Peacocks

[JellyBean]

We lost Martine about a month ago. She hadn't been laying for a while (she was 2 and a bit) but was always the lowest in the pecking order so I assumed it was just her coming to the end of her laying days. She started plucking her feathers out from belly (quite close to her vent actually) by putting her head between her legs and pecking. At the time, Felcity (same age, bought at the same time) was also pecking herself so we treated for mites and wormed. I powdered/sprayed everything and the hens, repeating after 7 days. They were wormed with flubenvet.

 

Martine became visably unwell about 3 weeks after that incident- she'd not made her bald patch too much worse but her tail feathers dropped and over the course of 3 days became more listless. She had mucky knickers, which I bathed and as I did I could feel a swollen area behind her left leg. She passed away with out medical intervention (tbh, we haven't got a hen vet and previously they've told me they'd always advise to pts due to costs involved in trying to fix a poorly girl).

 

Felicity stopped pecking at herself during this time and the 2 remaining hens seemed happy. We introduced 2 new girls a few days ago. They aren't isolated due to space restraints but aren't in the same pens.

 

Yesterday I noticed we'd only got 1 egg. I didn't get to see who laid it. Same again today, still don't know who laid it (pesky social life preventing me from watching teh girls closely enough). However Felicity is again pecking at herself, particularly at her belly. She's a bit bald between her legs too. Victoria (the other hen of the same aged flock) has got dirty knickers but does get this on occasion. Victoria seems well in herself- bok bokking at the newbies and trying to launch herself at them through the mesh

 

I suspect Felicity is going the same way as martine. I'd assumed martine had peritonitis. But it would be awful luck to have 2 go that way in less than 3 months, wouldn't it? So I suppose I have to presume what martine had was contagious.

 

Does anyone have any idea what it could have been, if felicity is likely to have it (or am i being paranoid? She's still eating,dust bathing, bok boking etc but then martine did at the start too..) and what I can do when no vet locally will help.

 

Please help I don't want to be a rubbish hen mum.

 

So Felicity hen saw the vet who gave her an anti inflammatory and an antibiotic shot on one day and we took her back the next day for another antibiotic shot the next day. The nurse did the second shot (took her 'out the back' to do it and insisted I waited in the reception area, very uncomfortable). That second shot was on Wednesday and she's still lame. I called after the second shot to query why she'd become lame suddenly and was told that it was because they had to do the injection in to her thigh muscle. She's got a bit better but still not 100% and definitely finding her leg uncomfortable.

 

Is this something that will eventually wear off? Since Tuesday she's laid 2 hard solid eggs but hasn't laid since Thursday so I know she's not happy. What should I do next?

Edited September 3, 2011 by Guest

[JellyBean]

wanted to add that martine went from us wondering if we were imagining her symptoms on the friday to her passing away on the sunday- I would have taken her to the vet to be pts if it hadn't been a weekend. I don't want to sound like a cruel woman-I'm an animal lover with animal welfare at paramount importance. Of course, it's the weekend again so I'm not able to phone a vet for advice (well I can but they'll charge huge amounts for being out of hours..)

[scarlettohara]

I think they should have both gone to the vet and if your others show signs of being ill they should as well. If you read the thread 'sick chickens' you will see that advice is just that - advice. No vet will just pts, most will try antibiotics first and at a small cost.

[JellyBean]

I will try another vet- the one we use for the other pets (and the one that we trust tbh) said that he wouldn't give anti-b's but pts if they are unwell. At the time I had no reason to question his advice, he's the one that had been to uni for numerous years after all.

 

Both hens are eating, dust bathing, foraging etc- tails up, coming when I call them etc all as normal. It's just that we're 1 egg short at the moment and felicity is preening a bit more than normal (she's not had a session for an hour or so now though). Vet now or is that an over reaction?

[scarlettohara]

If they have mites or lice then ivermectin is a prescription treatment which your vet can administer.

[JellyBean]

Thanks Scarlettohara. I've found a vet open tomorrow, I'll take them down then- guess all 4 need to go really, don't they?

[scarlettohara]

Take the poorly ones, if they have an infection and need antibiotics then you should be given treatment for all of them, if they need mite treatment then the same should apply. My vet is happy to just prescribe me antibiotics, they know I am experienced in telling what is wrong usually, however if a girl doesn't improve with treatment thenI take them in. You will feel poorer, but happier that you did the right thing - less to worry about in the middle of the night

[JellyBean]

Thank you. Road trip for Felicity Hendal then. She's excited, I can tell

[JellyBean]

So Felicity has seen a vet today, who isn't a hen vet and said that there isn't really anything she can tell me about why she's off colour. Her advice was to go to a different place on Tuesday (I have now at least got a suggestion of a hen vet fairly locally )

 

However she's sure (as am I now) that Felicity hen doesn't have mites/lice. She laid a softie today (after 2 days of not laying) so I guess the arrival of the new girls could have put her off laying? I'll see if that improves tomorrow. She's got grit with oyster shell available but should I be giving her something else with calcium? I've started to put poultry spice in with their pellets now too.

 

I've had a good ruffle through her feathers tonight while we were having a cuddle. She's bald down her breast and then between her legs. The area isn't red or sore though. Up around her neck (where she also pecks) she has an area of feathers that are just the stubbs of the shaft. Could this be due to her pecking or some rather nasty mite/bug?

 

She's also got a growth on top her her body, towards her tail. It's the same size and a little thicker than the feather shaft but it is skin. Is this a freaky-nothing to worry about- kind of thing or something connected to her baldness do you think? Of course I'll ask the vet on Tuesday but I'm sitting here worrying.

 

Her comb also looks a bit dry, with a slight blue tinge to the very edges. A sign of her being unwell, I'd assume? the vet said she thought it looked ok but I know it doesn't look 100%.

 

Now While I was sitting in the run I realised that some weeds that grow between the pen and the fence (there isn't room to walk behind the pen but the pen is wire so you can see the area) were full grown but dead- look just like they'd been had with a weed killer. On closer inspection it does seem that my neighbour has sprayed his path with weed killer and due to the wooden fence having a kick board that doesn't quite meet the uprights it looks like the weed killer has come through. It's completely possible to have got in to the run could this be the cause of Felicity's off coloured-ness and MArtine's death several weeks ago? Victoria hen seems unscathed! I'll be having a word with the neighbour tomorrow.

 

So felicity seems well in herself-eating, playing etc and I'm sure red mites and lice aren't to blame. Boredom could be the cause of the feather loss I guess - what henteratinment can I add for the girls? Free range time will reduce with winter/full time work on the horizon.

 

why could her comb be off though? how long before poultry spice etc will have an effect?

 

Sorry for the brain dump. I'm feeling really anxious after the vet more or less told me to stop over reacting over a hen.

Edited August 28, 2011 by Guest

[scarlettohara]

What a great vet If she is eating and drinking then try not to worry too much, her comb should be upright and red with no purple but it's not the end of the world. She may have a low grade infection of some kind that 3-5 days of antibiotics will sort out - perhaps you could suggest that to the vet on Tuesday ? Hopefully the new vet will be more helpful

[Egluntyne]

The little lump you are describing sounds like the preen gland.

 

I'm guessing that the arrival of the new hens is upsetting her and has put her off laying.

[JellyBean]

Thank you so much for putting my mind at ease. These hens were meant to help me reduce my anxiety levels

 

All seems ok in the world of Felicity hen this morning. She's currently telling victoria off for taking so long in the eglu. Fingers crossed she'll be laying properly again soon but I'll take her to the vet tomorrow to get her checked.