Chicken bald back

[wez]

Hi All - looking for some clues here. Our Pekin, Milly, was as right as rain yesterday. Came into lay last week and had 3 eggs over last 10 days from her. Today when I got home she was audibly wailing on her in and out breath, like a child! It was eerie and odd. She has clear eyes, no nasal discharge, was pottering about, eating and drinking but it was persistent. Phoned the vet and when I made the appointment she stopped doing it! I then put her back outside for a potter and it started again. Vet checked her over, admittedly not a great chicken expert she said, but couldn't find anything wrong, chest clear etc, nothing stuck, crop normal size. She feels very warm but hasn't been trying to sit in the nest box for longer than it takes to lay and I'm at a complete loss. She's back in the coop with the others but it sounded like she was so distressed but nothing obvious. Any ideas please??!!

[mimi5]

The expression "gobby madam" is what comes to mind I have 6 pekins (5 girls and a boy)They all have different noises, but Penny is very vocal and so was her mother!!! Sometimes she just screeches and struts around for no good reason Or it's to do with an egg..........want to lay one .....just laid one........want out of the run..........want to go to roost

 

I'd just keep an eye on her as you are........but I'd venture to say she's just noisy

[wez]

Lol Mimi5 ... just never heard it from her before and so out of character for her. I'm hoping it's just an off day, she has been shaking her head lots too so you wonder about It being something respiratory but there's nothing else to suggest that. Just bizarre as she was sounding like she was stepping on squeakers with each step she walked and each breath she took ... hopefully a good nights sleep will see her right but if she's still at it tomorrow ... well, fingers crossed!

[mollyripkim]

Fingers crossed she is ok in the morning. I wonder if she could have ear mites if she is shaking her head?

[Beantree]

We have a Wyandotte doing exactly the same thing this afternoon. It sounds like something stuck in the airway. There isn't the gurgling sound that comes with a respiratory infection though. She only does it when she is breathing heavily, when excited and running around for treats. Otherwise she is breathing normally. Like you and your vet Wez, I haven't a clue. I'm just keeping a close eye on her.

[Egluntyne]

When you say she feels warm, it is normal for a chicken to have a temperature in the low 40's degrees C. So long as she is eating and drinking normally and laying, there is probably nothing much to worry about. If she is noticeably coughing and shaking her head, it might be worth mentioning the possibility of gape worm to your vet.

[wez]

Thanks both ... we finished worming with Flubenvet pellets last Friday and did it religiously ie no treats or other food, reduced free ranging time etc ... Dolly, one of our others has some lice so we've been treating them all with Diatom powder but I think I may have to go down the Ivermectin route to be sure as theres a lot of head shaking and frantic preening going on ... let them out this morning and she seems her usual self but hubs has day off today so he's on chook watch, much to his rolling eyes (he loves them really) ... hopefully it was a random weirdness but so worrying when they can't tell you whats wrong. Gutted about Ivermectin though as Milly only started laying last week and now Lilly has joined in so egg withdrawal is going to seem like a real hardship!!!

[Beantree]

We use Barrier Louse Powder first Wez, then Pyrethrum based dog flea spray in one spot because the fleas die as they pass through it. Then Frontline spray for the really persistent applied at 1.5mL per Kg bodyweight absolute maximum. My vet advises no egg withdrawal for any of those. The Frontline 'spot on' can cause an overdose (friend lost two Orpingtons after the vet used it) so best not risked (although you can get that over the counter, rather than from a vet prescription). Also I have noticed from Northern Fowl Mite treatment that Frontline stays in the local sprayed area of the skin far longer than 28 days; more like 3 months.