Best liner/ bedding for drop tray

[cooker]

Our 18month old light sussex is poorly! I can't work out whats wrong with her. I noticed she had lost a fair bit of weight over the past 2 weeks (she used to be a right heffer,but is actually quite light now), her poo has been fine (from what ive seen) no evidence of runny poo anywhere in the run. Her coomb has developed a blueish tinge on the tip, which makes me think shes fighting some sort of infection. She is a little more placid in herself, and has become much more placid in the last few days (she doesn't run away from being picked up as fast as she id, audrey never really liked being picked up, but she was quite happy to sit on my lap earlier), but she is still hanging out with the flock and eating and drinking, coming for corn.

 

They are currently day 3 of flubenet-I thought a precautionary worming might help!-but no improvement, and actually she might be a bit worse. I tried putting a bit of citrocidal in their water.

 

All of the other girls are fine.

 

I checked her vent, looks fine, her crop has been pretty empty, doesnt feel as if its inflammed, just like she hasn't eaten much - but she eats the grain when I give them treats! I dont think she has laid for a couple of weeks now.

 

Any ideas anyone?

 

Thanks

Rachel

[Henslaved]

Have you checked her abdomen to see if it feels tight and swollen or fluid filled?

[cooker]

I have just done so, no, it is not at all bloated, she just feels thin, her breast bone is quite prominant. I interestingly, when I let her out this morning her comb was completly pink again, but a bit more floppy than usual, now Im home from work it has gon bluey again and is starting to flop over. She is definately not herself, but is out and about in the garden this afternoon.

I don't know what else to do!?!

[sandyhas3chucks]

after a couple of weeks i would whip her to the vet.

chooks hide things and a decline can be scary fast.

[cooker]

mmm, you might be right. I have been nursing her this eve, she had quite an empty crop when I got home from work, I have feed her half a pot of activia, porridge made with full cream milk and a tablespoon of cous cous, she actually ate quite hungryily, am hoping she might have a bit more energy tomorrow.

 

Might bring home some nutritional supplements from work tomorrow and see if we cant build her up a bit!

[cooker]

shes a bit worse today shes had some loose stools now, the white part of the poo has a yellowy tinge and it looks a bit muscusy. she wouldnt come out of the house this morning and i cant get her to eat any breakfast

[Egluntyne]

I'd she needs to go to the vet. It sounds as if she needs more than home remedies.

 

If she has appeared to be ill for a couple of weeks, then she has probably been unwell for a fair bit longer, as they try to disguise the fact so as not to lose their place in the pecking order.

 

Good luck.

[cooker]

We have an appointment for 8.30 tomorrow morning, I havent taken a chicken to the vet before, I just hope they can help us! fingers crossed! she doesnt seem any worse this eve, I let her out this eve and she wanted to come out for a run so I let her (she has been quarentined but it feels mean!) she just sat under the bush..

I thought nando was ill tonight aswell and paniced, but after a couple of hours she laid the weirdest looking thing I have ever seen...and now shes fine..phew! just 1 poorly hen and 1 brrody hen, they have kept me busy this week!

Rachel

[cooker]

The vet prescibed audrey some baytrill, two doses in she actually looks a little brighter this evening...we shall wait and see, fingers crossed!

rachel

[Henslaved]

I have my toes crossed too.

[cooker]

Good news!!!

Audrey has perked up no end since Friday when we started the baytrill! that is magical stuff, I really thought we had lost her.

Today she is eating and drinking no problems and her poo has returned to normal. I had kept her separate and sleeping in the rabbit hutch in the potting shed so she doesnt get to cold overnight, but I let her out to free range with the others today and she was running round with the flock competing for tit bits from our lunch with everyone else so now ive put them away I have let her in with the others, hope its not too early, will keep an eye. I even saw her picking on ruth earlier, so she cant be too bad!

 

Now she does need building up again though, she is only 1.5kg, Im going to monitor her weight to make sure she regains her lost weight. As a dietitian I have a host of ideas for food fortifcation for humans...is there a chicken 'build-up/complan?' hehe! need to think of some nourishing chicken foods to help her get her strength back again! this morning we had layers pellets mixed with natural yoghurt, shes also had scrambed egg with mik and marg...anyone else have any chicken build up ideas??

 

Rachel

[Plum]

It's protien she'll need rather than dairy or fat (hark at me saying that to a dieticien ). Lifeguard is a good supplement that contains probiotics and lots of stuff. You can give growers pellets which have a higher concentrate of protien and can get in smaller bags

[cooker]

Growers pellets! good idea! thankyou! she has picked up no end today, shes been coming to the gate with everyone else and her appetite, dare I say is back to normal. Definately an advertisement for vets I'd say, I am now baytrills number one fab!

 

Rachel