Is my pekin bantam male or female?

[Brooster]

I'm in a dilemma with Pearl (an omlet Mrs Pepperpot) who we've only had for 3wks. She settled really well but has now had diarrhoea for a week, is not eating or drinking and looks like a very poorly chicken indeed. She's been on Baytril since Friday and we are crop-tubing her with a critical care dextrose/protein formula that the vet supplied (not a pleasant process for her or us) but she hasn't improved at all. But then again she hasn't got any worse. She's still outside - though I've kept her in the run rather than letting her free- range with our other hen. She's not moved much all day except to go to bed early (though she's surprisingly energetic when it comes to escaping capture for her next tube-feed).

 

As a new chicken-owner I'm just not sure at which point it's kinder to call it a day?? All the poor sick chickens I've been reading (obsessively) about on the forum seem to go downhill and die very quickly - so don't know whether to see Pearl's persistence as a positive sign or whether we are just prolonging the agony by tube-feeding her ... We should get results of the poo analysis tomorrow. Never realised keeping chickens would be quite so worrying and heart-achey ... I'd never even touched a chicken 3 weeks ago so this all feels a bit traumatic! Any advice??

[gongladosh]

It sounds like Pearl's been a little unlucky.

 

I'd bear with for the moment - sometimes hens can surprise you with their sheer willpower to survive.

If she's not getting worse, I'd probably stick with trying to help her for some more days. The plus point is that she's obviously still got some fight in her.

 

Did the poo analysis return anything?

[Chicken shack]

I am very new to chickens. My Rhoda was poorly last week and I asked advice on this forum. I was advised to give her Bokashi bran and live yoghart and to worm her with flubenvet. I duly got the potions and although I have yet to worm her I have given her the Bokashi bran and live yoghart. I wanted to make sure she was eating propery before I worm. Although she has not laid in over a week she is now much brighter and eating well so don't give up yet while there is still some fight in her. I know its not nice to watch them suffer, OH was conviced she would die in the night how wrong he was.

[enpekt]

I think our Rhoda is a cat in disguise.

She was the first, and now the latest to go to the vet.

But a survivor, despite doing poos with blood in lately...

 

As previously said, although many chooks just roll over, we haven't had one of those in almost 2 years.

Let's hope she'll recover, after all, she's getting lots of love.

[Brooster]

Thanks for all your kind words and encouragement. Pearl is still with us this morning - she seems weaker though she did just take an agonisingly slow stroll down the garden to see Peggy and had a half-hearted peck at something. I guess where there is life there's hope, though I have to confess, I'm not sure there's much, looking at her.

 

Her overnight diarrhoea had turned a bright spinach green with some white ( previously been clear watery with white urates and brown jelly lumps - sorry for gory detail - I'm a bit poo obsessed at the moment!) - the vet kept asking if her poo was green - anyone know the significance of this?

 

Thanks for any advice?

[MarkBevBen]

Oh Brooster, I really feel for you, it's so very sad hey

 

We've recently been through the same with one of our girls, Lottie who very sadly died on 18th September. She too was a Miss Pepperpot from Omlet - they arrived on 1st September and like you, we're new to chicken ownership.

 

Even though we'd only had our girls nearly three weeks at that point, it was still so hard and we were so upset when she went. You get so attached don't you, I completely understand your dilemma.

 

I think you mentioned the poo analysis would be back today, hopefully the vet will have some positive news for you hey? Has your vet said exactly what is wront with Pearl?

 

Our Lottie had a bacterial infection and I nursed her in the shed separate from the other girls on the advice of our vet. I gave her Baytril for 4 days and tried to tempt her with lots of different treats but she just wasn't interested then she didn't even want to roam in the garden either When we took her back to the vet on the Saturday he said straight away she was suffering and the kindest thing was to let her go That really broke my heart to think she was suffering.

 

On reflection now, we do wonder if Lottie had a little weakness somewhere along the line? She was always the most reserved of the three, bless her.

 

Thankfully, everything crossed, our other two girls ( Cottie and Dottie) are doing just fine. They're now back on track with eggs, when we're getting two a day and seem as happy and inquisitive as ever

 

Have you been in touch with Barbara from Omlet? What a very lovely lady and so knowledgeable. We found her help invaluable.

 

Sending you and Pearl lots of hugs from us all here xxx

[MarkBevBen]

Sorry I meant to say that I haven't got any advice about the green poo - why don't you also ask Barbara at Omlet? I'm sure she would know

 

I remember Lottie had white and yellow poo

[Brooster]

Thank you. And sorry about Lottie - it's heart-breaking. I wonder if they were from the same batch of mrs Pepperpots given that they both arrived at similar times? Pearl is also the reserved aloof one who doesn't like being touched or handled - which makes the 4 times a day tube feeding even more agonising for all of us.

 

I did get some initial great advice from Barbara - so I might try her again with the poo question (poor lady getting constant questions about the ins and outs of chickens bottoms!). Still no news from the vets ...

