My eco solution to rat problems

[Leicester_H]

Dear all,

 

As posted elsewhere, we got 3 (now 14 week old) cream legbars to give some 'stability' to our hen keeping (as the ex-bats are fading fast)

 

BUT today I am worried about one of them. She is laying down with the others and they are snoozing, but one keeps letting out a strange sort of 'cry' which sort of wakes her up suddenly. This is happening every few minutes.

Its almost like hiccups.

I gave them some meal worms and she ate them and I have seen her eating pellets today.

 

(Have now phoned supplier who said she'd seen it before and it normally resolves itself in 24 hours)

 

Any ideas / suggestions?

 

H

[Beantree]

It sounds like the onset of a respiratory infection Leicester_H. But that's not necessarily a panic situation. If the cause is identified and addressed quickly she may get over it herself. You are looking for an excessively dusty coop, so open the door and waft a newspaper in there to simulate wings flapping. Could also be damp bedding or condensation which has created black fungal spores, in which case it needs a complete strip out and Poultry Shield washing. Don't be tempted by Jeyes Fluid as that gives off some truly dangerous vapours.

 

There are other reasons. We have two here with similar symptoms but they haven't got an infection. It appears to be an allergy. They are fine otherwise and have been for two weeks. It comes and goes. The other reason I can think of, which is highly unlikely in a hen so young, is a heart condition which causes the lungs to fill with fluid. A dark comb at the extremities in warm weather is the indicator.

 

If you hadn't said Cream Legbar my first guess at that age was the hen is a cockerel!

[Leicester_H]

Hi

Thanks for reply.

They're in an eglu that was pressure washed thoroughly last week before they arrived.

The run was also thoroughly cleaned and filled with fresh Aubiose (plus some ground sanitising powder).

We got them last friday - this only started today.

 

They are VERY flighty at present and so would be difficult to take to vet (which I strongly hope won't be necessary).

 

Fingers crossed it goes away on it own.

 

Supplier suggested putting garlic in water - can't believe that would help, but going to give it try.

 

H

[Beantree]

Aubiose is very dusty this time of year and the ventilation levels are a big factor. We stopped using it, except in Winter and use wood shavings in Summer. I can't see garlic doing anything either. They will be flighty unless you get them as little chicks and handle them a lot. You would need to catch her at night ready for a visit in the morning.

 

Had another thought Leicester. You have ex-bats which have been immunised. It is possible that she has contracted the immunisation strain of Infectious Bronchitis. It can transmit 1500 metres downwind I have read. In which case she will be ill for a while but hopefully will be OK without antibiotics. They will all get it if that is the case.

[gavclojak]

Had another thought Leicester. You have ex-bats which have been immunised. It is possible that she has contracted the immunisation strain of Infectious Bronchitis. It can transmit 1500 metres downwind I have read. In which case she will be ill for a while but hopefully will be OK without antibiotics. They will all get it if that is the case.

 

Indeed...I posted a while ago my chicken vet says she always recommends people do not keep ex-commercial girls along side "posh" girls due to the potential risk of the spores from the immunised birds infecting the non-immunised ones....I was savaged for the post.....one particular poster was incredibly rude saying what I said was impossible!!!!! High five beantree

[Leicester_H]

Hi

 

Thanks for your support and advice - this forum is invaluable.

 

We have the 'posh' girls now - so I have to live with it - but will think about it in the future.

 

Janie (they now have names) seemed to get worse yesterday afternoon and was quite slow.

 

BUT this morning she seems fine - Horray ! So panic over for now.

 

Thanks again, H

[Beantree]

Generally the problems occur when you introduce immunised (or commercial breeds) to a flock of non-immunised (Pedigrees) Gavclojak. The new birds are stressed from the move and, even though they may be quarantined, the viruses flare up and are transmitted in the wind. That's what happened to us. It is the result of the use of 'live' viruses, being the mildest strain in a particular group which gives immunisation from all viruses in that group. Problem is that these viruses are introduced individually when the birds are young and strong and they become 'carriers' of those viruses. Giving IB and ILT to older birds simultaneously makes them very ill, but fortunately we didn't lose any. Practical Poultry ran our story about 6 years ago when live viruses in drinking water were first used and we appeared to be the first recorded 'victims' of it.

 

In Leicester's case perhaps one of the ex-bats is under the weather and the virus has flared up (which it can do for over two years in our experience) and been transmitted. But it's only a hunch at this stage. If all the CL's get the symptoms then you know for certain.

 

I have now been told that there is a live Myco virus being used. So potentially future introductions could see non-immunised birds getting three viruses at the same time and that is going to see some fatalities.

[Leicester_H]

chicken vet says she always recommends people do not keep ex-commercial girls along side "posh" girls due to the potential risk of the spores from the immunised birds infecting the non-immunised ones

Wow - I never knew that. As above, I have them now, so have to make the best of it.

 

Supplier website stated

"ALL the birds will have been vaccinated as per the vaccination programme of the hybrids unless otherwise stated."

 

so was surprised when we got there for her to say they were n't as vaccinated as the hybrids.

 

She said it would be hard to find pure breeds that were - why ? I assume its a numbers thing ??

 

H

[Beantree]

It's all down to the breeding conditions Leicester_H. Hybrids in large numbers and cramped conditions are likely to develop disease, any one of which could wipe out the entire flock. Immunisations are sold in quantities to treat birds by the thousand.

 

Pedigrees are bred by the handful in far better conditions and are unlikely to develop diseases. If they did it would cause few losses. The cost of immunising them is far too high, because of the amount you have to buy.

 

So I have to assume the CL's were 'bought in' from elsewhere. Otherwise they could have been treated at the same time as the hybrids.

[The Dogmother]

What Beantree has said about immunisation is right.

 

Hybrids are usually immunised during the first few days after hatching, and are done en masse for both practical and economical reasons.

 

As has been said, pure breeds are rarely immunised (it's a numbers thing) and because they are reared and kept in fewer numbers and less ramped conditions, disease is rarely a problem.

 

For what it's worth, my guess is that she just had something stuck in her throat... I have seen it before. Try not to worry, enjoy your hens.

[UKMARCH]

Perhaps a tonic will give them a boost to aid them settling in? On the subject of immunisations I recently saw a video about sexing day old chicks by wing feathers and it showed how big hatcheries incubate eggs and the eggs were vaccinated for mareks before hatching I had thought this was done at day old.

[The Dogmother]

Some and some.... some vaccs are done in the egg, some by spraying the chicks, others in the water.