chickenopolis Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) Hi Flo, I think is moulting. She is loosing feathers from her back only I think! She seems hunched a lot of the time, with her closing her eyes and her poo is more water than anything else. Her comb has shrunk - to almost half of what it was a few days go. Had no eggs for several weeks. Legs are bright yellow. Is that what a moult does? She is still vocal, but she is wandering around as though she wants to do a big poo (if you know what I mean). She is still eating, and was wormed in January - should I do this again if she is in a moult..... Thanks. Sarah Edited March 3, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henslaved Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I'm no expert but the symptoms you describe (apart from the feather loss) sounds like peritonitis to me . The others maybe pulling out her feathers. Sounds like a trip to the vet. I'm sure someone with more experience will be along soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I would be inclined to take her to the vet for a check up - it sounds as if there may be more going on than a moult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenopolis Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 Well, yesterday I came home not sure what to expect and I found both Flo and Glo gagging to be let out of the run. Flo then spent the next hour rooting and tootling....eating worms, digging up my lovely stone arrangement and generally hooling about as chooks do. All went to bed as normal. This morning Flo came out, quietish..but soon moving about "as usual", eating, drinking and just being a chook! Flo has lost a few more feathers in the nestbox overnight but not that many and her poo's are mainly water but have a bit more substance to them. She hasn't been hunched up but she does seem to look a bit fatter (not that I would call her fat to her face... ). I assume the extra girth is due to more feathers coming through???? is that right?? Oh, sometimes chook owning is confusing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 It's a strange time of the year to be moulting, and the symptoms that you describe could be any number of things without examining her. I'd add some poultry tonic to their water to feed her up a bit, or give her some Nutri-Drops and take her to a chicken savvy vet. A lack of nutrients could cause her to drop her feathers and the runny droppings could be a sign of a digestive issue. I wouldn't worm her if she's poorly but she needs to be seen by a vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenopolis Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 Thanks Claret - appreciate your advice. I have made an appointment to take her to the vets at 5 tonight. Getting her into a cat carrier is going to be an exercise in itself! I'll keep you posted. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneyolktoanother Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 how did she get on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenopolis Posted March 5, 2011 Author Share Posted March 5, 2011 Well, I bought a bigger cat carrier so that I could take both of them at the same time (they don't do anything without each other), in order to make it less stressful, but got home on Thursday and let them out, and she seemed to have perked up 100%. She wouldn't let me pick her up, so I was going round the garden like a scene from Benny Hill, so I thought, I'll see how she is on the Friday. Didn't want to stress her out. Rang the vets, and they said, if and when I get her into a cat carrier, just come down, and someone will see her. Friday morning - she was up and about, loud, as usual and rootling around to worms. Not fluffed up at all. Her poo is still quite watery but not as bad as it has been. So, we are now Saturday afternoon at 2pm, they are both in the garden, possibly thinking about either having a dustbath in my raised beds( that I was getting ready for seed planting...), or cramming her neck round my plant pots looking for juicy bugs so I think I will just keep an eye on her and take it from there. As she is not laying any eggs (her legs and beak are a shade on the yellow side), she seems to be getting a bit fatter, but I have cut down on the treats (apart from mealworms that is) ..ooh, got some "superworms" in Jolleys this week - MASSIVE mealworms,,,go done treat - would recommend them. Thanks for asking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Fingers crossed she has got over whatever was bothering her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneyolktoanother Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Glad she is picking up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenopolis Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Thanks for all your comments - really appreciate the support everyone on here gives. Just to report (hope you haven't eaten breakfast yet..), Flo has been doing solid poo's for the last 2 days. Who would have thought I would be happy about a solid poo!!!?? She seems to be back to her old self...*touches wood and walking away quietly*...... Thanks again to everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
