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Rob Thomson

Slightly poorly ex-batt - droopy comb

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Hello,

 

One of our BHWT ex-batts seems a little under the weather at the moment. Her unusually large comb is quite droopy and has lost it's usually bright blood-red colour. I suppose I'd describe her comb as looking slightly deflated in terms of its shape and texture. She doesn't seem quite as cheerful as normal, but the change is slight.

 

Otherwise she seems in very good condition. She's as heavy as she's ever been, she's eating normally, she still comes running like a mentalist when I shake the mealworm tub... we gave her a good looking over tonight and nothing is obviously amiss.

 

We've had her since November 2013 (so she's getting on for 3.5yrs old), she hasn't layed for about six months.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks, Rob.

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She is a good age for an ex commercial girl, I assume you have checked her tummy for any obvious swelling reddening or the like. Have wormed them recently? I assume there are no sign of mites etc

Although she isn't laying, does she lay softies and eat them?

She may just be getting a bit old and stiff? I have an arthritic ex batt:( all the time she is eating/drinking I would just monitor her

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Hello,

 

Thanks for the reply. Yes, she's up-to-date with Flubinvet, I've never seen evidence of mites, and she doesn't lay soft eggs.

 

She was much more lethargic this morning so she's now booked in to see the vet ASAP.

 

The only other symptom is 'dandruff', can't tell whether it's flakes of skin or feathers, which I haven't noticed previously. Perhaps it's mites.

 

Thanks, Rob.

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I think she may have started to moult Rob and that will run her down as well. What you see with the 'dandruff' may be pieces of new feather sheath breaking off from around the feather? Have a closer look, particularly around the back of the lower neck to see if there are any new feathers coming through.

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I've never heard of a chicken refuse a mealworm Rob, so perhaps there is something else wrong? We do have the occasional moulting hen stop eating for a day or so though and then give her a plate of wet mash, which is just pellets soaked in cold water and stirred to a paste. No-one refuses wet mash.

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