Joanna not well

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chickenfan

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Last spring Joanna, my speckled sussex bantam, had a broken leg but made a good recovery. However, for the last two weeks she has been quieter and separate from the flock. I brought her in and she had a course of antibiotics because she seemed to be breathing more heavily. She then laid a shell-less egg on Thurs night and seemed a bit better after this, but now she is hardly eating and is only interested in picking at greenery and is losing weight fast. I rang British Hen Welfare Trust Vet yesterday and she said a lot of hens are getting tumours at the moment because of the stress of coming back into lay. I just wonder - from these rather vague symptoms - if anyone has any ideas?
 
Hi Marigold, I gave her a course of Tylan about 10 days ago which I already had a box of powder of as she was a bit wheezy and this cleared up, but the weather has often been freezing and windy since. Yesterday BHWT Vet sent some Baytril as she didn't have any spaces for an appointment until next week. Joanna is 3 now. She was the only egg that hatched of 24 that I tried to hatch (in two goes) and the breeder later told me he thought it was a brother and sister mating as so few were hatching and the chicks that did mostly died.
 
No concrete ideas I'm afraid chickenfan, sorry. I think that 3 years old is that age where things often start to to go wrong in pure-breds, a bit like the healthy life expectancy for people is just over 60, age just starts to creep up on some birds while others continue to live a charmed life. Like you I don't think the big variations in weather conditions are helping things either.
 
You are a mine of information Dinosaw! Three seems very young to me, but she is inbred. I don't think she has a respiratory infection, but I'm worried she is making little grunting noises similar to the young cockerel I just lost to a tumour. She looks composed and bright in herself, but isn't really eating and is clearly weak.
 
Sad to say, it sounds as if her genetics are catching up with her. At least three years old is twice as long as a battery hen gets, and she wil have had a lovely life with you as the sole survivor of her siblings, and of her accident. I think quality of life is more important than simple longevity, and it does sounds as if she may be in pain.
 
Thank you for your kind email Marigold. She started eating little bits of food again last night and is a little better today, so I'm feeling a bit more hopeful. Perhaps she had sour crop as it was a bit slushy and didn't empty overnight on Friday. I'm now treating her with lots of probiotics although unfortunately she is still on the Baytril. She is still making little whistling noises - similar to the noises a cat makes when it yawns, but otherwise looks quite comfortable and happy.
 
Joanna is thankfully gradually improving. BHWT Vet checked her over and could find nothing wrong and no tumours. Am continuing with the probiotics.
 
Just to say I had Brownie unwell over past few days. Long story, egg broken I think but she wasn't eating, weak, puffed up. Anyway I had a tin of mackerel in the cupboard and thought it wouldn't do any harm as not laying anyway. The effect was remarkable! Gobbled it up (mixed with crumble) and immediately started looking round the room like she'd noticed it for the first time! Right as rain now. Shure gave her a boost!
 
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