sadietoo Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 Pansy my light sussex is mid moult. She also took herself off to the eglu and stayed there (so not really eating or drinking much. Not broody although that was my first suspicion) I turfed her out and she did try eating a bit, but she keeps doing a weird moonwalk backwards type thing away from the food.she really hunches her neck into her body before.going off backwards for a few steps...it's almost.like she has something stuck or a sore throat or something ? (I've seen her do it before but not so frequently as now). No wheezing no watery eyes...comb a bit pale but she is moulting. She hasn't laid for over three weeks. I brought her into the kitchen to watch her for a while and she did the moonwalk thing every three or four minutes, whether eating or not. I checked out her crop and that felt fine (I think, I am no expert but it all felt very soft) I gave her some tuna which she scoffed down. Put her back outside, and she took herself back into the eglu, so I warmed up the snugglesafe and put it in with her. I've just checked on the both and reheated the snugglesafe and put it in the eglu again. They seem ok, but I am worried that I have given them straw in the eglu to keep them warmer and she has eaten some and it is stuck in her system somehow? With not so many feathers of course she could have just been staying inside to keep warm and the whole thing could be a coincidence. They are due for worming... . At the moment the only extra they are having is Stressless in their water. Sorry for the essay your thoughts /suggestions welcomed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 There is a recent thread about a hen with similar symptoms **here**. It could just be related to the severe moult which can make them seem quite ill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted December 19, 2010 Author Share Posted December 19, 2010 Thanks Egluntyne. perhaps it could be a bit of a vitamin deficiency. I am actually more worried about her today. She ate a little warm weetabix with some mealworms mixed in this morning before heading straight back for the eglu. I haven't seen her drinking, so I think I may bring her in today, and monitor her more closely. My other thought is that Kipper can be quite a bully, and I wonder if she has been pecking at the new feathers coming through..I haven't seen this happening, but it may account for Pansy retreating to the eglu...... OH dear, if only she could tell me where it hurts...(if indeed it does!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 If I were you I would try and get her to the vet tommorrow. I hd one similar and she became very poorly, needed 2 courses of anti b and made a full recovery. keep her warm so she is not using vital energy keeping warm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted December 19, 2010 Author Share Posted December 19, 2010 I am monitoring her this morning and pm. She isn't standing up all hunched in the Eglu...but she definitely isn't coming out into the run either, which means she isn't eating, or more worryingly drinking. At the moment she has the snugglesafe in the eglu with her. I will take her to the vets tomorrow, and I will bring them both in to the conservatory tonight. I only have the two, and I think it is too cold for Kipper to stay out in the eglu on her own. Hopefully this is just to do with the moult, but I don't want to take any chances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 If they were mine I would bring them into the warm now and see if you can get her to drink esp. Sometimes just before bedtime instinct to eat will take over a little.Try adding a little sugar to warm water ... try dripping it or dribbling it into something else, this I find sometimes makes them want to drink. If you have any ready brek, this made with water warm works sometimes too. Or some Melon or cucumber grapes actually anything she will eat, but these have fluid in them. I have 2 living indoors and the others come in to visit too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted December 19, 2010 Author Share Posted December 19, 2010 They are indoors now Sandie....I've put mealworms on top of their water and she's been going for those, and she's been eating mash from my hands and then from the glug she isn't having any trouble eating those, although she does still seem to be backing off after eating drinking. Generally I would say she is looking perkier...but I will still take her to the vets tomorrow. Thanks for your advice xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 oh good best thing... IMO I know there are lots that will not agree. there may be a case for watching and seeing but with the holiday coming up and this weather I think you will be happier to get her seen before really. It does seem encouraging good luck, try not to worry too much, keep them comfy and warm but not hot over night. Take care good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 OK, back from the vets. I waited until today to see the Chicken Vet. Pansy had a very thorough overhaul, and the vet thinks it is either because she is recovering from an infection (which is no longer present - no temperature etc) or just because she is in the middle of a major moult at absolutely the wrong time of year that she is so off colour. (I know this was already suggested on here, and thanks chaps...I was just worried that if it was something more serious and with christmas coming up etc etc). Having told the vet that she was off her food, Pansy practically took his fingers off when he crumbled up some biscuity stuff for her He couldn't suggest what the marching backwards was, and she wouldn't demonstrate for us) Anyway...worming and TLC prescribed. I have to keep her in at least at night time in our unheated conservatory, until her feathers regrow, perhaps a couple of weeks he thinks , and then depending on whether the temperature is likely to exceed freezing during the day she may need to be kept in during teh day too..(so basically Kipper also gets to sleep in the conservatory, as it's going to be way too cold in the eglu on her own ). This also means that for the third year running we will be sharing our conservatory and our Christmas tree with chickens !) The Vet suggested making sure she has a really good mixed diet, and said we should dig out some of our compost bin to put in the run for them so that they can rootle around and get the earthworms etc. He poo pooed the idea of Tuna and said stick to what is natural...but he did recommend adding in some wild bird seed with added suet to give her a bit of help in refeathering. She is going to look gorgeous once all those feathers grow..! I will let you know how we get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Well I think you got some good advice , and am sure you will rest better now too. I think many people underestimate the effect of the extreme cold especially when a chook is slightly under par for what ever reason, and on the plus plus side should anything occur now she has been seen the vet will probably be only too happy to advise you over the phone over the holiday Enjoy your Christmas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
