worm them?'. Verm-x doesn't count as 'worming' it is - at best - a preventative (some of us would say at worst it's a waste of money). You'll need to worm her quickly and as she's not eating, you don't have the time or take up for flubenvet which is the preferred wormer.

 

Get some Panacur (small animal) 10% solution (which IS NOT LICENSED FOR POULTRY) and syringe it into her: it's a ml to a kilo, i think, but check the box. To get it don't say it's for a chook but for a cat or dog, as they won't be licensed to sell it to you. If she does have an infestation, then Panacur will deal with it very quickly. If that is what is making her poorly, then you've given her a good start to recover. If it isn't what's making her poorly, then you haven't hurt and can only have assisted.

 

For your other chook you can either use the panacur you've got, or get some Flubenvet in to treat them regularly: i use it 4 times a year.

 

Best of luck!

[LunaKiw1]

Thank you so much everyone for these replies. Have got a good bit of progress though (I think!) As it was sunny we put her out onto the grass to join Ginger for a bit. She did join Ginger in the undergrowth and pecked a bit at some grass and moved (slowly) around. Then just now my OH saw something long and dangling from her behind. He managed to pull it off and it looks like a susage but is totally fibrous - long bits of grasd etc. She has perked up a little bit. could moving around after a period of rest and warmth be shifting some blockage do you think? We're hoping she might now pass something more - either poo or maybe a softie. Will still go to vet's tomorrow if necessary. And will certainly change worming routine (thanks for the Panacur tip)

[laurmurf]

we had one of these - she started with an impacted crop that we massaged for days, syringing with avipro, then as it started to go down we had a 'snake' of long fibrous grass part way out of her vent. DD gently pulled and a loooooong piece came out. She perked up instantly (both hen and DD) and is fit and well now.

 

good luck!

[Redwing]

You could try a little oil syringed in to her (I use a 1ml syringe as its tiny enough to get inside their beaks) olive oil would do, then gently massage her crop, at best it will loosen any crop blockage, at worst she has had a cuddle and the oil may loosen a blockage further down the system if there is one

 

Liquid paraffin is an option if you have any, only use a small amount though http://www.lloydspharmacy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=1008&storeId=90&productId=325219&langId=-1

[Egluntyne]

When she is better, I would make sure that long grass is cut down in the area where she ranges.

 

I would also worm her with Flubenvet , which is the only true wormer which is licensed for use in poultry in UK.

[LunaKiw1]

Chatty Chicken - you've described what we've seen this afternoon perfectly! As her bum was mucky we decided to bath her in the sink. As OH was cleaning her he saw a little 'thread' out of her vent. When he gently pulled it a long snake of fibrous materila at least 6 inches long came out! We dried her with hairdryer and after she's had another little warm up in the cat carrier, she showed interest in some sweetcorn which we had coated in castor oil and ate it with relish. We've popped her back with Ginger and both have just gone to bed. They have a hot water bottle in the poo tray and a cuddle safe next to Pepper so hopefully she'll have a good night and be even better in the morning. I wont be happy til she's laid proper egg though. How good it is to be able to benefit from other people's advice and experiences!

[oneyolktoanother]

im glad to hear shes feeling abit better and eating please let us know how she gets on

[Jools]

If you're worried she could have a worm problem, you could always send a faeces sample off to Retford Poultry Vets for testing. At least that way, you'd be ruling worms in or out.

 

It's item 4 on this list and is around the £10 mark (though it's been a couple of months since I last used their service and my memory isn't what it used to be!)

[LunaKiw1]

Well I think we're going to be OK and not need a vet trip after all. This morning Pepper came out of the eglu with Ginger and immediately made for the layers pellets. There was only theu sual egg from Ginger in the nest box but lots of sweetcorn in the poo tray instrad of poo from Pepper. At least it had gone straight through her so hopefully that means her blockage has been passed. I've just let them both out in the garden and Pepper is moving as quickly as ever so now seems right as rain. We are bewildered by where any long grass came from though as the lawn is closely cropped and flower beds neat so no long grass that we can see anywhere that she could have eaten to cause the problem!

Thanks again everyone for your practical advice and moral support!

[Plum]

Good news

[peepie]

Glad to hear she's OK. It's horrible when one is ill. Only looked in at the end of the topic - but had to chuckle at the "neat flowerbeds" bit in your comment - Ours are a right state thanks to our girls!

 

xx

[LunaKiw1]

Flower beds are neat as they actually are all shrubs like rhododendrons, azaleas and pieris etc which the chickens can't do much too! They love scrabbling around in the leaves etc under the shrubs so the main 'damage' is to the edges of the lawn abutting the earth as they kick up leaves and little stones onto the lawn and make such a mess!