[Chucky Mama]

Gosh you have had a tough introduction to chicken keeping you poor thing. I missed the fact that you had only had your chickens for 3 weeks when I first read your topic. I do think that you should inform Omlet that your chicken is so unwell, more for their information that to seek veterinary advise. If your girl is content and reasonably well in between crop feeding it is probably worth continuing. Of course the tube feeding is stressful and if you can get her to eat and drink thus avoiding the need to stress her, she will improve more quickly. Stress is not good. I would try to encourage her to eat herself by tempting her with a weetabix mash (water not milk - or you could mix with some of the critical care fluid), or porridge (again not with milk). Mealworm and sweetcorn are also firm favourites. I think the key is to get her eating which will negate the need for tube feeding. Keep your chin up and keep us posted

[MarkBevBen]

Thank you. And sorry about Lottie - it's heart-breaking. I wonder if they were from the same batch of mrs Pepperpots given that they both arrived at similar times? Pearl is also the reserved aloof one who doesn't like being touched or handled - which makes the 4 times a day tube feeding even more agonising for all of us.

 

I did get some initial great advice from Barbara - so I might try her again with the poo question (poor lady getting constant questions about the ins and outs of chickens bottoms!). Still no news from the vets ...

 

Thank you Brooster.

 

Yes I do wonder if Pearl is from the same batch as Lottie was? I kept in contact with Omlet all the time when Lottie was poorly and did ask if anyone else had similar things happen, which they said hadn't at the time.

 

Having said that, our Dottie is a Miss Pepperpot and she's been absolutely fine - our most regular egg layer and everything! In fact, I'd say she's the most outgoing and is a right naughtly little one given half the chance! One of her latest games is jumping up on the decking shelf tubs and digging out all the soil!! You can't help but at her antics!

 

When you say about the tube feeding is it like a naso-gastric tube that we use for humans (I'm a paediatric nurse) that goes into the beak? I'm sure you've already tried this, but when I was giving Lottie her meds I wrapped her swaddled in a towel and that really helped.

 

On Barbara's suggestion I offered Lottie Weetabix with warm water and honey, but she didn't seem interested bless her. Even the beloved all time favourite sweetcorn didnt get her little taste buds going either.

 

We're crossing everything and sending lots of positive vibes for Pearl and you xx

[Egluntyne]

I agree with Chucky Mama's advice. As Pearl has still has some fight in her, it is worth persevering. In addition to CM's recipes, you could try Pearl with some very sloppy mush made from pellets and water. That generally goes down well with convalescent hens.

[Brooster]

Thanks for all the kind words, reassurance and advice. I think Pearl has gone downhill quite a lot this afternoon - she has just slept on the nest and not moved and her comb is taking on a blue-ish hue which doesn't look at all promising to me. Neither of my hens have been willing to experiment with eating anything other than pellets or mash (not even corn!) - she did half-heartedly peck at some pellets in water at the weekend but hasn't been interested in food since so it's hard to tempt her with anything.

 

To be honest I'll be v surprised if she makes it through the night, but if she does I think its probably time for a very final trip to the vets tomorrow sadly.

 

(crop-tubing involves inserting a flexible plastic tube into the gullet - carefully avoiding the trachea - so that liquid can be syringed down it directly to the crop - similar to nasogastric feeding in humans I guess, except the tube doesn't stay in place like an n-g so you have to re- do it every time - hence the stress four times a day. Thankfully my partner is a doctor so I let him do the technical bit - I just get to be swab-nurse, struggling to hold the poor hen's head and keeping her neck nice and straight to allow insertion. Avoid it if you possibly can. And yes - swaddling in a towel is essential and a top tip).

[Chucky Mama]

Sorry to hear that things have not improved.

[Brooster]

Just to update - having prepared myself for the worst, much to my surprise Pearl emerged from her Eglu this morning and spent ages drinking the raindrops off the bars of the run. We brought her in as it was so wet first thing here and she's now sitting in the utility room pecking occasionally at wet pellets (with much cheering on from us from the sidelines ... Go Pearl! Go Pearl!). She's very docile - letting me stroke her without budging (unheard of!) - but her eyes and comb look a little brighter, as does that tiny ray of hope ...

 

Wasn't expecting keeping chickens to be such an emotional roller-coaster ...

[Egluntyne]

Sounds promising.

[Chicken shack]

Really pleased to see she is much better. I told you where there is life there is hope. How great to have OH administer his skills. Well done to you both . Hope to see a final post with happy news

[MarkBevBen]

Just to update - having prepared myself for the worst, much to my surprise Pearl emerged from her Eglu this morning and spent ages drinking the raindrops off the bars of the run. We brought her in as it was so wet first thing here and she's now sitting in the utility room pecking occasionally at wet pellets (with much cheering on from us from the sidelines ... Go Pearl! Go Pearl!). She's very docile - letting me stroke her without budging (unheard of!) - but her eyes and comb look a little brighter, as does that tiny ray of hope ...

