Unsecure chicken perches

[taz1967]

Hi All

 

Need your advice.

 

We got our 4 chickens just over 2 weeks ago (2 gingernut rangers and 2 miss peperpots). We were told that they were about 16 to 18 weeks old and not to expect eggs for about 2 weeks. Well, we have been having eggs since day 2, albeit only 1 a day maybe 2.

 

Our problem is with one of our Gingernuts. Maud has been under the weather for the last few days, seems to have had a sneeze and snotty nose and runny poo's. We have been giving them tonic in the water and keepwell in the food and she seems to have stopped the snot and runny poo's and got rid of most the sneeze. But, she is a lot lighter than the other 3 we have and alot thiner. We put this down to her not being well, but she always seemed to be having her head stuck in the grub as much as the others.

 

SHe is also very very skitish, the slightest sound will make her flap and go running round the fenced off area when we free range them, and its only her that will behave like this. Do we have a chicken that is a bit backward and not all with it.

 

Me and the wife had a talk about what to do about it this evening, we talked about vets and talked about no vets and just carry on with doing what we are doing.

 

The long and the short of it is we dont really know what we want to do, I cant see an animal suffer, but then again, I dont fancy taking her to the vet and having her costing a small fortune.

 

Advice and help greatly received.

 

Cheers

Gary n Clare

[chicken bark]

Some hens are more nervous than others and maybe it is just taking her a bit longer to settle after her move.

 

You could try worming them too.

[taz1967]

You could try worming them too.

 

What would I need and how would I do that??

[figarogir1]

Flubenvet - you can buy it on the Internet (search on google). It is a weeks course that you put with their food - worst part is that you have to restrict free ranging to make sure that they are eating enough One of mine is much more nervous than the others so that may just be her personality

[chicken bark]

The good thing about Flubenvet is that you can continue to eat the eggs. I'd use Flubenvet but there are other wormers out there.

 

I must admit I am a little lax and allow free ranging - but this is because I haven't got a run to confine them.

[tinaduffyjames]

I too was most concerned about my Gingernut when she arrived. She didnt lay and never seemed at ease. Didnt appear to eat much. The other two would quite happily mooch around the garden but Nellie was always on full alert and never settled. However, 5/ 6 weeks on she is almost as calm as the other two. They do all have different personalitys and I suppose Nellie just took a lot longer to get used to her new surroundings.

[scarlettohara]

Hopefully the vet won't cost a small fortune - last time I took one of mine (for a runny nose and rattly breathing) it was £26. If you look at it in comparison to the cost of a cube it doesn't seem so much

[sewitall]

You should not need to worm them at this early stage. Keep a watchful eye on the sniffles and if her chest starts wheezing then get her to the vet asap as respiratory problems can make them go downhill rapidly and she may need antibiotics.

[midori]

I am a woman who had a snake x rayed 'just in case' at the cost of almost £200, so maybe not the best to advise, but...

 

I always take my animals to the vet if I suspect there is a problem. I woudl rather look stupid and have a huge bill than a suffering or dead animal. If you are reluctant to take her to the vet and have a good relationship with your vet, could you telephone for advice? That way, your vet can asses whether you need to take her in or not and let you know how much it might cost. (My vets are £14 for a consult, although have done things like take blood from a dog for me and only charged £3, but when I was in England it was £30 just for a consult)

 

Or have you tried ringing Omlet for advice?

[scarlettohara]

I'm the same as you Midori - I would only spend sleepless nights worrying about them.

[LeanneC]

I've had my two for about six or seven weeks now and my gingernut has been similar. We got an egg a day from the pepperpot from day 2 and it is only in the last two weeks that the gingernut has been laying daily. Her eggs are a lot smaller too. She has had a snotty nose since we got her, but is very lively and the friendliest of the two.

[C&T]

You should not need to worm them at this early stage. Keep a watchful eye on the sniffles and if her chest starts wheezing then get her to the vet asap as respiratory problems can make them go downhill rapidly and she may need antibiotics.

 

 

Disagree - I had to worm our GN within a couple of weeks of getting them - and the evidence in her poo's after worming was enough to prove the poor thing was suffering a lot.

 

I know it's very easy for all symptons to say "have you wormed recently", but in this case I would be inclined to dose them all. It won't hurt them at all, and rules out a potentially very serious problem very easily. And if it is the problem, the sooner you get hold of some Flubenvet and start worming the better.

 

Worming is not a preventative - so even if they were wormed before being delivered, it does not mean they haven't got worms now...

[taz1967]

Flubenvet is on order and expected later this week.

 

Phoned the vets in Upmister. How rude. And wanting £60 for consult then treatment on top..... I don't think so. Dont think I will bother going to see them after that. But have booked to see the medivet in Danbury as he is an exotic speclist.

 

Gary

[chicken bark]

Flubenvet is on order and expected later this week.

 

Phoned the vets in Upmister. How rude. And wanting £60 for consult then treatment on top..... I don't think so. Dont think I will bother going to see them after that. But have booked to see the medivet in Danbury as he is an exotic speclist.

 

Gary

 

£60 Some vets are right rip off merchants.

[taz1967]

Err just a bit. Now goint to medivet in Danbury, they got an exotic pets vet and he charging £18.50 plus treatments which i feel is fair.

 

Gary

Perhaps we can start a vet thread and put up what each vet chargers for a consultation.

[jennydavies]

I found the easiest way to give Flubenvet is - you get a little measuring cup with the pack, measure a small amount of powder (about 1/6 of the cup) and sprinkle the powder onto four to six tablespoons of something they really love (for mine it's rinsed, drained, tinned sweetcorn. Turn it well so that the sweetcorn is covered and give to them straight away. Do this for seven consecutive days - mine go crazy for it and don't even notice the Flubenvet.