Chicken bald back

[Cat tails]

To vet or not to vet?

 

Cinnamon didn't shoot out of the Go this morning with the other two. Was quite slow, didn't eat much breakfast. Also her comb looks a bit purplish...

 

Came home to still a slow hen. Didn't rush out with the other two. Comb still looks purplish.

Gave her some tuna with water, to which she is tucking in nicely. But her overall impresion is slow.

 

 

Should I take her to the vet, or could it be she's just feeling a bit under the weather because of their mini moult?

 

[Beantree]

Purple comb can be the sign of heart problems Cat Tails, but I very much doubt that is the problem with Cinnamon. Moulting can upset chickens a lot; I think they experience a lot of pain when new the feathers push through the skin. They get lethargic and easily cold so will reduce the blood supply to the comb to conserve heat, hence it going slightly purple. We've got a fair few in that state at the moment. Just need to make sure they are eating and pooing.

[Cat tails]

Well did the responsible thing and took her (and the other two for reference) to the vet.

 

Swollen abdomen and some hardening at the front of the abdomen, near the liver and ovaries. So I went home with liquid antibiotics. Hopefully she perks up soon.

[mullethunter]

Hopefully it is all just moult related under the weather stuff. Fingers crossed.

[Cat tails]

Vet thinks it's a infection of the ovaries. I just hope the antibiotics do their thing. They go to boarding this weekend too, but the guy there said it wouldn't be a problem to give the antibiotics.

[Beantree]

Wise decision then Cat Tails. I would have left her and that would have been a big mistake. Hope she picks up quickly.

[Cat tails]

Thanks Beantree. Hope she will feel better soon too. Not this morning yet though. Still slow, hunched and just miserable looking. Gave her her antibiotics this morning and a little bit of tuna. Will see how it goes.

[Cat tails]

Little fluffball is still alive, but not really looking any happier yet.

She will do a bit of a run to get some cat kibble, but otherwise will just sort of stand in a corner of the garden.

[mullethunter]

I have my fingers crossed that the antibiotics will do their job and she'll feel better soon. Thank goodness you took her to the vets.

[Cat tails]

Thanks Mullet!

[Luvachicken]

I hope the antibiotics make her feel better soon.

It's hard when they don't feel very well when we care so much about them.

 

I have my fingers crossed for her too xx

[Cat tails]

Thanks Luvachicken!

 

She still looks a bit puffed up and isn't very fast, but is walking around a bit more than yesterday and tucking into breakfast. Lets see how much she will resist the antibiotics.

[Cat tails]

Came home to a perkier chicken, that actually wanted out of the run and chased some food around the garden. She doesn't let her wings droop so much any pmore either.

[mullethunter]

That's good news

[Cat tails]

She is definitely on the mend!

 

Head and tail high up in the air! And colour returning to her comb.

Moving around much more, scratching here and there with the other two. Properly resisting the meds.

 

[Blackrocksrock]

Thats sounds more promising - I had one who looked poorly this week too - she has laid for a year and a half and not moulted so think as she has not laid for a few days that she feels she should be laying - was sat in the nest box for hours - not egg bound and bright red comb - a couple of feathers only - I started to worm them and I did her on the back of the neck with her wormer and couple of days of lifting her out of the nestbox she seems better now. Running for food etc but not laying - I am happy that she is ok and not worried about the eggs anyhow as she needs a rest.

[Cat tails]

Luckily yours is feeling better too!

The life of a chicken isn't that easy!

 

Top tip for anyone needing to adminster drugs to a chicken: get an apron! I have a black one I once got from my work. Take the chicken on my lap, hold in tight to my body with my left arm and try to worm the drugs in with my right. Still not easy and two people would be more practical, but doable.

 

Cinnamon was even bossing around the other two again today.

[Cat tails]

Real conundrum!

 

...

 

 

Found an egg... Perfect, light brown, thick shelled egg. Haven't had any eggs in about a month. And I don't know who's it is. If it is Cinnamons, it's a good sign. Something wasn't right inside and now it is working again. But if it is, I can't eat it.

 

I think I won't be chancing it and sadly this beautiful egg will be binned.

[mullethunter]

You could blow the egg and decorate the shell for Christmas

[Cat tails]

Hahaha nice idea

 

Although I have never done that before.

[Luvachicken]

Chickens soon perk up with the antibiotics don't they

I'm glad she is feeling so much better Cat tails.

 

Were you given liquid antibiotics ?

If so, you could always mix them on her favourite treat for her to eat.

Most of it goes in then instead of being shared with you.

[Cat tails]

It was only 0,3 mL that I had to give. So if added to a treat I was worried most would just stick to the bowl or she would drop it or loose it to the other two. This way I know for sure she got what she needed.

[Luvachicken]

That's the kind of amount mine have had before.

I usually get a little pinch of corn and mix it on that, sometimes adding a bit more corn, but more of it sticks to the corn than the container.

 

Do you have tub trugs in the Netherlands ? that's what I mix it in and it doesn't seem to stick

[Cat tails]

Oh well, it's not my proplem anymore. They in boarding this week!

[Luvachicken]

Oh well, it's not my proplem anymore. They in boarding this week!

 

 

Are you on holiday too ?