Puffed up quiet chicken not laying

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
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Hi there

So glad to hear that Nigella (love the name) is slowly getting better :) I have only had my chickens since May this year and wormed them recently for the first time - just wanted to pass my tip on (in case you havent come across it yet), it came from this forum and was very easy to do. One eighth of a level teaspoonful of flubenvet mixed into a paste and applied to a small piece of bread with the crusts removed. I then separately fed my 5 chooks in the coop with their piece of bread and they ate it with no problems. I did this for the 7 consectutive days and it was a doddle! :lol: My girls were even asking for their bit of bread the following week - bless em ;)
 
Do keep us updated on the progress. I would suspect cocci too, but you never know. Looks like you're doing everything you possibly can - hope things will all work out!
 
Yes, great to hear she's improving.

One thing to note with the Flubenvet - is that the egg withdrawal period is zero - but this does assume you give the dose in the way recommended on the packet - i.e. at the stated dose, mixed in feed for 7 days.

If you do it any other way, you do risk giving them too much which may then require egg withdrawal for a given time...

So if you can give it to them in the feed, I would because this is the way in which it is licensed - If the bird is not eating and you cannot get the flubenvet into them then I guess it should really be a trip to the vet who can advise on a different method or use a drench down the throat...

I mix my flubenvet with a little cod liver or olive oil and make a paste - then it sticks to the pellets when mixed...
 
Just to say that I am still alive and kicking having eaten my girls eggs daily! ;) But your comments have been noted Tim - thank you. :)
 
Hello everyone,

Sorry not been around with an update it's been vets, DIY, carpet fitting, dog walking and lots of work with the business!

Okay 3rd visit to vet, same vet different man this time Rob Benson (chief vet!) I took Fanny with me as well and I have to say when we opened the box and Fanny popped her head out she looked like a star chicken, her comb is so red against her white feathers it's glorious! Poor Nigella is looking really poorly she was rallying last week but has now had her 3rd anti-biotic injection (the vet assured me it killed off cocci as well) she has been eating but is so thin her breastbone is really sticking out, she has been eating the wormed pellets and scrambled egg, meal worms, cooked cabbage, bits of leaf stuck in for good measure, they eat my herbs like theirs no tomorrow so been adding that in and stirring it all up. She is still very puffed up again and her comb is pale and looking a little droopy, she basically looks washed out in the face as if she is drained so I don't live in hope this week. Sorry not to bring better news. The vet said Fanny was a bit thin too so gave her an anti-biotic injection as well, whole bill £17 so far so not too bad. That's it for injections just got to wait now and see what happens.

Thanks for advice! Tim I'm pretty good at cut outs, if you get really stuck chuck a few my way and I'll do them as a freebie for advice you've given! I have failed miserably at loading my pic Mrs Tweedy in bobbleless bobble hat! :-)07

Will keep you posted on progress ref Mrs Chicken.

Pip
 
Nigella is dying, upsetting to watch, wish hubby was here to finish the job so to speak, I hate seeing any animal like this, she is led down in cardboard box in a bit of sunlight with a towel and straw wrapped round her, eyes are shut and breathing through mouth now. Not eaten or drunk anything so time to put her out of misery. Wish I had the guts to do it myself. Think this will be the end of my chicken owning, 3 chickens bought in May 1 died after 3 days and this one dying now. Just not a good experience. Fanny still racing round looking happy as larry but worried she will have it as well. Will have to wait and see.

Thanks for all advice very grateful to everyone, learning curve has gone up.

Pip
 
How very upsetting for you. I am so sorry, it doesn't sound like she really knows what's going on, you have made her as comfortable as possible.
Don't give up keeping chooks though, it sounds like whatever caused this may have already been with the birds from the start, so nothing maybe you could've have done. :( :(
 
Sorry Mrs T . - I am with Foxy here--dont give up , they probably had some problem when you got them, get a couple more to keep no. 3 company and happy. Maybe get them from some else??? Be VERY selective about where they come from etc--it makes a real difference. It doesnt happen to many chickens-its bad luck etc . Ros
 
Hubby has just done the deed, went to have a look at her before hand and the blue bottles were trying to move it, bless him he did it swiftly, got to love men for being so tough I am so hopeless, just get so emotional when you try and keep something alive then have to give up. Just very relieved she's not suffering anymore, hubby wants to get more but I look after them if they keep dying not sure I want to continue. Fanny is going strong so going to keep a watchful eye. If anyone can recommend where to get hens from that have been looked after and wormed in Gloucestershire please let me know, I don't mind battery hens I like rescuing things.

Need to go and cheer myself up now. Keep this forum going it's so brilliant, you learn heaps, wish I had found it before I got hens!

