Sooo much pooping

[hh9879]

We had our 5 girls delivered on the 11th May along with a green Eglu cube, all was great we even had 2 eggs on the first day and then 3 eggs each day since...until Monday...

Sparkle, the friendliest of the bunch who would even go and sit on my son's knee when he sat on the grass, looked a bit off colour on Monday evening, she was still free ranging, eating, drinking but just not as perky, if it had been one of the others then I wouldn't have thought twice about it but as she's usually so inquisitive and even comes running when you make a clucking sound I thought I'd keep an eye on her. We looked up all possible illnesses and as her crop felt a little hard compared to the other girls we decided to do the oil in a calpol syringe thing and massage, she perked up and went off to bed fine with the others. Half an hour of poultry forums (horror stories!) on Monday evening and the thought of losing her led me to be at the fishing tackle shop at 5 past 7 on Tuesday morning for half a pint of undyed maggots! Tuesday morning she seemed lethargic compared to her normal self and wasn't eating or drinking, just stood in one place looking very sorry for herself, she ate about 4 maggots whereas the other girls went mad for them. I came home from work at lunch on Tuesday to find her in the same spot so got her straight to the vets, bearing in mind she'd not moved all morning she decided to try to fly out of the box on the vets table! Her comb was red as normal, her crop felt normal with plenty of gritty stuff, heartbeat normal etc. As she'd perked up the vet said she'd write me a prescription but that we'd give her the benefit of the doubt and if she was no better by today (Wed) then I could go and pick it up. When I got her back home, the other girls were desperate to free range so I left Sparkle in the run to recuperate, went back half an hour later and she was stuffng her face and trying to work out why she was in the run and the others were out! The girls spent the evening running up and down after my son for the maggots, Sparkle included, she looked like she had completely recovered. She went off to bed fine again. Then this morning I let them out as normal and she didn't want to come out of the cube, we lifted her down and separated her in the run with food, tried to offer her water from the syringe but she turned her head away, water and a cardboard box. Got home at lunch to find her no better, rang the vets for them to make up the prescription, in the half hour before I was supposed to pick it up she took a real turn for the worse, laboured breathing, leaning against the water butt as though she didn't have the strength to hold herself, rang the vets back who said just to bring her in, got her in the cardboard box but she looked so poorly, her comb had gone from bright red this morning to a pinky/purple and she was completely lifeless. The vet said her heart beat was weak and that she could give the anti-biotics in an injection but that she had no hope that she'd recover. With such a sad heart I decided that it was unfair to put her through it so the vet put her to sleep.....

The vet was at a loss as to what was wrong (she has chickens herself) and suggested that I ring Omlet to ask if they've had any other scenarios like this which I'll do in the morning, I couldn't face it this afternoon after telling my 9 year old that his lovely girl was no longer here.

I'm obviously now worried about the others, if she can go down hill like that in the space of 12 hours then the others could too, they are all absolutely fine at the moment (I would have said the same about Spark at 8 o'clock last night though), they spent a bit of time at the open door tonight probably wondering why Sparkle wasn't getting in to bed?!

 

They are kept on half gravel, half wood chip, eat Omlet layers pellets, which I bring in each night, fresh water every day, clean the droppings tray every 2 days, change the nest box material (shredded paper) every 4 days and let them free range in the afternoons/evenings and also give treats every now and then(cauliflower leaves, thin slices of apple...maggots..etc) ....Anyone have any idea where I'm going wrong, people who've seen my girls and have chooks themselves have said they all look content, happy and settled and they are all sociable, can all be picked up and even walk along side you in the garden.

I'm so gutted, the boys are distraught, just thankful I took her before they came out of school.

If anyone has any idea then please let me know, I don't want this to happen again

 

 

 

Sparkle 11.05.10 11.05.10 R.I.P 26.05.10

Maggie (The boss) 11.05.10 11.05.10

Davina 11.05.10

Millie 11.05.10 13.05.10

Emily 11.05.10

 

1 barking mad Cairn Terrier who is fascinated with the girls!!

[Egluntyne]

Very sorry to hear it. You aren't going wrong anywhere.

 

Chickens hide their illnesses very well and she may have been brewing something for a lot longer than she let you know. They do this as a defence mechanism, so that their companions won't turn on them.

