Diarrhoea

[Anonymous]

I need some help desperately.I have ex-battery chickens ,two are approx 3 and the other 3 are about two years old.The older girls haven`t laid since August but have been fine until recently.Over the last 6 weeks they have been up and down like yoyos.First they are hunched up,eyes closed still eating a little.I bought some tonic(poultry nutri drops) by mouth,not in water.Then they appear to get better and then after a few days we start again.They also started with the runs which has resulted in bathing them.Now one of my other girls is abit off but no diarrhoea.I have done an internal on them and there doesnt feel as if there is any problem.What can I do to help them? Thankyou.

 

[Davidd]

Hello, what are you feeding them? Battery hens don't really live that long- they are bred to lay intensively and it seems to wear them out before their time- are they losing weight? any discharge? When you say you have " done an internal" on them-you can cause very serious damage- they may have an infection- you really need to rake them to a vet if no improvement with good diet/husbandry. Good luck,
regards, David

 

[Anonymous]

They are eating layers pellets,grit and other bits like bread and corn.I was a vet nurse years ago so hopefully ok with internal.Do you think their prognosis is poor?

 

[snifter]

They sound like they are just worn out. As Daviid said, battery hens are not designed to be long lived and the intensive egg laying they are bred for does often wear their bodies out much sooner than pure breeds.

I'd carry on with the TLC, leave off the internals as it can cause them a great deal of stress doing such a thing and keep an eye on them. Doesn't seem to be anything specific and if they are on a good diet, drinking and pooing there is not much more you can do.

If their poos are nasty they may have picked up an infection. To be sure of what they may have picked up you could take a sample to the vet and have it tested so you can hopefully treat it correctly.