autodoor light sensor questions

[Jo W]

Penny is a 3-year-old blackrock who we've had since POL. We've never had any problems with her before. She stopped laying in about November, which didn't surprise us. Around Christmas time we noticed that she was very messy around the vent, so gave some Verm-X. She seemed completely happy in herself and has been acting normal. However, the months passed and her rear end was still filthy, although she still seemed fine in every other way.

 

We finally took her to a vet on Saturday. Vet says she is not egg-bound and couldn't find anything wrong with her... in fact she commented on what good condition she was in! Gave us some antibiotics which was started immediately. However, since getting her home form the vet Penny is now thoroughly miserable and has not snapped out of it. I don't know if it was just the stress of the journey and check-up that has caused it or if the vet has dislodged something internally.

 

She spends all day hunched up and stood still with her tail held downwards. Her vent is surrounded by bright green mess, although I haven't seen any unusual poos around the garden. She still isn't laying of course. She looks so miserable that I actually considered killing her yesterday afternoon, but this morning I have seen her eating and drinking at least. I'm giving her antibiotics in her water supply and Verm-X via some food.

 

We have one other hen - a warren who is almost the same age and we bought at the same time from the same place. They have lived together the whole time, eaten the same food etc. She's the very peak of health and has been laying almost daily for the past month after a brief break during the bad weather!

 

Both live in their eglu+run and free range sometimes if we are out in the garden. They were on woodchips on the patio over winter but are back on the lawn again now.

 

I really don't know what's wrong with Penny, or what to do for the best. At the moment I'm trying to convince myself to give the antibiotics a chance. Any suggestions as to what might be wrong or if I can do anything else to help? All advice gratefully received!

[Egluntyne]

I'm surprised that the vet didn't suggest worming her with Flubenvet tbh. Might be worth speaking to him/her about it.

 

Probably not a good idea to do it at the same time as antibiotic treatment.

[gongladosh]

Poor girl. I'd hang fire on her for the moment - it may just be an infection. The difficulty with hens is that they hide symptoms often until it gets really bad.

 

Do you have any nutridrops just out of interest?

[Tweety]

If she is eating and drinking, I would persevere with the antibiotics and give her a chance.

 

Once she is better, and has finished the meds, I would do as Egluntyne suggests and worm her and your other hen with Flubenvet.

[Jo W]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Will keep going with the antibiotics and then worm them afterwards. Fingers crossed! No, I don't have any nutridrops. Other than layers pellets they sometimes get mixed corn, various leftovers from our dinner, and chicken tonic or ACV depending what we have in.

[Plum]

I agree with Tweety give the antibiotics a go then if she's picked up worm. If not I would take back to vet and get a sample of droppings analysed for worms or other bacteria or virus.

[Jo W]

Update: She is starting to show signs of improvement so the antibiotics must be doing some good. Let's hope we're past the worst of it. Meanwhile, having to throw away all the eggs that her house-mate Tikka lays is killing me!

[Jo W]

It never rains but it pours...

The antibiotics seem to have done the world of good and Penny is largely back to her old self, although still not a single egg laid since November. Her vent looks clean and healthy... but crawling with mites! Yuck! Quick inspection of her friend Tikka inevitably gave the same result. So now the poor ladies are on flubenvet and louse powder. I'm starting to realise how lucky we have been for the last 3 years to have not had a single health problem. I feel like I'm on a crash course in chicken medication! Still, the fact that she looks so happy now is pretty much reward in itself.

[Plum]

Guess it's cos they're under the weather. Glad she's better

[Jo W]

10 days of antibiotics,

7 days of flubenvet,

and several doses of lice powder later...

 

and all is still not well in the chicken run. Penny still has a filthy bum, still isn't laying and still looks mildly annoyed with life. She's mainly OK - eating, drinking and chickening around - but something isn't right. The lice aren't quite all gone yet but we're winning the battle. However, the skin just below her vent looks red and painful, although the vent itself is clean and healthy looking. Could this just be the lice?

 

Should we just try giving her a bath? How do we go about it? Just water or some kind of soap? I can't say I'm looking forwards to it as she HATES being handled.

[sandyhas3chucks]

A couple of thoughts.

As the antibiotics seemed to do the trick initially it could be that whatever ails her is resistant to the antibiotic used.

Might need a different one, whivh your vet might prescribe or you could send samples of to ascertain exactly what they have. (approcx £28)

OR as the antibiotics kill bacteria, as you probably know as with us, that they kill the good and the bad bacteria.

This can leave them susceptible to "another "infection .

I would give probiotics either at the same time or after the antibiotics, there are varying(Veterninary) opinions on this. the middle road I guess is 2 hours before and after antibiotics.