Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Eggasperated]

To cut a long story short Agnes is not eating any layers pellets at all.

 

The long story - Agnes, 2 year old hybrid, moulted last autumn and although she showed signs of coming into lay, crouching, visiting the nest box etc, she has not laid since then. Over the last 2-3 weeks I noticed she wasn't eating from the Grub and there has been a lot of food left over. She also started to get a dirty bottom and began to have green watery droppings. I gave her some nutri-drops but this made no difference

 

I haven't changed the food (Garvo), she will eat corn and mealworms, she won't eat the pellets if I scatter them on the ground, she won't eat cat food or tuna; if I stop the treats all she eats is what she can find when free ranging - and then the messy bottom starts again.

 

She is showing no other signs of being ill, she is quite happy in herself, chatters away, defends any goodies she finds when pecking about, she goes to bed last but is also the last one up.

 

It never ceases to amaze me how chickens can constantly find different ways to worry us, I'm at a loss to know what to do with Agnes apart from let her eat as much corn as she wants .

[jackian]

I have one more or less the same . Bonnie is 2 years old and the signs are just the same ,not eating pellets or treats much but will eat some scattered bits . she has not got the green poos but she has got a mucky bum . This has been going on for about 2 weeks but I put it down to having 2 new girls.

Bonnie has been wormed in the last 3 or 4 weeks and looks good with a bright red comb , but she is not herself I can't put my finger on it . I have had poorly chicks before with soft eggs and compacted crop etc.,but this is different to the others.

I am watching this post with interest.

 

Jackie x

[gavclojak]

My girls have very white poop at the moment and all have mucky bottoms, they are fine in themselves so am just monitoring it at the moment...and eggasperated your 100% right! I feel like I constantly worry! but I guess people only post when something is wrong so it gives the impression chooks or their owners are neurotic but were not are we????

[Eggasperated]

 

Worms? When did they last get wormed?

 

I worm regularly, last done about 8 weeks ago. I have considered worming but as she won't eat pellets it could be a problem.

 

Every morning when I let them out I think "she can't be surviving on so little, will she have died over night?" but no, she comes bouncing out and starts scratching in the grass.

[Valkyrie]

Well it sounds similar to Mini's last couple of days, although Mini had a nice botty and no funny poop until the last day when it was watery where she had drank but eaten next to nothing. But if Agnes isn't eating enough she will start losing weight and she will need food to keep herself warm too. I think I'd take her to the vet just in case - my vet couldn't find anything at first but he did discover an internal tumour presumed to be an ovarian one - common in poultry apparently. It may be that as a hybrid she's coming to the end of her life sooner rather than later. Mini was a pekin and was almost 6 and Agnes's body is possibly ageing faster being a hybrid.

But it might be something easily sorted. I hope so.

[Eggasperated]

I have considered the vet, if she showed signs of illness or stress I would take her, but she doesn't even appear to be losing weight and her tail is up. I have had quite a few ill chickens before and this is nothing like it.

 

After trying for many weeks to save one of the girls that came at the same time as Agnes we eventually let her go at only a few months old; that was very distressing for her and us and since then OH and I have decided on a policy of letting them go sooner rather than later to save all the distress and expense. Although that may seem harsh I feel I have got better at spotting what can be treated and when the best option is PTS.

 

Agnes is definitely not at that stage, she just is a puzzle .

[Valkyrie]

Well tail up is a good sign. What a daft bird! I do hope she sorts herself out. But you are vigilant and that's all you can do really - especially as you've tried everything else. Fingers crossed for her.

[Chickabee]

Is she puffing herself up and burying her head in her chest? I had one like that. Turned out to be myco. Poo started off green then got blood in it. Did you say you'd tried nutri drops?

[libby22]

My girl Pickles is exactly the same. Moulted at the same time - everything. For the last four days she has a mucky bottom - which she never has and her comb has flopped slightly. I turned to the trusty Avipro for the last three days and she has Orego-Stim in her water. She doesn't want the pellets and she doesn't want the greens.

 

I have started to add a box of yoghurt, mixed with pellets, first thing in the morning and she does have some interest in that but, whereas she would eat the lot in seconds, it is taking her most of the day. However, just been and bought some white live maggots and she has scoffed the lot in no time.

 

My family keep an eye on the girls during the day whilst I am at work and they keep saying - there is nothing wrong with her - but you know your own girls. Her tail is up, her feathers are good, nice red comb and face - but the comb is slightly floppy at the back and I think this may be because she has an upset tum so she isn't as hydrated as she should be. Just can't put my finger on it but something is wrong.

[gavclojak]

Maybe the girls are just sick of this damn rain....it's constant.....is it ever going to stop

[Eggasperated]

Is she puffing herself up and burying her head in her chest? I had one like that. Turned out to be myco. Poo started off green then got blood in it. Did you say you'd tried nutri drops?

 

Yes, tried nutri-drops. No, not puffed up. No blood in her poo either, although I did have a panic last week but on closer examination there was pinky bits in the bedding which looked like blood when wet .

 

Libby I have got Lifeguard in the water, I've never had much success with yoghurt in the past - perhaps they don't like the variety I buy .

 

It seems these chickens are sent to try us .

[libby22]

I think you are right

 

The only thing I can think is that she may be coming back into lay - in a fashion. My other girl Pepper just laid a huge lash and she is the same age. Pickles has passed two very tiny lumps - perhaps she has lash envy I do hope they all get a bit of sunshine soon - makes all the difference

[mimi5]

Have you tried warm pellet porridge? Just add cooled off the boil water to a bowl of pellets and judge when they are fluffy but not too soggy. I add a sprinkle of poultry spice and sometime quail food....or even dollops of live yogurt with quail food as a sprinkle topping They love it and it's usually all gone at the end of the day You can also add nutri-drops if you have a poorly one on it's own.

[Eggasperated]

That's a good idea Mimi, I think I'll try that tomorrow. She's still in with Beryl tho' so I imagine she will have a good feast as well.

[mimi5]

Yes, my girlies love it Especially on the colder mornings I hit on it when they had a faddy time over a change in pellets last spring......they were losing weight!!!! Daft things

 

Keep us posted

[Eggasperated]

SUCCESS! Thank you mimi. Agnes tucked in straight away, she even chased Beryl off so she could eat it herself.

 

Still really puzzled over why she stopped eating the pellets in the first place, feel really guilty that I've been starving her.

[gavclojak]

Oh that's really good news. What a relief for you.

And you haven't starved her, I am afraid it was self imposed

Am gonna remember that recipe x

[mimi5]

Oh what good news, made my day My girls went funny as the size of the pellets was slightly larger But at least with porridge it's still their pellets

 

Onward and upward