House MD 221B Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Hi there, sorry I haven't been around for a long time on here. About a Month ago, our eldest Poach, who was nearly 3 was found dead when we returned from a weekend away, she looked as if she'd just keeled over from either a heart attack or an aneurysm, she didn't look like she'd been stressed or anything. And the other three girls have been fine, Pecan's feathers have been steadily coming back due to an intensive regiment of anti-pecking spray. But this morning I found Angua our bantum, dead in the roosting box with her head under her wing as if she'd died in her sleep, and she is only 2 years and a couple of months. Poach could have been down to old age, as she'd stopped laying about a week before it happened. But do bantums have a lesser life span? I'm now worried that there's some contaminant passing between them. Pennyapple has stopped laying for the last week and is loosing feathers but we attributed that to it turning to Winter, moulting time, and her being over 2 years old. But pecan has been laying daily, and has been getting her feathers back. I will be taking them both to the vets tomorrow to see what they can do, and quite alot of people round here own chickens so hopefully the Vet should be used to them. But is this a coincidence, or what could I be looking for that would fit a pattern? a month apart seems strange, but because Angua is a bantum, maybe it effected her before it will effect the remaining too larger girls. Any help or information you could offer would be appreciated. Also when Poach died, we cleaned, anti-bac'd, and replaced all bedding, food, water, and sprayed the entire run and eglu, and all their feeders and drinkers. I need to know if we're doing anything wrong somewhere, the only treats they get lately are sunflower seeds and the occasional apple or sweetcorn on the cob. Thank you so much for any help you give. P.S. They get omlet layers pellets, oyster shell grit, fresh water with citricidal in it, sometimes poultry spice, and they get tons of free-range time as we have a secure garden and the local cats are more scared of them than the other way around. But I'm seeing some Pekin bantams 4-5 years and she was only just over 2., what are we doing wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Sorry to hear about your 2 girls. It sounds like an unhappy coincidence to me. As you say, Poach was a good age and there is no reason to suspect anything other than the natural course of events. Had your bantam been showing any signs of illness? I assume you would have said so if that was the case, so I'm afraid it sounds as if it was just her time. I would do as you did when Poach died, give everything a good clean out etc and just keep an eye on your remaining girls - but it doesn't sound as if something contagious is responsible for your losses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
House MD 221B Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 Thank you Tweety, I know chickens can hide illness very well, but she didn't show any abnormal signs, all of them have been pottering round as usual, it didn't take them long to re-establish who was head chicken after poach died, so there's been no pecking or anything. They've all been eating, and drinking, and having sunflower seeds, and they've all been eating from the hand, which is actually an improvement. However I am a little worried about Pennyapple, so we shall take them to the vets to be safe, but I could just be being a little paranoid and over-reading normal behaviour. I've changed their food and water over, and cleaned out the eglu, so hopefully if there was any contagion it should be gone. Thank you so much for your reassuring response, I've checked round the garden and there's no manky water or anything that looks dodgy lying around, so unless maybe a slug with a pellet in it was milling around, I can't think of anything any of them could have eaten or drank that we don't control and keep clean and fresh. There's no insects or mites in the eglu or bedding (before being changed) I just hope the remaining two girls are ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 As far as penny apple is concerned, it sounds as if she has been moulting and that will explain the lack of eggs. I give my girls Lifeguard tonic when they are moulting, just to help them through it. It's a good idea to have the vet check over your remaining girls if you are worried about them - at least it will put your mind at rest. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
House MD 221B Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 Thank you, i need to order some more anti-pecking spray so i will get some of that too, we do give them the poultry spice to help with the moulting as well, can those two things be used together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I would use one or the other, not both together. I prefer a liquid tonic, only because I can be sure that all the hens are getting a dose in their water. I'm never sure with a powder, but that's probably me being over fussy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
