Unhappy chicken

Re: Unhappy chicken

farrypants — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:26:07 GMT

Hiya - bit late now as your have lost your chook. Its always worth checking your hen and house for the dreaded red mite. Our hen stopped laying and looked hunched and unwell. It was only when I caught her and examined her closely, checking the base of her feathers, only to find little mites. The main route of infestation is the house itself. There are products around to treat the hens and the environment. Might be worth checking any others you might have. Also good to check the house at night with a torch, as the critters come out then to feed on the poor hens....fortunately our hen has started laying again, 5 days post treatment, all be it a small egg, I am sure they will return to normal size.

For info - would strongly recommend any VNs in practice to get hold of Victoria Roberts book on diseases in pet chickens. I attended some of her lectures at this years BSAVA Congress and learnt a great deal.....

Re: Unhappy chicken

Gillian Mostyn — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 08:36:07 GMT

It is always worth having a feel of her crop - if it is empty then you just know she isn't eating but sometimes it can be full/doughy/hard etc so may give you a few more clues....

My chicken's area of my garden is just bare soil/woodchips now (!!!) but if you have a bigger area make sure the chucks aren't eating long grass - it can get all knotted up in the crop causing a blockage. If you suspect infection it is pretty easy to do a crop wash (pull some lavage fluid from crop with a urinary catheter) and stain to look for candida/bacteria etc......

Re: Unhappy chicken

Lindsay B — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 23:10:40 GMT

Hi Gillian, Apologies for not supplying many answers. -Yes I am worming with flubenvet, but possibly not often enough by the sounds of it - I am trying to worm them at the moment but as one of them isn't eating she's not being treated. -Their weight seems fine and they both look very healthy, the only strange thing was her lack of appetite and standing around very still an awful lot. They are usually running all around the garden for hours on end. -They have plenty of shelter, both in the egloo and around the garden We have had them for a year - so it may be that they are starting to reach the end of their short lifespan as you have said. I guess I will continue trying to worm them and if she starts showing signs like our recently departed chicken then I will go ahead with what is in her best interest and know not to leave her for as long as we did with Edna. Thanks for the advice! Lindsay

Re: Unhappy chicken

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:51:10 GMT

Have just seen this thread.

TBH most of the things I'd advise have already been said, but I can't see any answers from you so....

-have you wormed them regularly (monthly) with something effective - ie flubenvet? Chronic worm burdens will put them off lay and eventually make them ill. Back garden chickens need worming pretty often.

- are they a decent weight? Layers are always thin but should still have some muscle over the breast, although with a prominent keel.

- do they have some shelter from the worst of the weather? Chickens are fairly hardy but do need shelter from rain, wind and strong sun and as there are always going to be bullies, it is unlikely all chucks will huddle together in a small shelter like a coop. Ideally there should be a few places in the garden for them.

Unfortunately ex-bats are always going to have a limited lifespan. They were bred for an intensive but very short life and their genetics and make-up aren't designed to allow for a long life. It is likely they were in the factory for 18 months or so and rarely live more than an extra year or two after that. The reproductive tract commonly goes wrong, leading to egg peritonitis etc, and I'm afraid if that is the suspected diagnosis then PTS is the kindest option.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions.

Re: Unhappy chicken

Lindsay B — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:20:23 GMT

Me again!! One of the other chickens just keeps standing doing nothing, not hunched up at all but quiet and dont think she's eating or drinking. She keeps wanting to be in the eglu but not always on nest . Its just odd - I thought she was broody but I'm not sure now. Do you think it is worth sending Edna's faeces for testing ? Lindsay

Re: Unhappy chicken

Lindsay B — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:33:18 GMT

Hello Just an update for you. Unfortunately Edna died this morning :-( poor thing. But at least she is no longer in any pain. Thanks again for all your advice! Lindsay

Re: Unhappy chicken

Lindsay B — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:39:38 GMT

I think one of them may be broody as she seems healthy but is sitting on the nest a lot with no eggs being laid. As for my unhappy hen I'm starting to agree with you - I really don't want her to suffer so this may be the best thing for her. I will take her back to the vet tomorrow and see what they suggest. She is an ex battery hen, so has had a good year of freedom and was always happy and running around the garden. Lindsay

Re: Unhappy chicken

Louise B — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:25:14 GMT

Off the top of my head the key reasons for a reduction or cessation in laying are:

- reduction in light hours (i.e. winter)

- old age (gradual reduction though)

- moulting (often most birds moult round about the same time and look raggy/baldy)

- broody (sit on nest for hours - usually if eggs present but sometimes will incubate nothing at all or own faeces - especially silkie-types)

- Ill-health

Some breeds though lay much less often than others. May experience is with commercial type layers that lay almost every day. It might be different for your breed so that would be something to check.

