Chicken bald back

[HoofyLoo]

I took on three ex bats at the beginning of May. One died within a week, the other two seemed to be improving. However one has not laid an egg for the last two weeks. Yesterday they were both out free ranging, the one that's stopped laying kept sitting down. It's also looking thinner than the other chook. It's eating and drinking fine but poos are a bit watery. Could they be due a worming session? Would this affect egg laying?

 

Also, I'm thinking I'd like to get two more chickens. Any particular breeds that would be best with my ex-bats? Would you wait longer?

[counturchickens]

I'm not an expert, but if it were me I would get another 2, in case you get down to one unexpectedly. I think any other similar sized hen would be ok as long as you can seperate them to start off with. I would worm your current ones too and try giving them apple cider vinegar. We have had ex batts last different lengths of time, so it's hard to say if you will have them a few months or a few years. Good luck!

[Lavenders_Blue]

Yes, a worm burden can affect egg laying so a course of Flubenvet wouldn't hurt.

Sometimes watery poos can be as a result of drinking more in hot weather, so it's hard to say whether that's significant.

Have you given this hen a once over? Crop ok? Abdomen ok? Anything else amiss?

I think you could put almost any new hens with ex batts, although I perhaps wouldn't suggest banties, but make sure you take intros slowly as they won't be welcoming to newcomers.

[LottyJ1]

Yep you can put any post big girls with ex-batts its no problem at all.

Just do slow introductions and they will be fine.

 

Regarding your one who keeps sitting down - this isn't normal as said on here somewhere a well chicken is a busy chicken.

I would worm first to eliminate that and potentially get a faecal test done - you can get kits from the BHWT shop.

As Lavenders blue said have you checked her crop is emptying over night, not impacted or smelly etc and is her tummy feeling ok? (not hot or swollen or feeling like an egg is stuck?).

 

Have you checked them for mites/lice and the house for red mite?

 

Make sure she is eating and drinking well and if she doesn't improve take her to the vet.

 

Good luck.

[HoofyLoo]

Hi, we'll she doesn't seem we'll at all. She's just sat all day and I've hardly seen her eat though she has drunk a little. I have her the once over two days ago and her crop seemed full but not solid, she is feeling thin though. I'll give her another feel this evening.

One thing I have noticed is her feathers look wet around her head and crop.

I'm not hopeful

[Lavenders_Blue]

Oh dear, that doesn't sound good at all. She needs to see a vet ASAP. Leaving her to see if she picks up isn't an option I am afraid, as they don't tend to.

[LottyJ1]

How is she - what did the vet say?

[Miggy]

Just a warning....Our ex bat suddenly stopped laying and sat down a lot. She looked healthy enough, eating, drinking etc,which made us think she had just come to the end of laying. After about 4weeks we found her very ill and dashed to the vets who diagnosed peritonitis. She had been suffering a while and we hadn't noticed. Took a lot of effort to get her through it and a lot of money....

Miggy

[Purplemaniacs]

One of my ex batts never laid an egg but was very happy and doing all the other chicken things.

 

How is your ex batt now? Did you take her to the vet?

 

Chrissie

[gavclojak]

Another thing to worry about!!! My ex-bats seem to lay periodically, I have 5 girls

And get between 3-5 eggs a day, the last few days just 3, my girls all seem to sit for periods during the day. I thought is was due to the heat. They all seem well, eating/drinking/poos seem fine, wattle nice and red so hope I don't have a lot to worry about?

[merlina]

Another thing to worry about!!! My ex-bats seem to lay periodically, I have 5 girls

And get between 3-5 eggs a day, the last few days just 3, my girls all seem to sit for periods during the day. I thought is was due to the heat. They all seem well, eating/drinking/poos seem fine, wattle nice and red so hope I don't have a lot to worry about?

 

Your hens are *ex* batts because they're 'disposed of' once they have passed their laying peak. Some go on to lay an egg every day for some considerable time; some will lay more sporadically.

3-5 eggs a day sounds about right

[gavclojak]

Ah that's good, eggs are not an issue, really couldn't care if they never laid again as long as they are happy and healthy. Took them to vets today for health check and spot on treatment. All healthy and no signs of anything nasty lurking in the feathers so that's good news, maybe I can relax a little now ?

[patsylabrador]

My three hardly ever lay eggs in the summer and lay more in the cooler months. Every summer one of them gets flaky and tatty in the hottest times and then rallies in August. I've got used to her doing that now and just give her lots of TLC but I don't worry.

[gavclojak]

Ah that's good to know as its been sooo hot the last few days, but I guess that makes total sense x

[LottyJ1]

Some ex batts can just stop laying and be ok but you must always keep checking their undercarriage to catch any problems before they get too bad. Just check for heat and swelling as this can be an early indication of egg peritonitis. You can also check their pin bones are together as that indicates they are not laying at all.

[HoofyLoo]

Hiya

I know this was quite a few months ago now but I thought if give you an update. I bought some vitamins/minerals supplements for their water and gave them that. The gal really improved. I also gave supplements in pellet form and wormed them.

Two happy ex batts later and we introduced two lovely chooks; light Sussex and a spekledy. After a bit of a settling in they now all get on great.

[Purplemaniacs]

That is great news.

 

Chrissie