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

[LittleOwl]

I really just wanted some advice about our Ivy, I'm not sure whether I'm handling this correctly.

 

When we went out to the eglu yesterday at about 4:30pm Ivy was in the nest box - we thought it was a bit late for laying but she looked normal. However, when she came outside she was standing about, being not very active, and her eyes were closing now and again. We caught her and checked her - she was very feisty and not subdued like when we've had others with a problem. Her crop was squishy and so I massaged it and tipped her up as with previous sour crop girls - no liquid came out so we popped her in our isolation hutch indoors with some water and grit. Checked her last night, and this morning. Her crop was smaller but still squishy, so I repeated the massage/tipping routine, and still nothing came out - but again she was feisty and not at all subdued.

 

We have brought the hutch outside and left her in, again with water and grit, but no food. She has gone into the nesting box part and stayed there. My question is, what do I do now? Simply leave her to recover if things don't change? I have no probiotic yogurt but can get some later today - do I give her that? I have no avipro right now either, but have cider vinegar and poultry drink - would that help in her water? That's if she drinks of course. Any advice would be gratefully received. Thank you.

[Pekin]

I stopped emptying squidgy crops a while back, always had mixed results with that method.

Now all I do is feed soft food and give them a good dollop of live yog twice a day and the problem, so far, has been rectified in about a week, give the yog for a few days past them seeming right just to err on the side of caution.

[The Dogmother]

There are tips in the FAQ section

[LittleOwl]

Thanks Claret, I did read that again last night, but I wasn't sure what to do past that.

 

Thanks very much Pekin. By soft food do you mean pellets soaked in water? Also, I guess that means isolation for a few days?

[Pekin]

Thanks Claret, I did read that again last night, but I wasn't sure what to do past that.

 

Thanks very much Pekin. By soft food do you mean pellets soaked in water? Also, I guess that means isolation for a few days?

 

Anything thats not likely to clog up the crop, veg puree goes down a treat, a few soaked pellets but no corn and stay away from fruit, anything that contains sugar, it feeds yeast which is usually what this problem is about.

[LittleOwl]

Thanks Pekin. Really appreciate it.

[Pekin]

No problem, good luck.

[The Dogmother]

I would feed dry food only and plenty of probiotics, so Bokashi Bran. ACV and a probiotic powder like Avipro in the water.