Used Omlet outdoor rabbit run Width 2.2m Height 2.05m Length 3.1m vgc.

[Goldie]

Hi all - just thought we could do with a place for all of our best hints and tips when it comes to our much loved chickens feeling under the weather!

 

If anyone has any ideas of some home remedies or best things to do when a chicken has a certain illness, post them here.

 

I'll start because my hen has just got over a big bout of blocked/sour crop! Her impacted crop turned sour after a few weeks and she ended up pouring liquid every few hours. Anyway the only thing that worked for us was a small dose of live yoghurt - which by the way I didn't even have to syringe.. she loved it off a teaspoon!! Fixed her in 24-48 hours and has been right as rain ever since!!

 

I know these treatments mightn't be a radically new idea on here but just to have a place where all our best tips are would be a useful resource I thought, especially for newbies or people starting out to give them ideas

Hope you can share your go-to remedies!

[anamiya]

I have a disabled hen (legs sort of the wrong way round), we give her one 30C arnica every day, she is not so stiff since she has been on it. We had a new ex bat who got over excited her first time in the garden and she hurt her leg doing an over zelous jump, we gave her the arnica and it seemed to help very quickly.

[sadietoo]

I picked this up from Backyard Chickens, and it's just seen my poorly old girl back from the brink! Not sure what was wrong with her, but she had stopped eating, and this seems to have restored her appetite... a small amount of wholemeal bread, soaked in olive oil and and a teensy bit of red wine...I put this on top of some chopped hardboiled egg and she scoffed it in double quick time... tried it again at supper time..same thing.. and today she has been pecking about and getting on with chickeny things when she had been withdrawn and sleepy... It could be conincidence and we may not be out of the woods yet..but what's to lose and what's to harm to try it?

 

(pS Caused huge indigation amongst other girls because I excluded them from the run whilst Katie enjoyed her tipple.... they were fuming!!)

[counturchickens]

Thanks for the bread/oil/wine tip. Tried it with my old ex batt dolly tonight who had the same symptoms and good so far. Otherwise, maggots for impacted crop has worked for us!

[libby22]

I swear by Avipro Plus powder. You can add it to their water or in a more concentrated form onto food. It is a probiotic and is very good for upset tummies. Recently I used it when one of mine had a blocked crop and I wanted to ensure it didn't turn sour. I gave them white maggots first thing to eat through the blockage and then followed on with the Avipro in some live yoghurt. I repeated the next day and the blockage cleared and no sour crop.

 

I do have to keep an eye on it as the family also give it to the cats and dog if they are ever off colour and it disappears in no time! I buy this from suppliers who advertise on ebay.

 

Also, if you have a girl who won't drink, quite often they will eat sweet corn kernels, even if they are refusing other food - don't ask me why! However, it gets the liquid into them.

[jimnpaula]

I've got these two pages bookmarked. Some of the stuff is probably USA specific but otherwise useful info. I especially like the 'spa treatment'!

 

http://hencam.com/faq/the-chicken-medicine-cabinet/

http://hencam.com/faq/the-spa-treatment/