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

[Ms Marple]

I have had my ex-bats for 2 years so I am guessing that they must be about 3.5 years old? Anyway of the original four only two are left as a visiting something or other got two back in April. Anyway, one is still great runs around with the rest of the flock etc, whereas the other has been looking off-colour for a couple of weeks. They are wormed and dosed up with calcium I also separated both of them for the last two weeks to ensure that the off-colour one had easy access to her own food.I noticed yesterday that her bottom was looky a bit yucky- yellow mess, so today I bathed her gently. This is when I realised that she has lost loads of weight. Her breastbone is really prominent. I had thought that she was only pecking gently, but clearly she is not eating anywhere near enough food. Neither of them have laid since I separated them from the rest, prior to this one of them used to lay a very soft-shelled egg. I noticed today also, by letting them all free-range together for a while, that she can get knocked over very easily in the rush for titbits. She tries to run but then doesn't really eat.

 

Most of me thinks that her time is probably coming to an end, but I wondered if there is any advice out here in Omletland of anything else I could/should be doing. Her eyes look fine. SHe has no nasal discharge. Howver I thought today that her comb had shrunk.

 

Thank you

Edited July 1, 2011 by Guest

[gongladosh]

I hate to say it, but it's sounding a bit like peritonitis - we lost our top hen in similar circumstances not so long ago. Is her stomach swollen?

 

In terms of the pecking but not eating, ill hens have a habit of pretending to eat to disguise how ill as they are.

Edited June 27, 2011 by Guest

[corriob86]

I think I have the same problem. My Babs is also ex-battery the same with the yellow mucky bum, generally not being herself and pecking gently at things rather than in her usual ravenous way. Have a look here about it:-

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23148 x

[Ms Marple]

Thanks for the link. I think sterile peritonitis may be what it is.

Well she is still here and I have not been to the vet yet. She seems perkier today as her tail is more up than down. She is not great on her feet if she movees too fast but is pecking at grass. She seems alert and there are no other signs other than her mucky bum and some egg-yolk yellow poos. She is not exhibiting any obvious signs of distress. I am just not sure. I am about to go to school camp unitl Friday night so I will leave it a bit longer. OH was willing to cull her but he knows that I don't feel good about that and I know some people would do this and I respect it. Just not for me.my only dilemma now is should her let her mix with the others again (or at lesat some of them) for company. Chickens are sociable at the end of the day.

[gongladosh]

don't forget there's always the hormone implant option

it's about £55-75 per time and apparently lasts 8 to 12 months.

 

Sterile Peritonitis can of course sort itself in some birds, though this usually doesn't happen. Apart from the bird filling up with fluid and pressure being put on the lungs and air sacs, sterile peritonitis can turn septic if you're not lucky (our top hen Kiki had sterile that went septic before we could get the implant in her).

 

One thing I've learned from experience is that whilst peritonitis is pretty much the most dangerous thing to hybrids after foxes, it's not an automatic death sentence- there are things you can do (such as the implant).

 

Good luck.

[Ms Marple]

That is interesting to know. Thank you. I seem to remeber you are based in the DIdsbury area- what vet do you use? I am guessing they know a bit about chickens? Either way it is going to wait until I am back from camp.

[gongladosh]

Yep, we use Boundary Medical Centre there - it's handily near our house! One of the vets, Phillip, is an avian expert.

 

We have also heard about the Ashleigh Vetinary Centre in Chorlton - they specialise in exotic pets though we've not been there yet.

 

We used to use Woodcroft Vetinary clinic in Cheadle but had a bad experience there.

[Tweety]

It may be too far for you to travel, but there is an avian vet at the Gauntlet Bird of Prey Centre in Knutsford. It has only opened recently and, thankfully, I have not needed to go there yet but they provide a 24 hour emergency service as well as an appointment service.

Their phone number is 01565654131, and website is www.avianveterinaryservices.co.uk

[gongladosh]

is that next to the garden centre?

 

(got a soft spot for Knutsford)

[Tweety]

Yes, it's next to Fryers garden centre.

[Ms Marple]

Thank you all for the good advice which I have just carefully noted and saved for the future, Sadly my old lady has not made it and died this morning. OH hed been giving me regular updates whilst I was at camp and on the whole she seemed to be ok. She has never displayed any symptoms of distress with breathing etc as I have been worried that I did not want her to be in pain but equally did not want to try to prolong what semed to be an eventuality. I am very sad, but happy that she had over two years with us and free-ranged the whole time.

 

Rest in peace my little lady.

[Plum]

So sorry Ms Marple

[Egluntyne]

Sorry to hear it.

[poachedegg]

Sorry to hear that - she had a lovely retirement with you x

[gongladosh]

really sorry to hear it, two years of freedom is a great life for an ex-bat, half a lifetime of heaven.

poor girl.

[Luvachicken]

Sorry to hear about your lovely chicken, sending hugs xx

[lindafw]

its sad when any life comes to an end...but at least you made it a good one xx hugs

[Mercedes55]

So sorry to hear about your girl. We had a similar thing happen with one of our ex batts. She started doing some egg yolk looking poos and despite going back and forth to the vets and having her on various meds, which did help short term, she eventually just gave up and went into the nest in the Cube and died. It's heartbreaking when it happens I know

[WitchHazel]

So sorry to hear about your little lady. She had a lovely - and long - life with you, so she was a lucky girl.

[cathybc]

sorry to hear you lost your girl x