Installing Indoor Cat Tree

[Lesley-Jean]

My Gingernut Ranger, Gertrude, has had a runny tummy ever since she arrived in September but my Miss Pepperpot, Harriet never has. Gerty seems to be OK over night and in the morning but by afternoon it is definitely liquid. I took both of the girls to the vets and he squirted worming mixture down their throats.

 

Gerty still has a runny tummy! Which seems to be worse now she is laying eggs. I had their faeces investigated for worms and parasites and none were found. Could this problem be dietary? I think it seems worse when she has too much fresh food.

 

Gertrude has a veracious appetite seems health and happy and rushes around like a maniac all of the time so I am fairly certain she is not ill. Harriet behaves like a lady and does not eat all the time like Gerty. Perhaps this is because she is not laying yet.

 

Does anyone have any ideas ?

[Karen & co.]

One or two of our girls have intermittant runny poohs, I have been giving them live yoghurt in porridge oats which they love, but they still produce these horrid droppings, perhaps it's just a chicken thing

 

We got our girls in October and it still happens, could be the hormones whilst they change from just hens to egg laying hens!?

 

Sorry not to be more help, but someone will come along with good advice soon.

Karen x

[Guest]

according to my copy of Lewis Wright's Practical Poultry Keeper (old book!) Diarrhoea can be treated as follows:

 

in mild cases: with a diet of dry barley meal or well-boiled rice sprinkled wth chalk (and cutting out the greens apart from grass)

 

if it persists: give a bolus of five grains chalk, five grains rhubarb, three grains Cayenne pepper and half a grain of opium - one in the morning and one in the evening.

 

or... 3-12 drops (according to size) of chlorodyne every four hours will always stop it

 

 

so now you know!

 

if you have trouble getting hold of the opium (the perfume doesn't work!) - PM me... If it doesn't stop the diarrhoea - it'll help stop you fretting about it

 

Phil

[Mrs Frugal]

A little natural bio yogurt mixed in with their layers pellets is also good for upset tummies.

[Lesley-Jean]

I do give them Bio yoghurt but not every day, only about 2-3 times per week. Perhaps I'll try giving them a little each day to see if things improve. I'm not giving any fresh greens at present and just letting them out for about an hour a day to vandalise the lawn and flower beds.

 

Wouldn't the rhubarb make them worse? I definitly think I will give the opium a miss. Or perhaps it will make the eggs very erh interesting

 

I'll let you know how it goes in a few days.

[The Dogmother]

Hi Lesley-Jean

 

I swear by Avipro, which i keep on hand for all my animals. It is especially good for bunnies who are prone to delicate tummies. I either put it in the water or mix a little in with some porridge to make sure that they get it all. I lent it to a friend, who's cat had been run over and the medication was upsetting it's tummy - cured in just 2 days . Some vets either stock it or will order it in if you ask.

 

I see that you give them bio yoghurt 2-3 times a week - perhaps she doesn't get on well with dairy products try cutting it out to see.

 

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Lesley-Jean]

Hi Clare

 

Thanks for your information about Avipro. I found a stockist in Somerset called Livefood UK Ltd, who mainly sell foods for reptiles. They sell on line at http://www.livefoods.co.uk , 100g Avipro plus for £9.45 incl p&p. I ordered some Thursday lunch time and it was delivered to me first thing Friday, which I think is eggcellent service I've started making some mash with layers pellets and warm water with a little Avipro sprinkled on the top to make sure the eat it all. I won't give them any dairy at present and hope the problem settles down.

Edited December 11, 2005 by Guest

[Sheilaz]

Thanks for giving us an update & useful info re Avipro. That's really handy to know.

Hope this helps Gertrude's condition, glad she appears healthy otherwise. I have one a bit like this, for no apparent reason, so pleased to have the tip Clare, & info. Lesley Jean.

[The Dogmother]

That ok you two. I got some from my vet, which was cheaper that Live foods, but I can't remember exactly how much. I really think that it is great and so does my neighbour, who borrowed it for her cat. It is intended to be diluted in water, but I have mixed a small amount in with porridge (made with water) and it has been good.

[Lesley-Jean]

Hi there

 

Just thought I would let you know that the girls have had Avipro sprinkled on some warm mash each morning for about a week now and Gertrude's tummy seems to be a lot better. Her fluffy bottom is nice and clean again. Many thanks for the sugestion Clare.

[The Dogmother]

Brilliant Lesley-Jean, and glad to hear that the chooks are doing well. It really is good stuff

[Mel (& Paul)]

That IS good news! Well done you and well done Clare for the advice

[Lesley-Jean]

Well I have just resurrected this thread to give you an update.

 

I got Gertrude and Harriet last September and from day one Gertrude has had a diarrhoea problem. Not all the time but I'd say about 70% of it. Some days it would just be a bit soft and other it would have put out a fire at 20 paces

 

She always seemed fit and active, ate well drank a lot and lays eggs almost without missing a day. I had become tired of upending her and giving her bum a wash a couple of times a week (she would look so funny walking carefully high stepping around with wet knickers) that I decided to take her to the vets to see if they had any ideas.

 

My vet was brilliant, she admitted she didn't know much about chickens but had treated other bird species and would contact other vets for advice. I had already had a worm check done (Hubby is a parasitologist) so the vet sent a specimen away for microbiology.

 

The diagnosis was that she had a very high E.coli count, and the vet recommended a 7 day course of Baytril, for both hens even though Harriet has no symptoms. They have had their last dose today and so far I think Gerty's problem may be cured, I'll let you know in a while if the cure is definite and permanent.

[The Dogmother]

That's good news!

 

My little Dutch bantam sometimes has a runny botty, it is usually cleared up with some porridge with Avipro mixxed in it. I think that she just has a delicate digestive system.

[Guest]

E. Coli? Are the eggs still safe to eat?

[Chicken on a mission]

That was interesting Lesley-Jean and gives us all something else to consider.

[chocchick]

Just like a human with the runs then

[Lesley-Jean]

Oh yes Ginette, Eggs are quite safe The infection is in the digestive system not the reproducive one

[Louise]

Ecoli is an environmental pathogen with hundreds of types and very few cause problems like this and even fewer cause serious problems that grab the headlines like all things make sure hands are washed after handling the chooks and all should be fine

[Lesley-Jean]

Vet lab did a sensitivity test to make sure the correct antibiotic was used

[rachel19]

Actually yes, e-coli is a very good bacteria..........in our digestive systems they make the majority of one of the vitamins we need as a byproduct.....can't remember which one it is tho........i don't know whether this applies to chickens too.

[Lesley-Jean]

Many E. coli are commensal organisms and cause no problems but there are pathogenic E. coli in chickens which cause gut infection and some can become systemic. They can also cause respiratory tract infections and can be associated with Mycoplasma infections.

[helenmb]

Thought I'd share the fact that you can buy Avipro at £7.20 from

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1225&currency=GBP

 

delivery is free!

 

They do great deals on lots of medication and delivery is free in the UK. I have used them several times and they have saved me lots of money on other suppliers I'd looked at previously. Fast delivery too.

 

Sorry forgot to mention they have a minimum order of £9.00 just noticed that one the web page - sorry!

 

http://www.petmeds.co.uk/p-12-avipro-plus.aspx sell it for £7.48 no minimum order and free delivery - yay!

[The Dogmother]

You'll not regret getting that Helen - it's brilliant. Good to keep in stock for any animal in fact.

[stoice]

Does This do the same thing as Avipro do you think?