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

[heth1986]

My poor little black star, Wendy, doesn't seem right today.

 

I was watching her for a while and, whilst I've seen her eating, drinking and scratching around with Mary as usual, she just stood and stared at me for a good couple of minutes, she just looked a bit sad

I picked her up and looked her over and noticed that she has a yucky mucky bottom There was no egg / fatty deposits etc, it just appeared to be poo stuck to the feathers with some shavings attached!

 

I will do my best to clean her up in the morning, I'm just wondering if I should be worried yet?

 

It is worth noting that they both sleep in the nesting box which I have to clean out every morning so she probably poo's at night and then sits in it.

 

They're due a worm very soon, I use verm-x so will start that tomorrow... should I consider something else?

 

Also, again not sure if it's relevant or not, Wendy hasn't laid yet, i was guessing she's just a late starter because Mary's been going for about 4 weeks now.

 

Any help greatly appreciated, I'm still learning and I'm not doing very well with my diagnosis!

[Plum]

How is she this morning. The first thing I think of she's probably got an egg on the way?

 

I would pick her up and check her all over, so look at face, eyes beak, feel crop, listen to breathing by putting ear on her back, check legs and belly, look under wings and legs and around vent for discharge, parasites etc., feel her tummy gently, you may be able to feel an egg or any fluid.

 

I'd look for any worms in droppings and check the house for mites as well.

 

Hope she's picked up.

[heth1986]

She's still not looking great

She stayed sat in her house this morning when I went to let them out, granted it's horrid outside but they have a covered area just outside their house that they normally come out into to have their breakfast. I've just tempted her out with some meal worms and given her another good look over, I can't see any signs of mites / worms but i have put some verm -x in their pellets this morning just in case.

She didn't sleep in the nesting box last night and her mucky bum is no worse so I wonder if that was the simple cause? There'll be no more of that anyway!

Is it possible that she's just awaiting the shock of the inevitable ?! I can't feel anything obvious on her tummy although I don't want to push too hard.

Poor little girl, I hope she comes round

[Groovychook]

It might be worth worming with Flubenvet instead.

When I first started keeping chickens, it was recommended to me on the forum as a far more effective wormer than Verm-x.

Hope she improves soon.

[heth1986]

Thanks, I've ordered some Flubevet but if worms are the problem then I think I might be too late

I've brought her into the house and put in in the bathroom where it's warmer with some water, pellets (with verm x) and meal worms and she wont touch anything, not even a handful of meal worms held right in front of her. She seems to be losing weight by the minute and is just sat looking sad

I'm absolutely gutted, I thought I'd done everything right and they'd settled in so well.

Can I do anything else to try and get her to eat and drink or should I just make her comfortable and leave her be?

[Plum]

I'd try and get fluid into her. You can try some fruit like grapes or melon which might tempt her or just spoon it in.

 

I think if she hasn't picked up in the morning I'd go to the vet or you may lose her.

[heth1986]

Thanks Plum, I've got a small syringe so I'll try annd get some fluids into her with that. My OH has a friend who's a vet so he's trying to get in touch with him to pop round with his bag of tricks

[Plum]

You've got the right friends.

[heth1986]

I do but only when we can get in touch with them He always said Wendy looked 'sickly' but couldn't ever find anything wrong with her even though he's a chicken man himself. When I first got her he suggested I take her back to the supplier and 'exchange' her but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

 

Anyway, the syringe wasn't happening but she's had a drink herself out of a spoon. Still refusing to eat though, I'm just soaking some meal worms to mash up and try with her.

 

Oh this is horrible

[Plum]

You're doing well, keep trying bits of fluid. Could be something congenital then, I'm hoping she picks up.

[heth1986]

She's had a little more water and has now gone off to sleep, I've kept her inside in the warm but i'm feeling sorry for Mary left out on her own so she now has a snuggle safe

Vet mate came round with a bit of a 'told you so' look on his face... he's always right he's said to see how she is in the morning but he didn't look too hopeful, it's not worms or anything that I've done (or so he says, think he's just trying to make me feel better), he seems to think she's just 'one of those hens'.

So, long story short, I don't think Wendy's going to be around for much longer without some sort of miracle. I hope she goes in her sleep tonight rather than having to have her put to sleep. How depressing?! Never thought I'd get so attached to a chicken

[Plum]

and couldn't he find signs of any illness?

[heth1986]

In a word, no

She was never right from the start, neither of my vets could find anything specifically wrong with her, they evern put her on a course of anti-biotics just in case but that didn't seem to help. She'd had all her vaccinations etc and always seemed quite happy apart from the fact that she was obviously smaller than Mary and never laid an egg.

Anyway, as expected Wendy didn't make it through the night I can't believe how quickly she went down hill but can only take that as a blessing knowing that she didn't suffer for too long. I kept her inside last night and she didn't make a peep so I think she passed away in her sleep

[Plum]

I'm so sorry. Sometimes they have an illness when young like cocci and they just don't thrive afterwards and are susceptible to other problems. You kept her and gave her a good life until she succumbed. RIP Wendy x

[Groovychook]

Oh dear, poor little Wendy, I'm so sorry xx