Haven't you got a pair of bathroom scales for both of you to stand on?
New companions for hybrids
- Thread starter rick
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rick
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No. But when Betty refused to step off my arm I did try to weigh my other arm 
Sounds as if you've got a screw loose, Rick.
rick
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Quite possible! But seriously the comparison was reassuring. Thanks
rick
Active member
Just to make things interesting, and right on cue at 18 months, the sisters have stopped laying.
Betty and Aerial both getting bigger. Aerial, in particular, looks like she's heading to be a serious contender to Brownie.
Will feel sorry for the sisters if they are as bald as coots when the upstarts come into lay and join the flock!
Betty and Aerial both getting bigger. Aerial, in particular, looks like she's heading to be a serious contender to Brownie.
Will feel sorry for the sisters if they are as bald as coots when the upstarts come into lay and join the flock!
rick
Active member
Now I'm pretty sure something is wrong. Aerial is now 1.6 kg while Betty is 1.14. She seems to have got lighter and is defiantly shaking her head, gaping and sitting around a lot with her neck hunched.
Worms? Mites? I guess I have to run through them all.
Edit - I might be worrying for nothing and I know it's nigh on impossible to diagnose something vague this way. Checked her over and she seems perfect, pink an clean around her vent, under the wings, around the neck. I've never found a crop on her let alone it being sour! Comb is starting to redden at the base as she moves towards lay presumably.
I changed the sand they were on for wood chip. Sand is so easy to poo pick on but worried that dust might be an issue.
Poos look fine and didn't want to worm until they were all together. I don't think that's it.
It's just this head shaking (Aerial does it a bit too but not as much) and general lack of oomph. Watching this afternoon it like she either doesn't have the energy to peck with any force or it hurts maybe.
That and not appearing to grow at all.
The newer batch of younger CLBs look bigger.
If she's a 'runt' then that's OK and I'll know next time. She's staying now unless they won't live together an I have to find her another home.
Second edit (keeping it together rather than bombing the timeline) She seems much happier on the bark chip and ate well this evening. Actually looking perky! Going to give it one more week with the partition then put them together on the same perch in the dark next weekend when I can be around all day to rescue if things get to messy.
Worms? Mites? I guess I have to run through them all.
Edit - I might be worrying for nothing and I know it's nigh on impossible to diagnose something vague this way. Checked her over and she seems perfect, pink an clean around her vent, under the wings, around the neck. I've never found a crop on her let alone it being sour! Comb is starting to redden at the base as she moves towards lay presumably.
I changed the sand they were on for wood chip. Sand is so easy to poo pick on but worried that dust might be an issue.
Poos look fine and didn't want to worm until they were all together. I don't think that's it.
It's just this head shaking (Aerial does it a bit too but not as much) and general lack of oomph. Watching this afternoon it like she either doesn't have the energy to peck with any force or it hurts maybe.
That and not appearing to grow at all.
The newer batch of younger CLBs look bigger.
If she's a 'runt' then that's OK and I'll know next time. She's staying now unless they won't live together an I have to find her another home.
Second edit (keeping it together rather than bombing the timeline) She seems much happier on the bark chip and ate well this evening. Actually looking perky! Going to give it one more week with the partition then put them together on the same perch in the dark next weekend when I can be around all day to rescue if things get to messy.
rick
Active member
A breakthrough! Betty has MG. Hopeing it isnt anything worse and I can only presume that if it was then things would be much more serious all round by now. Runny nose, watery eye on one side and that funny smell around her head that was bothering me. She is still 1.4 kg and it suddenly struck me that she was having difficulty seeing the supper I had given tham this evening.
We also now have red mites (one was crawling on my arm when I weighed her today). Going to see the vet asap. I think she has been suseptable due to being run down. Aerial is showin no sympoms.
Not sure what to do or the order in which to do it seeing as they were just about to be introduced. Antibiotics all round I think (will ask vet.) The others are fit with good immunty I hope. But Betty cant mix yet because apart from anything else until the MG is cleared up she will be bullied (even Aerial has now started having a go)
Live and learn eh!
We also now have red mites (one was crawling on my arm when I weighed her today). Going to see the vet asap. I think she has been suseptable due to being run down. Aerial is showin no sympoms.
Not sure what to do or the order in which to do it seeing as they were just about to be introduced. Antibiotics all round I think (will ask vet.) The others are fit with good immunty I hope. But Betty cant mix yet because apart from anything else until the MG is cleared up she will be bullied (even Aerial has now started having a go)
Live and learn eh!
chickenfan
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Oh dear, poor Betty. She sounds in a very bad way. If she has a respiratory illness, its vital not to delay due to the nature of birds air sacs which are all over their body, making this a serious illness. Can you separate her from the others eg in a cat box with her own water and food, to give her a rest and tlc and to stop it spreading? I am not sure what you mean by MG, but if you mean micoplasma, this is treatable with antibiotics if you act quickly. I would also give her lots of berries and a vitamin and mineral supplement.
rick
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Thanks Chickenfan. Yes, I'm guessing Mycoplasma at the moment from what I read. She's actually not yet in a terrible way and glad the penny has finally dropped but it's bad timing with Aerial now looking to be introduced to my other 3 on her own and to get away from Betty who would then be joining on her own too.
