chocchick Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 I'm a little worried about Abbie. I noticed she sometimes twitches her head - 4 times today that I've seen. She sometimes shakes her feathers or is walking along, then follows with maybe 5 repetitive movements of her head that I've never seen before in any of my chickens. It's like a nervous tic.The last few weeks she seems a bit lethargic and miserable and sometimes sits hunched but will still eat, peck Katy, and run round the garden or for treats in between. Since the snow she started getting up late and is not up as soon as it is daylight now. She has not laid an egg since before Nov/Dec when she moulted. I've not found any lice or mites. There are tiny patches missing by her comb and some wing feathers-which seem to have replacements growing back. This could still be from the moult. I wormed with panacur on Tuesday, then started flubenvet on Wednesday with the feed, but she seems the same. Both chickens have raised leg scales, but I'm not sure if they are crusty or not, I can't see residue. I'm not sure she's ill enough to take her to the vet. I'm not sure if I'm just worrying over nothing, or if it is even the weather or the tail end of the moult. I'm debating whether to just try a spray on or spot on mite treatment, and/or scaly leg spray but bewildered by the range and whether I need to go to a vet or buy something over the counter. Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 may i enquire the reasoning behind wormning 1st with panacure then flub? The twitching could be a few things, I have just 1 of 7 that does it. more so when she is off colour or tired.. The moult can take itright out of them , and there are lots of posts about how to feed them up etc. The biggest problem with chooks is that they seem to present the same syptoms for all illnsses (well almost) if they don't feel well, they don't feel well I guess for whatever the reason. BUT they hide illnesses really well, it is natural for them. therefore by the tome they show us they are poorly they are often REALLY poorly I am afraid. I would take her to the vet sooner rather than later if she were mine, treatment early is often their better chance than when something has reallty got into their ststems. Well That is My Opinion. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 Well Abbie has perked up a lot and has laid her first egg in a few months. The twitch has gone. We wormed and sprayed (just for scaley leg spray) on the off chance as not sure if scales are raised slightly due to this or not. I put some poultry spice in the food. It seems to have worked anyway. I'm wondering if it was the chickens being more vulnerable to worms as I couldn't really change the floor covering in the heavy snow. We've had a lot of problems previously and worm a few times a year/aim to move onto paving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