Have ordered grit for Fanny (last hen) and louse Johnsons small animal spray, think I have everything possible covered!
 
one more question now that Nigella is in chicken heaven, should I do anything ref the coop etc. I cleaned it all out last night with Jeyes diluted fluid and let it air all night and the chickens spent the night in the shed. I did lift Nigella into the nesting box in the house for the last two hours, she probably didn't notice was out of it. Do I need to rake and replace the gravel and wood chip in the run, I've put down fresh sand/grit in the bowl under the cover and clean straw. Just checking, Fanny is eating about 20 meal worms at the speed of knots right now, long may it continue.
 
Mrs T---sounds like you have been very thorough and done everything re coop etc. If you want to sterilise ground/gravel Id use (cant remember name ) Virkon (?) from any feed store and safe to put birds back in quickly. Saving some ex batts is great BUT so many of them dont make it?have problems , Id think you need some hens just in lay and with no problems! Maybe some ex batts later when you have had some really healthy ones.In your circumstances I would avoid any large scale breeder/dealer/auctions--maybe find someone who just breeds a few as a hobby--look at how they are kept etc--clean beds, clean water etc. I hope you find something nice---you could do worse than put a request on the sale/wanted section here!! Ros
 
i am so sorry to hear that all your hard work didnt pay of its so sad when you lose one of your girls , i had never touched a chicken or anything ever and just over 2 years ago i went out and got 14 ex batts without having a clue on what to do or anything . i have other breeds as well { maran , cream legbar chicks , white leghorns , isa brown .} and i have just rehomed another 8 very yukky looking ex batts this time straight from the farm to pick up point to me and then home { my first lot already had a taste of freedom at a sanctury } i would say give ex batts a go they are not as hard work as some may say they are and watchng them learnn everything and become proper chickens is so worth while , although teaching them bedtime is proving fun as they dont know what that is :lol: :lol: :lol: so its fun geting them to bed each day .
 
Sorry you have lost Nigella. its not easy but please dont give up on chickens. Im sure there mustve been something going on inside of her before you had them.
It can take a while for things to show & you did your very best for her. And you have been very thorough with your cleaning - Virkon S is the product Podstable was thinking of. :-)07 take care
 
Morning all,

Thanks for the advice and support, was very weird putting only one young lady to bed last night. Feeling much better now that I now Nigella isn't going through hell, I hate seeing anything suffer.

Onwards and upwards, not sure what to do, just going to see how Fanny gets on, just want to see how she is for the next 4 weeks maybe check she hasn't got anything before we think about getting more hens, don't want new hens being infected as well.

I would love to rescue battery hens but maybe I am a bit too emotional...I'm not usually an emotional wreck, (very level headed and bubbly, personally I blame hormones!) :D Decided last night that with the patio doors leading out into the garden, couldn't bear to be in the kitchen without hearing the wonderful sound of clucking when an egg is laid. Fanny is a right old clucker! I think maybe the sensible option would be like you said to source a couple of chickens from someone locally, to go and have a good look round, Butts Farm in Cirencester is literally a couple of minutes drive away, all the animals are so well looked after so think I may do a couple of visits there over the next 4 weeks and just research even more. If we get another two and they live happily with Fanny then maybe later we get some battery hens, would like a few years of death free incidents for a bit, it's been a right old month!

I can cope with red mite and louse and the odd problem, I know my hens inside out so immediately know if there is anything wrong and it's a challenge but with them pegging it it's draining and not enjoyable. Not giving up just going to enjoy Fanny for a few weeks then will decide what to do.

One question, do chickens get lonely?! ....now I have gone bonkers! :-)11 It's just that guinea pigs live in two's! (don't laugh!)
 
Hi Mrs T-------- Yes, chickens do get lonely! They are flock birds and dont do well on their own Im afraid ---so , go on, you know you want to--get down to that farm! Ros ;)
 
I should have twigged, chickens flock! Fanny has been following me round all day, it's like she's adopted me! I had a bucket of feed on the floor as we got some water into it so I was drying out the feeder and she tried to climb into the bucket it all tipped over and shot across the laminate floor with her flapping her wings frantically and shooting out the back door, I didn't even know she was in the house! I am soooo not having a house chicken! Okay Butts Farm this Saturday to have a chat with them about it! :D
 
call me looby everyone else does :lol: blame my neighbour over the road i heard she was getting chocks for her garden so i wanted some :-)07 :-)07 and i got mine first she decided agaisnt the idea in the end . whats the point of getting a low number just jump in the deep end thats what i did :-)05 :-)05 yep i am mad if you ever want to have a chat about ex batts then feel free to message me sometimes its good to just talk things though with someone whos had experience with them but thats totally up to you so dont feel like i am pushing you into getting some beleive me always ask loads of advice first as if it wasnt for meeting up with foxy and a few others i would not be where i am today :-)07 :-)07
 
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