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dinosaw
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Sorry to hear about your problems Rick, firstly I'm sure your now fully genned up on Mycoplasma but for your info here is Tims page on the subject which is fairly thorough https://poultrykeeper.com/respiratory-problems/mycoplasma/
As one of the main triggers is stress I would advise delaying your plans for integration until all hens are healthy and both of your new birds can join the flock together. Given their close proximity to each other and your moving between both areas presumably without changing your footwear etc the chance to isolate the older birds from the infection is small IMO and so you would be better served by keeping external stress factors to a minimum to preserve their immune system. I'm sorry but I can't remember exactly how you sourced your original birds, if they were bought in POL as hybrid layers then chances are that they are vaccinated against the disease already, if not then there is a chance that they will be exposed anyway when you merge your birds as Betty will remain a carrier, it's a subject that has been gone over a few times here about mixing hybrids and pure breeds as the vaccinated birds in theory remain carriers, never had a problem with this myself and so don't think that you will either but it is worth keeping in mind.
Edit: Of course on reflection if your existing birds were vaccinated then that could have been the carriers that have infected Betty when her immune levels have dropped due to the move.
As one of the main triggers is stress I would advise delaying your plans for integration until all hens are healthy and both of your new birds can join the flock together. Given their close proximity to each other and your moving between both areas presumably without changing your footwear etc the chance to isolate the older birds from the infection is small IMO and so you would be better served by keeping external stress factors to a minimum to preserve their immune system. I'm sorry but I can't remember exactly how you sourced your original birds, if they were bought in POL as hybrid layers then chances are that they are vaccinated against the disease already, if not then there is a chance that they will be exposed anyway when you merge your birds as Betty will remain a carrier, it's a subject that has been gone over a few times here about mixing hybrids and pure breeds as the vaccinated birds in theory remain carriers, never had a problem with this myself and so don't think that you will either but it is worth keeping in mind.
Edit: Of course on reflection if your existing birds were vaccinated then that could have been the carriers that have infected Betty when her immune levels have dropped due to the move.
rick
Active member
Thanks dinosaw. My main problem is space I think. I may have enough room for 5 when everything is settled but looking at the info page - 'The stress trigger can be small such as moving birds to different housing, adding new birds, a change in diet, parasite infection...' - and add the confining effect of the partition and I seem to be trying to deal with all at once with conflicting solutions!
I think Betty has had this ticking over in the background for a long time and it has stunted her growth. She smelled funny from the outset (and actually so did Aerial but she is a much more robust chicken.)
Got an appointment with the local BHWT vet tommorow.
While trying to clean out the bedding and dust the mites Betty ran into Blaze by accident and got in such a panic flying away that she blew lots of gunk out of her nostrils. Seems relatively OK now! Thanks for the info and support - I keep swinging from all in control to full alert mode!
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I think Betty has had this ticking over in the background for a long time and it has stunted her growth. She smelled funny from the outset (and actually so did Aerial but she is a much more robust chicken.)
Got an appointment with the local BHWT vet tommorow.
While trying to clean out the bedding and dust the mites Betty ran into Blaze by accident and got in such a panic flying away that she blew lots of gunk out of her nostrils. Seems relatively OK now! Thanks for the info and support - I keep swinging from all in control to full alert mode!
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chrismahon
Well-known member
The funny smell is associated with either the ILT or the IB immunisation virus Rick- we had one that smelled awful. I used to call her 'stinky' but eventually the smell wore off and she turned out to be a wonderful hen. She was called Daffodil.
rick
Active member
Sickly sweet like opening a maggot container?
Mmmm, it could be the immunisation. The descriptions of the smell I'm finding are 'animal' and 'chickeny' whereas the term 'sweet' is used alot for Mycoplasma. One thing I have noticed, her nostril slits are barely visible.
Mmmm, it could be the immunisation. The descriptions of the smell I'm finding are 'animal' and 'chickeny' whereas the term 'sweet' is used alot for Mycoplasma. One thing I have noticed, her nostril slits are barely visible.
rick
Active member
Sorry Chris, your most likely right. It's a shame the Internet can't transmit smells (or, more likely a blessing)
rick
Active member
Last post on this one (feels like it's been a long haul)
Learnt loads along the way.
Betty has been diagnosed with MG and prescribed Tylan (antibiotic) in water. Well actually it's Tylan all round. The smell is very distinctive and the BHWT vet noticed it before she was out of the cat carrier.
Since de-miteing the separation thing went to pot but it seems OK, occasional scuffles but nothing serious. I was just going to say they will all be 'fighting' fit by Sunday when the antibiotic has done it's thing but (a) pref not fighting and (b) Betty has some weight to gain (1.14 on the vets scales)
And Aerial has laid an egg!
Thank-you all and if anything else happens (I'm sure it will) it will be on a new thread
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Learnt loads along the way.
Betty has been diagnosed with MG and prescribed Tylan (antibiotic) in water. Well actually it's Tylan all round. The smell is very distinctive and the BHWT vet noticed it before she was out of the cat carrier.
Since de-miteing the separation thing went to pot but it seems OK, occasional scuffles but nothing serious. I was just going to say they will all be 'fighting' fit by Sunday when the antibiotic has done it's thing but (a) pref not fighting and (b) Betty has some weight to gain (1.14 on the vets scales)
And Aerial has laid an egg!
Thank-you all and if anything else happens (I'm sure it will) it will be on a new thread
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