 

Wasn't expecting keeping chickens to be such an emotional roller-coaster ...

 

 

Oh Brooster that's fabulous news, I'm so made up for you. Let's hope Pearl is on the road to recovery

[Brooster]

FINALLY got the parasitology results on Pearl back from the vets - she has a v v v high worm count (capillaria) so we need to start her (and Peggy) on Flubenvet. Although she's pecking a bit at food she is still so weak so I'm not sure if she will survive it (and as she's not eating enough to put the meds on food, we're going to have to tube feed this too )

 

Another worry is her abdomen feels a bit large and hot today - vet says there's a risk that because of v high numbers of worms she may have become impacted. If so, surgery the only option and she wouldn't recommend it.

 

Must say am a bit puzzled as I thought that hens from Omlet came recently wormed - the guide book that comes with them recommends that they are next wormed in spring. I realize she may have picked them up in our garden but would be surprised that they could multiply quite so quickly to make her quite so sick in two weeks. But then I'm no worm expert !!

[Chucky Mama]

Must say am a bit puzzled as I thought that hens from Omlet came recently wormed - the guide book that comes with them recommends that they are next wormed in spring. I realize she may have picked them up in our garden but would be surprised that they could multiply quite so quickly to make her quite so sick in two weeks. But then I'm no worm expert !!

 

Depends what Omlet are using, worth asking if they use Flubenvet. They have to have had worms for long enough to mature to make them clinically ill.

 

Great news though to hear that she is improving

[MarkBevBen]

FINALLY got the parasitology results on Pearl back from the vets - she has a v v v high worm count (capillaria) so we need to start her (and Peggy) on Flubenvet. Although she's pecking a bit at food she is still so weak so I'm not sure if she will survive it (and as she's not eating enough to put the meds on food, we're going to have to tube feed this too )

 

Another worry is her abdomen feels a bit large and hot today - vet says there's a risk that because of v high numbers of worms she may have become impacted. If so, surgery the only option and she wouldn't recommend it.

 

Must say am a bit puzzled as I thought that hens from Omlet came recently wormed - the guide book that comes with them recommends that they are next wormed in spring. I realize she may have picked them up in our garden but would be surprised that they could multiply quite so quickly to make her quite so sick in two weeks. But then I'm no worm expert !!

 

 

Oh poor Pearl, but come on lovely lady get strong enough so you can have your worming medicine

 

Like you, I thought Omlet girls came wormed Brooster - I would give them a ring if I were you xxx

[Egluntyne]

Re Omlet hens and worming:

 

From the website ( Scroll to P4):

 

**Click**

 

Manure test for worms - If positive treat 7 days before depopulation

[Chucky Mama]

I think it would be a good idea to feed back to Omlet. If nothing else they can be aware and can take the opportunity to review things if they feel it necessary.

 

Edited:

Here is a little bit of info on the worm egg species found

 

One of the most common parasitic roundworms of poultry (Ascaridia galli) occurs in chickens and turkeys. Adult worms are about one and a half to three inches long and about the size of an ordinary pencil lead. Thus, they can be seen easily with the naked eye. Heavily infected birds may show droopiness, emaciation and diarrhea. The primary damage is reduced efficiency of feed utilization, but death has been observed in severe infections.

 

Chickens of three to four months of age show resistance to infection. Specimens of this parasite are found occasionally in eggs. The worm apparently wanders from the intestine up the oviduct and is included in the egg contents as the egg in being formed.

 

The life history of this parasite is simple and direct. Females lay thick heavy-shelled eggs in the intestine that pass in the feces. A small embryo develops in the egg but does not hatch immediately. The larvae in the egg reaches infective stage within two to three weeks. Embryonated eggs are very hardy and under laboratory conditions may live for two years. Under ordinary conditions, however, few probably live more than one year. Disinfectants and other cleaning agents do not kill eggs under farm conditions. Birds become infected by eating eggs that have reached the infective stage.

[MarkBevBen]

How is Pearl today Brooster?

 

Hope she's making good progress with her recovery xx

[Lorax]

I really sympathise. We've had our chooks two weeks now. The Columbine hasn't been right from day one. I wish now that we'd taken up the breeder's offer for her to get an antibiotic jab but it's a two hour round trip. What put me off though was he said a vet would charge £90 to giver her one: NOT TRUE!

 

She got better then worse, stretching her neck out to breathe (chronic respiratory infection) and looking like she was trying to cluck but not making a sound. We took her to the vet last night, £25 to see her, give her a jab of ABs, steroids and follow up medicine. Of course now I think "why didn't we do this earlier?" It was touch and go last night.

 

We've isolated her and she's a bit brighter this morning and making good work through some pellets and water. The thing is we go away this weekend...typical.

 

I wish you well with your chook.

[Chucky Mama]

Good luck with your girl lorax. Very naughty and ever so slightly illegal for a breeder to dispense or inject your chicken with anti biotics