Chicken bald back

[FatJasper]

One of my pekins is looking decidedly under the weather. I think she was about a year old when we bought her in September. She has been broody twice in the last couple of months, last time just a few weeks ago but a few days in a broody cage has cured her both times. I think she has laid the odd egg since as we have two pekins and 3 hybrids and I think we've been getting slightly different looking bantam eggs. Last night I noticed that as it was getting dark she was roosting on top of the Eglu and not inside. This morning she just seems to be standing around with her eyes closed. She looks quite puffy (although she is a big fluffy mille fleur anyway so pretty much always looks fluffy) but I have just thrown down some corn next to her and she wasn't interested at all and have just put down an extra water bowl next to her and she's not interested in that either. I haven't seen her eat or drink anything at all today. Not sure about yesterday as was out all day. She's not being bullied by the others, they are just ignoring her and she's tucked herself away into a shady corner and is not moving. Any ideas what I should be looking out for? I do have some colloidal silver spray from the poultry farmer so could try spraying some of that into her to perk her up.

 

All the signs point towards her definitely being poorly in some fashion but I'm not sure where to start as we've only been keeping hens for about 18 months and have never had a sick one!

[Egghead68]

She could be ill or shecould have a soft egg brewing or just not be dealing well with the heat.

 

Do you have a chicken-friendly vet who could take a look at her?

[mimi5]

Hi there! You sound to have a very poorly pekin there! Do you have any nutri-drops?? They are a great "pick me up" for poorly hens ( good to have in the cupboard! ) Water I would say is most important...could you syringe some in to her beak?(carefully over her tongue NEVER under it)

 

Try tempting her with her favs....my love meal worms! But honestly if you're really worried just go to the vet asap, as they can go downhill really fast!!!!(Unfortunately I know this from sad experience! )

 

Let us now how you go and best wishes for tour millefleur!!

[FatJasper]

Right, I have just spent some time staring at her and can now blatantly see that she has a swollen face between her right eye and that side of her beak. Her comb is the normal colour and everything else looks fine colour wise but she is definitely swollen on one side. The eye itself looks fine but there is a small area of feathers below her eye which look a bit crunchy as if something liquid has been on them so maybe there has been some leakage from somewhere. I shall email the pic I've just taken to the breeder we bought her from and ask for advice. She's not eaten the wet layer's mash (or the strawberry I've left for her (usually their favourites) and is def not well. I don't think we have a syringe to get water into her, there may be one kicking around in a Calpol packet somewhere though, I shall check!

 

However my husband has differing views to me about taking a chicken to the vet and says we should just let nature take its course because he thinks that is equally as cruel as subjecting them to a vet's visit (which I actually don't think would bother her at all as she's already in a cat cage separated from the others) or medicines. I don't agree and will probably call our vets tmrw. I have no idea if they are chicken friendly but they are generally excellent (we have cats) so fingers crossed.

 

PS I don't have Nutri-Drops but I have sprayed some colloidal silver solution into her mouth which one of the breeders we bought from swears by so will see if that helps.

[Egghead68]

A swollen face is often a sign of mycoplasma which requires antibiotics. If it is mycoplasma tylan 200 injections can work well but your vet will advise.

 

I believe you have a legal obligation under the animal welfare act to get her diagnosed and treated or to cull her so she does not suffer. Your husband is wrong. Please see:

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=92732

 

General vets don't tend to know much about chickens. There is a list of chicken-friendly vets on the forum.

[FatJasper]

Oh I know husband is wrong, I could just do without him moaning! If he's not going to cull her (and that seems extreme) then vet it is and I will be realistic about asking the vet re the cost of treatment v cost of having her PTS. I disagree entirely that she should just be left to suffer a painful death in this heat. I did try and syringe a bit of water into her earlier but it was a bit hit and miss! Will look up mycoplasma too, thanks.

[FatJasper]

Did not end well Took her to vet yesterday who diagnosed one of the respiratory diseases (not worried about trying to work out which one). Agreed that we would try antibiotics plus getting fluids into her and calories via a crop feed but phoned earlier and no improvement at all so the view was taken that she should be PTS. Poor little Millie. She was a beautiful mille fleur pekin, really fluffy and just gorgeous and we'd only had her since September. Very sad. The other 4 (Speckledy, Nera, Brown Leghorn and Lemon Cuckoo Pekin) seem to be fine so fingers crossed they haven't caught it. Vet has advised giving them chicken tonic to keep them perky which we have so fingers crossed they are all ok.

 

On the upside, I guess this does mean I can indulge my Morehenitis and look for a replacement but I am due to have baby no3 on Saturday and now might not be the best time to deal with introducing a new chicken...

[Egghead68]

I'm very sorry to hear that.

[mimi5]

So sorry about your millefluer I would not add any more hens at the moment as myco is very contagious, always needs antibiotics and can be fatal!

 

Also, intros can be very stressful to new and exsiting birds........which may cause any illness to surface(like myco, which happened to my flock earlier this year and I lost the new cockerel I was trying to add ) Another thing is, you shouldn't really add only one hen to an established flock. You need separate housing and run and to take intros slowly

 

All the best with baby No3!!!