Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[metallica1]

Has anyone experienced similar problems? I am sending a sample away for analysis but just wondered whether this was a common problem. She has lost weight and is more lethargic than usual. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Egluntyne]

Has she been wormed?

[metallica1]

Yes, she is wormed 4 times a year. She is due to be wormed next month. Another of my hens had this for 4 months. During that time she was wormed and prescribed Baytril. Unfortunately, she was pts on New Year's Eve.

[Falkor]

Couple of questions:

 

What do you use to worm?

Is she eating normally? Does she go to bed with a full crop?

[metallica1]

Flubenvet. Eating but crop not as full as it used to be.

[sandyhas3chucks]

Test results will get you on the right track....

I always pay the extra for next day delivery a phone for results after 3 days. good luck

[metallica1]

Thanks guys. Aggie was perkier this morning. I will pass on the results when I get them.

[Egghead68]

Glad she's doing better. Would be interested in results too.

[oneyolktoanother]

i have been having the same problem with 2 of ours but they seem fine the one , but one is having a small moult so i wanted to wait to worm her after she was over her moult, is this right?

[katechick]

Newbie here, reading with interest, is it normal to worm a hen...like you would a cat?

If so where to buy the "stuff" please.

I have just 3 girls and other than keeping the water clean, house clean etc feeding layers pellets by day, hand full of corn by afternoon, or any other treat- which could be anything left over from a few chips to bombay mix! I don't give them any "preventative medication- apart from Red Mite powder every week after a house clean.

Am I doing any thing wrong?

[Egluntyne]

You are doing what I do.

 

They do need worming, 3 or 4 times a year is best. Flubenvet is the best wormer to use. Effective, and you can still eat the eggs.

 

There are also some herbal supplements available which make the gut hostile to parasites. I personally have found them to be ineffective, but others swear by them.

 

Flubenvet is available online.

[sharon1]

Hi Sorry to possibly put a damper on things but could it Coccidiosis? I lost my little chuck yesterday and the vet seemed to think this may have been the cause. Obviously no evidence unless a post mortem was to took place. I am in the process of taking my remainder 3 chucks down to the vets today to get them covered just in case. Apparently it can be picked up from wild birds amongst other things. I have a bird feeding station in my garden which I am now going to pass on to a neighbour, my chucks hovered around this scrabbling for bird seed. Symptoms are blood in poo, loss of weight, lethargy and green/clear watery stinking poo. My chuck didn't show any signs until yesterday morning when she was very lethargic, clear stinking watery poo. She went downhill and by the time I got to the vets at lunchtime she had passed away. She always had a big appetite and was the one to polish the treat bowl and yet when the vet felt her she presumed she was malnourished as she was so thin. I had noticed some green watery poo in the pen the day before but assumed it may have been a bird flying over, but come to think of it, it may have been from my little chuck.

This is only my opinion, I could be wrong, but do keep any eye on your chucks and if you feel there is any decline in their health, take them to the vets ASAP. I have been told the vets can prescribe Coxoid medication which can be put in the water and willl clear up this awful disease.

[sharon1]

ps Flubenvet does not protect chickens from Coccisiosis, my girls are frequently wormed with Flub.

[Plum]

Diagnosis of loose droppings isn't easy and sometimes vet choose to try worming or antibiotics first but I was going to say I lost a girl to coccidiosis who had been passing watery dark green poo. It was confirmed by lab sample. Usually there is blood loss but not always so I would get a sample off to the lab for diagnosis. They can also get secondary enteritis which may have been the case with yours Sharon1

[sharon1]

Hi Plum, thank you for the advice. I was able to find a very good avian vet and he prescribed me some Intradine, medication is taking place this morning. So hopefully my other girlies will be on the road to recovery.

[metallica1]

Got the results back and all clear for worms and Coccidiosis. Thank goodness! They have had a dose of Beryl's friendly bacteria on advice from ' The chicken vet' so will see what happens. I was speaking to a man who has 40 hens. Some Ex Batts. He said that he has seen the symptoms many times with his Ex Batts, and that is usually when they are in decline and don't have long left Is it a coincidence that my 3 girls that have the dodgie poo are the ones that no longer lay? Maybe they are all worn out. I hope not, I really wanted them to have another summer with us. It's the very least they deserve after where they came from.

[sandyhas3chucks]

was that the only thing tested? or are you saying they came back clear of everything?

[Egluntyne]

They have had a dose of Beryl's friendly bacteria on advice from ' The chicken vet'

 

Not heard of this one before. Click

 

I imagine it works in a similar way to Avipro, which many of us swear by.

 

I'd keep her on just pellets and water too for a few days. It might help calm things down.

[sandyhas3chucks]

i bought some but was disappointed at the lack if info as to what is in it,,,,

even live yoghurt tells you which whotnots are in it???

I also am dubious of that site... what does anyone else think...? there seems to be on a few posts I and a few others have looked at some very dubious advice, and too often links to things like beryls bacteria which you buy threough them????

I am also concerned (as ever!!!) that people will be using this site to by pass going to a vet for a proper diagnosis!!!

CM be interested to hear your thoughts!!

[metallica1]

Yes that was all the test coverd. Could it be something else? My vet doesn't know what it could be. Can you get a test that covers more. If so how much does it cost?

[Egluntyne]

I wouldn't go spending any more money just yet. Or at least till you have tried the pellets and water only diet for a few days. You could try some Avipro (available on line).

[sandyhas3chucks]

but search on here for Retfords for your info, FULL range of tests cost approx £28 obviously less if some have already been done.

There is a heck of a lot of persistent Brachyaspira this winter. All mine present with wet watery droppings not the yellow foamy curry LIKE ones they say????

you "could" discuss this with your vet, the treatment it responds to is Denegard.

Hope this helps, but as E says see if it clears up 1st.

I personally feel that a day of plain food would show a difference

[metallica1]

This has been going on for over a month now. They have had no treats for well over a week. I will send of a sample to Retfords today. I have lost one girl already with these symptoms and I don't want to loose anymore.

[sandyhas3chucks]

Good idea it is a worry

[GeorgieB]

The green watery poo could be due to cancer as I had a hen like that for about 6 months and just after we put her to sleep the vet said she felt a large solid mass that she thought was cancer. Her other symptoms were a pale shrunken comb, dirty bum, tail down and waddled. She ate and drank well up to the end though.