Part 0800.0005

[txswanie]

I had a very sick girl on Monday morning. Sitting in the run, puffed up, yellow/white discharge from her vent, no interest in food and with a rattle in her throat. Panic. Found an avian vet and took her there. They did blood tests and gave her injections of antibiotics and an hour in a nebulizer (they wanted to keep he in for a week but 1200 dollars was out of my budget..felt guilty about that) I am waiting for the results but they seemed to think it was a respiratory problem. I have her quarantined in my garage and she seems a little better (ate pasta and a weetabix today) just doesn't like being alone (very very sociable girl)

Anyway the point of this rambling is that the vet felt her breastbone and thought that she was underweight. That shocked me a little. What can i do to fatten he up a little? She gets organic crumbles and at least 1 treat a day (porridge/pasta etc) Every time I go out to the run she is eating. I really don't know what is going on.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Colette.

[Chucky1]

I'm sure that someone with greater knowledge will be along shortly.

 

But my 2 cents - I don't think laying hens are supposed to be "chunky" - I'm sure I can feel most of our girls breastbones.

 

You said your vet was an Aviann vet but I wonder if they had experiennce of chickens?

 

You have me wondering what a nebuliser is

 

Don't feel guilty about the week in the nebuliser - we all do the very best that we can for the girls but that shouldn't include bankruptcy.

 

I think you're doing just fine.

 

Good luck with the chook

[Christian]

Yep, laying hens are scrawnier than other chickens.

 

I would cut out all treats and make sure she is eating a good quality layers feed. You could add warm water to it to make up a porridge.

 

What about trying growers feed for a couple of weeks to see if she will gain weight if she is that thin?

[Chucky Mama]

My best layer eats like a horse and is as skinny as a whippet. I don't worry, she couldn't eat any more and is happy and healthy. My worse layer is Ten Ton Tessie

[Chucky1]

My best layer eats like a horse and is as skinny as a whippet. I don't worry, she couldn't eat any more and is happy and healthy. My worse layer is Ten Ton Tessie

 

Yes Mama ours are the same they're always pecking at something (frogs are favourite right now) and when I feel their crops at night they're well full - but they're all as skinny as whippets.

 

May try a layer pellet diet myself, just for a week or two

[..lay a little egg for me]

Friends of mine always warn me "fat hens don't lay" and tell me not to give them any treats. I'm afraid I do give some treats. Like Chucky Mama, my worst layer is the fattest, the best is pretty scrawny. I think your avian vet may be more used to parrots...

[txswanie]

I have been out feeling all the other girls..that sounds too weird. 2 are "skinny" and the maran is a big fatty in comparison. Aside from Gingers recent illness they all seemed healthy and happy and were laying most days. I fill the grub and a hanging feeder with organic crumbles and they eat it as needed. They also have their fill of insects and other gross stuff. I'm afraid I like to give them treats but I try to stick to good human food (no junk) and it's organic if I can help it.

 

Update..Ginger is in the garage in a rabbit hutch and seems to be getting better. No more rasping that I can hear and she is eating and drinking. Putting pills down a chickens throat twice a day was a challenge so I started crushing them and sprinkling them on something tasty. She has a recheck on Monday and hopefully will get the all clear to go back in with her gang.

 

One thing that worries me slightly is that I need to wash her bottom. She made a real mess when she was ill. Should I do it now or wait till she is better in case the wet is bad for her chest?

God, I am a clucky old mother hen these days. The animals probably all think "oh stop fussing you silly old moo, we are fine"

Thanks for all the help

Colette.

[txswanie]

I'm sure that someone with greater knowledge will be along shortly.

 

But my 2 cents - I don't think laying hens are supposed to be "chunky" - I'm sure I can feel most of our girls breastbones.

 

You said your vet was an Aviann vet but I wonder if they had experiennce of chickens?

 

You have me wondering what a nebuliser is

 

Don't feel guilty about the week in the nebuliser - we all do the very best that we can for the girls but that shouldn't include bankruptcy.

 

I think you're doing just fine.

 

Good luck with the chook

 

 

I believe a nebuliser is a kind of large inhaler sort of thing. Its like a chamber where they sit for an hour and the medicine gets pushed into their lungs. Perhaps I have that wrong, does anyone else know.

[Chucky1]

One thing that worries me slightly is that I need to wash her bottom. She made a real mess when she was ill. Should I do it now or wait till she is better in case the wet is bad for her chest?

God, I am a clucky old mother hen these days. The animals probably all think "oh stop fussing you silly old moo, we are fine"

Thanks for all the help

Colette.

 

Hi Colette, that's great things are getting back to normal. I'm not sure what your night time tempretures are like right now. If I did it here (quite fresh in the evenings)I'd try and do it in the morning and then dry her thoroughly with an old towel rather than leave her wet. Whenever we have done this before the chooks look at us as if we are totally mad

 

Good Luck

[Chucky Mama]

 

One thing that worries me slightly is that I need to wash her bottom. She made a real mess when she was ill. Should I do it now or wait till she is better in case the wet is bad for her chest?

 

You can carefully trim some of the mucky feathers if you need to, or bathing and drying well is also fine (hairdryer). It is important that you keep her clean as there is always a risk of flystrike.