 

I'd examine all you other hens for any obvious signs of illness **Click** to be on the safe side, but it could be that she had something wrong with her heart. You could ask the vet to do a PM, but that would cost you money and might be inconclusive.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome to the forum - I'm so sorry your first post is such a sad one . Please don't blame yourself, as Egluntyne says, you've done nothing wrong. Sometimes hens just die for no apparent reason .

 

I hope your son wasn't too upset .

[lillybettybabs]

Auw... RIP little lady

[oneyolktoanother]

i'm so sorry , you have'nt done anything wrong like people say they hide their illnessess very well

[hh9879]

Hi,

 

Thanks for your replies, the vet did say that it looked like it could almost be a circulation problem from the look of her comb so maybe it was something to do with her heart? In a way I hope so because I'll feel a bit less guilty, not to mention less worried about the others. I discussed the possibility of finding out what had happened but the vet said in most chicken cases it ends up being inconclusive and the only other option was to send her to Defra Suffice to say I didn't go for that option.

As for the others I think they are sick of me checking if they're ok!! They all appear fine, I've done all the health checks I've come across in all the books and on the internet....

I had a couple come to the house before this happened who keep 8 or 9 hens and they said to put apple cider vinegar in the girls water as a good general tonic? I think I read about it somewhere and had planned to do it after they suggested it but now I feel like I don't want to do anything that could do any harm at all. Does anyone think it's harmless enough and may even do them good??

I could really use some advice off experts as I feel pretty rubbish about losing her after 15 days

 

Thanks

 

H

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm not really an expert but I put ACV in my girls' water. It is supposed to make the gut inhospitable to worms apart from being a tonic.

 

It really isn't anything you've done wrong (you didn't have her long enough ). It's just really bad luck .

[hippy chick]

Aw So very sorry to hear about your poor girl.

[hh9879]

Thanks, I've been and got some, I've used one of my dogs old bowls and the girls absolutely love it! Mind you they're not keen on the glug anyway, preferring to try to get water from the water butt tap-weird since it is exactly the same principle as the glug just rainwater!!

Another question, I did try to get Sparkle to eat some live yoghurt (when I thought it may have been impacted crop) and the girls ate some while my back was turned-will it do them any harm? Obviously it was on Tuesday but I'm paranoid now!

 

H

[sewitall]

Firstly I am sad to hear of your loss. But this had got me wondering. My chickens from Omlet were delivered 2 days after yours and like you I had a chicken fall ill with respiratory problems overnight. She survived thanks to me noticing quickly in the morning and being able to get an appointment at the vets who administered antibiotics but I am still keeping an eye on her as she is still occasionally sneezing and hasn't laid yet. Perhaps is just a coincidence.

 

No problem feeding your others yogurt. It's good for them especially if you add some ACV and/or bokashi bran to it. I gave some to the others to keep them in top order whilst the poorly one was convalescing in the garage. Cider vinegar also good in the water. Keeps the water slightly acid which helps prevent sour crop so I understand from forum members.

[Lizzie]

Hi all

 

Firstly, so sorry to hear that you have lost a chook so soon. You become so attached so quickly and it is heart breaking when you lose one.

 

I must add what we have experienced recently; we bought our 20 week pullets on the 16th May from a good local guy and it was clear from the day we brought them home that three were not well. Sneezing, runny beaks, bubbles around eyes and rattling sound. I have had to take one of the girls to the vets this evening as after 7 days of baytril twice a day, she still had respiratory problems. She has mycoplasma, a disease that is often brought on with the stress of being moved around. We will start with their additional antibiotic tomorrow for all five.

I only mention this as we are not experts by far, but we were fortunate to be able recognise that something was not right where as had we been beginners.

 

Don't think you have done anything wrong you tried to make her well, but sadly she didn't make it.

 

All the best

Liz

[scarlettohara]

Hi and so sorry about your chook. I lost 2 of my omlet chickens after 2 weeks to a fox - my fault as they were unsupervised in the garden even though it was light - like you I felt awful. I have also had a new one (not from Omlet) who got a respiratory infection after a few days - like you it was just unlucky. One good thing has come from your experience though - you have found a good vet with chickens, I have one of these and it makes such a difference I hope you and your sons enjoy your remaining girls