Chicken bald back

[nin-chicken]

My speckledy girl was diagnosed with mycoplasma last week and had antibiotics in her water for three days which seems to have sorted her out. However she hasn't laid an egg for over a week so I'm still worried. Is this normal after an illness? She is a pet rather than an egg layer but I would love her to start laying again just for reassurance that she's ok!

Thanks!

Edited November 25, 2013 by Guest

[mollyripkim]

Glad she is better that is good news, my girl who had myco hasn't laid but then again I have 8 girls and lucky to get an egg a day. Like you they are pets with eggs as a bonus. Dogmother did say it can affect their egg laying ability.

[nin-chicken]

So are you saying she might never lay again???

[The Dogmother]

It is possible, although they do usually go on to lay, even if their eggs are few and far between or poor shell quality. It may just be that she's taking a break due to the shorter daylight hours.

 

Add a good quality poultry tonic to the water (Life-Guard and Nettex are good ones) and see how they go.

[nin-chicken]

My bottle of nettex vit boost arrived today but I'm not sure how much to give. On the bottle it says 5ml to 4.5litres but 'during periods of nutritional stress' to give 5mls per litre. Which rate do you think I should use? All four of my girls will be drinking it.

[The Dogmother]

I'm not very scientific, but I just give a squish into the drinker as I fill it up.

 

Use the first dosage if in doubt or if you want to be more accurate... the water should only be slightly tinted.

[nin-chicken]

Thank you. I've just done it so will see what happens... I assume I need to make it up fresh each day?

[nin-chicken]

Well after a few days of poultry tonic jemima laid an egg yesterday.... And another today!!! So pleased

Thank you so much for the advice xx

[The Dogmother]

 

Just make sure that she has a diet of pellets rather than lots of treats.

[nin-chicken]

I will. They have pellets all day then a treat around 3 or 4pm.