Have you wormed them all regularly? If not, I would do so.

The sick one - I personally would cull her unless you are able to obtain prompt appropriate veterinary care as it does sound like she is suffering. The longer she is left without treatment the more likely she won't do anyway.

Re: Unhappy chicken

Lindsay B — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:59:16 GMT

[quote user="Princess Ophelia Hermione MacBeth"]

Hi, if the chickens have developed a taste for eggs you usually spot eggs that have been cracked on and the yold/white devoured. Not to see any sign of eggs suggests a lack of laying. How many chickens do you have? Are they free-range (i.e. could they be laying somewhere else)? If the other chickens are fine I wouldn't worry about them but your unhappy chicken would benefit from veterinary attention.

[/quote] Hi We have 2 other chickens, one of which is enjoying her move up the pecking order, so we've removed the unwell chicken as she is getting hassled. They are relatively free range - but only in the back garden so I would be able to see any eggs which they had laid. It seems a little strange that they have all stopped laying though - and the other two are acting slightly strange and not running around the garden as much. Do you think this could be that they can tell something is wrong - or do you think perhaps there is something wrong with them? They have no symptoms though and are eating normally. She is now not eating or drinking and is quite cold compared to usual. I don't think it's looking very good. We are on the Wirral and I think that there is a more specialist hospital in Liverpool that I will look in to. But part of me is thinking now that if she has got EYP then I would just be extending her misery. She just keeps closing her eyes and opening her mouth, I don't want her to be in a lot of pain. Thank you again for all your help. Lindsday

Re: Unhappy chicken

Vicky RVN — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:44:29 GMT

What area are you from? Someone might be able to suggest an exotics vet in your area?

Re: Unhappy chicken

Louise B — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:51:01 GMT

I would track down a vet with a poultry interest (or any avian vet would probably be fine) - I cannot help you here but the omlet website might have a list - or obtain the BSAVA backyard pets manual (something like that). Basically you get a syringe full of warm saline and just keep flushing out her lady bits. It can be pretty stressful though so might upset her/cause her to expire. She would also require antibiotics =/- analgesia (rimadyl 3mg/kg - I think - been awhile). They tend to have a reduced life expectancy if you get them through egg yolk peritonitis. Gillian Mostyn (vet on this site) may be able to advise you further as I think she or her hubby have an interest in exotics/avian species.

Goodluck.

Re: Unhappy chicken

Lindsay B — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:50:09 GMT

Hi Thanks for all your responses. Louise, she was sat in the nest and I was keeping an eye on her as I thought she might be egg bound so wanted to see if she was laying. Then one of my other chickens pecked at her vent when she stood up and what looked like yolk came out. I think the other chicken has developed a taste for eggs and we haven't had any for a couple of weeks, which is unusual. You could be right about the peritonitis - I will try and get this checked out. Would this cause her faeces to be very runny? It is pretty much a greeny liquid with only a small amount of solids in it at the moment... I took her to the vet but she didn't seem hugely confident about chickens (which obviously isn't unusual as it's difficult to find a specialist). Thanks for your advice - I'll let you know what happens! Lindsay

Re: Unhappy chicken

Louise B — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:10:41 GMT

Hi,

Did you actually see her trying to lay an egg when the other one was pecking? Is it possible that the other chicken was actually drawn to the area by faecal material mixed with yolk. She may have a condition called "egg yolk peritionis". I'd take her back to the vets and get her lady bits flushed out with some warm saline and get her on some antibiotics.

http://fowlfacts.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=afflictiondiseaseff&action=display&thread=1199

Good luck.

louise

Re: Unhappy chicken

Nick Shackleton — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:21:21 GMT

Speak to Louise she is chicken mad! I'll send her a link to this thread for you

Re: Unhappy chicken

salliee5 — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:19:55 GMT

Oh Bless :(

I have limited experience, the calcium as far as I know is to aid contraction of the muscles to help her push it out. BUT she does need to be super relaxed. A warm bath as you have done is the way forward. You can massage the area even with a bit of oil to help. The most important thing though is that she is warm and relaxed, so bathing her etc will only help if it does not cause stress.

Best of luck!!