v8landy Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Noticed today one of the hens is sort of on her own, all puffed up. By that I mean she looks to have her feathers all fluffed up, neck all scrunshed down and tail down. Very slow moving and just moping along. When she does move a bit, she stands up OK and neck re-appears and tails up, but quickly back down. She is not laying, assuming broody, but not seen this before? Can anyone confrim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Has she been wormed? A hunched and miserable appearance is typical of a worm infestation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 All puffed up, moping in the run, tail down is classic 'ill hen pose' I'm afraid - although it could be she's trying to pass a soft egg (I've no experience of that at all; hopefully somebody else can help) or possibly be about to moult? If not, does she have any other symptoms? Is she eating/drinking/pooing normally? If she was mine I might consider when was she last wormed and what with? I'd check very thoroughly for lice/mites. Does she have a full crop in the morning (shouldn't have, if its hard indicates she's crop bound; if soft and stinky then sour crop)? Is she walking OK when she moves or waddling? If there's a waddle and/or she has a swollen abdoment she may either be egg-bound or have egg peritonitis. The former needs the egg expelling, the latter has 2 forms, one is sterile and can be treated but not cured, the other is, I'm afraid, usually fatal. Is her breathing OK - no rattle/cough. Are her eyes/nose clean - no discharge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8landy Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 Lots of questions! Just been out and she is in the coop with the other 3. Eyes, nose, beak and all OK, Vent is quite red, and seen twitching, and following down to her under belly is quite red, and visable. Never wormed them in the time we have had them (3 years) , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8landy Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 So much reading! I am coming back round to the egg bound option, / peritonitis. Nothing I can do until I get back from work tommorow, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolly Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Sounds a bit like my problem with Lola (see my post "Soft shelled egg on way?"), which did in fact turn out to be a softy. She was puffed up and miserable too. Good luck and hope all goes well for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8landy Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 Yes, I have read your post, reads very much the same. Did yours comeon very quickly? My hen was fine 2 days ago, and she is the regular egg layer. Waddling around (when se moves) likea duck, and under belly swollen. They are 100% free range, but not had some grit in a while. I am hoping things might be better when I get home tommorow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Waddling around (when se moves) likea duck, and under belly swollen. That does sound like peritonitis. Not much that can be done with home remedies I'm afraid. She probably should be seen by a vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolly Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Hi V8landy, yes she was fine one day and poorly the next. They have a pot of grit / oyster shell available all the time in the run. As Egluntyne says, it's worth checking with the vet as it could be something more serious - better to be safe than sorry. Let us know how she gets on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8landy Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 Taking her to the vet in a couple of hours, will post back results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8landy Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 Just back from the vets with her. Not egg bound, or worms. Quite a high temperature, =vet gave injection of A/B and then 1 weeks course via syringe. We have now isolated her from the others, but as soon as we brough her back she had a peck at her food and some water. Fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Well that sounds as positive as you could hope for. I hope she picks up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8landy Posted October 17, 2010 Author Share Posted October 17, 2010 She is perking up all the time, still not walking great, but she is clearly more allert and head up. Eating a bit, layers, corn and some warm oats, + we have given her a syringe of water to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8landy Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 She is now back in with the other hens, still not 100% but I thought like when you are in hostpital, been back at home perks you up. She is drinking and eating better, and standing up more. Fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Hope she's bit better soon. Might be worth worming them all with flubenvet, just to be on the safe side + would be beneficial to them all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8landy Posted October 23, 2010 Author Share Posted October 23, 2010 Yes, think I will get some. I also bought last week a big tub of chicken spice, which I have started to give a spoon full with each fill of the feeder + 20ml of apple cider vinger in their water feed + a clove of garlic for good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8landy Posted December 28, 2010 Author Share Posted December 28, 2010 Well some sad news, she died last night! As my last post she appeard to make a full recovery, and for the past 2 months has been as good as new. But on Christmass eve just as we where going to go away for the weekend, we noticed her all hunched up again. A freind looked after them while we hwere away, but on our return on Sunday she did not go in the house, Monday she was staggering about a lot and by then end of the day just flopped down. She did not make in into the house that night and we thought that would be it, and the next morning she was dead. Very sad to miss her. Cleaned all the house out and dissinfected everything. The other 3 are showing no signs and neither did they back in October. They are all the same age, 3 in January. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 Sorry to hear that, you couldn't have done more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 Sad news But you did all the right things and gave her a couple months more doing her chickeny stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8landy Posted December 28, 2010 Author Share Posted December 28, 2010 She must have still been a bit week and with the -13 to -15 deg cel temperatures it can not have been good for them We even added some candles to their house to just take the edge of the cold. Oh well, other 3 seam fine, and they are getting extra spice and cider etc. They got flubivent 2 months ago, and I will keep that up every 6 months. Might get a couple more...will see. House was too big for 4, 3 now get lost in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted December 28, 2010 Share Posted December 28, 2010 I think this extreme cold snap will have been too much for many under-the-weather chooks. In any case, if she did have anything peritonitis related then it can't have been 'cured'; just managed. For what its worth, when you're ready, I believe getting new stock is an excellent way of getting over the sadness, it brings a new excitement and also serves as a reminder of the birds who came before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 I'm sorry At least you managed to look after her for a few months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 Sorry to hear it V8landy. Thats the trouble with peritonitis, the infection can come back through "Ooops, word censored!"ody's fault. Sterile peritonitis is a tricky one as they can live for ages with it and fill up with fluid every so often. A couple of new hens sounds like a good idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
