Mrs

[txswanie]

Hi,

this is a real beginners question, sorry. I have had a 2 year old Maran for about 2 weeks. She has given me an egg every morning until today. No egg today. Is this normal? Can they miss a day or 2. When should I start to be concerned? She also looks like she has a cold (its hard to tell, she is really afraid of me and will not let me catch her easily) eyes look a little runny and she sneezed a few times. She is also wiping her beak on the ground like her nose is running. Also scratching her head with her foot.

Any of this sound bad?

thanks

[sjp]

the egg laying sound alright they do take a day or 2 off some of my lot only lay every other day and they're only a year old

the beack wiping and head scratching if it only once in a while is ok if it's every few minutes it could be a problem

the cold part could just be down to the house move but some hebran or respite in the drinking water wouldn't hurt

sorry I can't be of more help some with a bit more experiance tham me will post soon

[Egluntyne]

It is quite common for them to take a day off.

 

Is she free ranging? She could have laid somewhere in the garden.

[Mollie333]

hi, this is a real beginners question, sorry. I have had a 2 year old Maran for about 2 weeks.

was they okay before today? i brought two silkies which developed a cold within the first week, because there used to ebing with 10 or so other birds, and its a very warm shed, now they free range all day, i asked the breeder what we can do and she gave us some free antibiotics.

 

She has given me an egg every morning until today. No egg today. Is this normal? Can they miss a day or 2. When should I start to be concerned?

too be honest, they do miss out days expecailly in the cold weather. i'd start worrying at 4 days.

 

She also looks like she has a cold (its hard to tell, she is really afraid of me and will not let me catch her easily) eyes look a little runny and she sneezed a few times.

She is also wiping her beak on the ground like her nose is running.

Also scratching her head with her foot.

Any of this sound bad?

not really, i've had severall birds with colds, if there eyes become stuck together get some cotton wall balls and wipe one side to the next ONCE, then through it away, dont use it again because it will just spread the infection. have you wormed your girls recently? maybe its that. All of my girls wipe there beak from side to side on the floor to get off any food or nose/ eye discharge off there beaks. With them scratching, use red mite powder in there coope if there doing this alot.

Sorry i couldn't help more, i hoe your girls are back to usuall soon!

[Daffodill]

I had a hen that got a secondary infection from having a cold and she died-my other chickens got the cold also so I took them to the vets and got some antibiotic cover-an injection that protected for 3-4days-it cost £4.50 a chicken and they were fine after that but we could not eat any of the eggs for 4 weeks. So you could consider that if the symptoms go on for a few days and you are still worried:)

[txswanie]

Update. Brigitte came barging out of the coop at 6.30 this morning and went straight for the crumbles. That is the earliest they have made up get up. Marion stayed in the coop for 30 minutes looking sleepy. Anyway Brigitte looks better today. I will wipe her eyes and nose and see if anything else comes out. I think they may be cold at night. There are only 2 of them in the cube (2 gingers coming Wednesday) so I will put a blanket over the whole thing till nights warm up a little.

Oh forgot to say, egg was there this morning first thing. I guess she just went through the cycle and came back to the early start.

I am a real paranoid newbie, thanks for all the help.

[chicken bark]

Glad it all seems okay. They like to make us worry don't they!