Week old Peking/silkies in our kitchen!

That made me laugh! Can just picture it! They do like heads don't they?! I have a little duck house padded out in greenhouse, but will only start adjusting them a few hours at wends, they have met the 3 quails in there already, seemed quite happy having new friends. My broody hen on the outside got very excited, going to keep her away. She has a new boyfriend maybe coming this wend to keep her happy. Your leghorns sound wonderful! Do you have a male for the girls? X
 
Katy-may said:
Took them to the vet on Friday as was worried about worms. Got some wormer ordered to give a very light dose.
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I'm really glad they're doing so well, but am unsure why you feel they need worming at only 5 weeks if they are showing no problems. Did the vet go along with this? However lovely he is,is he a 'chicken vet?' I wouldn't want to contradict his opinion, but it's not usual to worm before 18 weeks, and giving a 'light dose' isn't a good idea, I would have thought, as whenever its given they need to have the proper dose (and thus be old enough to stand this) Otherwise they may become resistant to it.
 
Good point from Marigold. Chickens are usually first wormed at 18 weeks or later. I can't see how yours would have contracted worms at this stage anyway, so I would leave off the wormer for now as you may restrict their growth rate using it so early Katy.

Legbars have got Bottom -he's a bit big really and can't catch Molly (Lottie has gone). Leghorns have Boris. So they are all doing their natural chicken behavior things.
 
I haven't managed to pick the wormer up yet, doing on thurs as have the cat&dog in for the snip! The vet I could tell didn't know much about chickens, I will not worm them until after 18 wks. My concern was that I gave them worms from garden where the older girls used to live, and beebee the little girl (I'm sure a girl) decided to sit in corner& look poorly for 2 days. Perked up after being out at the vets! Think the other 2 annoying her! Or a typical woman & getting bored?! X
 
Katy-may said:
Perked up after being out at the vets!
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It sounded as if she wasn't the only one who liked your lovely vet!
Don't worry about whether giving them a few worms when they were little has infected them - they sound as if they're doing well and so long as they are growing and lively no harm done. Chickens who live normal outdoor lives all have a certain number of worms and if they are in good health they can resist them and remain OK. Much better to wait until they are 18 weeks and then worm them when they are old enough to benefit without worrying about the dosage. It's just that it's best not to actually feed them worms in addition to what they're bound to find when they are old enough to go out in the garden. If you want, you can give them Vermex, which is a herbal tonic preparation which helps to condition their gut to resist the effects of worms, although it's not as fully effective as a wormer like Flubenvet which will actually kill any worms that are present. And of course dried mealworms are good as a protein supplement and a delicious treat, just like earthworms are.
 
I do like my vet marigold! Why are the always so good looking!! Rolex the largest one, black with white tips has gone down hill since this morning, he normally is first one out on to shoulders. Just checked bum & it's bloody? What does that mean? Picking up the wormer tomorrow, I have mealworms here should I give them some? Oh to have a chicken vet!! He is my favourite, shouldn't have favourites I know! X hope your quails are doing well, mine are loving the robin mix thank you! X
 
Is Rolex one of the growers Katy? Check very carefully for any wounds around the bottom, and check the consistency of the droppings. Am I right they are 5 weeks old?
 
Is there any blood in their droppings, Katy, or just on his body round his bum? -ie is it an injury or is it coming from within? You need to clean it up gently with warm water and if you have any, spray it with chicken wound spray which will disinfect it safely. Also keep him separate away from the others or they will peck at any blood or injury they see.
If it's in the droppings and he has diarrhoea, it could possibly be coccidiosis. (See http://poultrykeeper.com/poultry-diseases-and-disorders.html ) If he does have loose droppings with blood in them you need a vet who knows his chickens ASAP. I don't know where you live, but if you wanted a vet for more than social reasons, you might find one who was more experienced with chickens in the poultry-friendly vet section at http://poultrykeeper.com/poultry-vets-uk/poultry-veterinary-practices-services-uk/ Let us know how it goes. It may just be an injury or some feather-pecking - I hope so.
 
Yes 5 wks old! Just on his body around his bum, just cleaned them out & didn't notice any bloody runs in pen. He is the boss though so not picked on, I'm going to clean him up with warm water. Would they have caught coccidiosis from those worms I gave them 3 weeks ago? marigold!! I have the cat&dog in for snip tomorrow, be nice to see him though! X
 
Coccidiosis would come on rather more quickly, am I right they are out in the greenhouse during the day?
 
They are still in playroom in dog cage, won't be in greenhouse for awhile. Just cleaned bum, he had poop on carpet and was blood free, so that's good news! X
 
Probably not cocci then, good, but keep an eye on his poo (not literally!) anyway, and even if he's the top bird, remember the others may peck his bum if it's still bleeding. Did you decide where the blood was coming from, any pecks or injuries?
Chickens are SUPPOSED to reduce stress and lower blood pressure but I'm not too sure about that!
 
Lower blood pressure & stress?! Gosh! I worry too much about them, don't think I'm ever going to allow them outside! The girls at work want daily updates on the babies too, it will be awhile before I incubate again. Will keep close eye on bum, thank you! Right I must get early night before I see the vet tomorrow!!! X
 
I've had a day watching them today, and he does seem to be picked on occasionally by the slightly smaller miss millie. But beebee who went through the same thing last week, sat in corner, bum down, hence vet trip is now most active&happy. I have thought to separate miss Millie from them? All bums are fine, just Rolex seems quite depressed like beebee last week x
 
I'm glad there's no more bleeding, Katy-may, just keep a careful watch on Rolex and make sure nobody picks on him. Why are you thinking of separating Miss Millie? If anything is going round she'll most likely have come into contact with it by now anyway. Unless you feel it's really necessary, it's best to keep them together unless one of them is obviously ill or injured, or there will be problems when you try to re-introduce the separated one to the others.
What are you feeding them? As they're not vaccinated, are they on chick crumb with a coccidiastat in ( ie stuff to prevent coccidiosis.) It sounds as if they haven't got cocci but they are still at the vulnerable age and if their immune systems aren't firing on all cylinders ATM, they may be more open to infection. Try to keep the floor as clean as possible where they peck around in, and watch out for any runny poos or blood. They will be nice and warm in the shelter of indoors. Do you think perhaps they got a bit chilly when you had them in the greenhouse overnight last week? It's hard work bringing up winter babies, isn't it?

Glad the cat & dog are OK. You have quite a hospital going there1
 
Yes they are just on chick crumb, have read the label no mention of coccidiastat? This is a new bag that husband bought?! They were in the greenhouse last week for 30 mins & I stayed with them. I clean them out every 2 days so will do daily now! Miss Millie & Rolex now huddled together under each others wings, beebee running around now what a difference to last week! Winter babies very hard work but very worth it aren't they? X I hope tomorrow brings a better day for you x
 
Hi Katy. Bag will usually say Chick Crumb ACS; the ACS is Anti -CoccidiaStat. If it hasn't got that on it assume it is without as specialist chick crumb usually doesn't have it -like Dobson and Horrell's doesn't. There is a trade-off here. ACS apparently inhibits growth to an extent but ensures you don't get dead chicks. Best with ACS if there is any chance of contracting it. Our chicks caught it whilst in the cellar in a big cardboard box, so it must have been in the dust in the air! All the ones hatched and reared by Lulu outside had ACS additive and I can't notice any growth inhibition -they are all big and healthy now.

Must mention Lucy Legbar, who contracted it in the cellar, was pooing just blood and guts and looking very droopy when I contacted the vet. He told me what it was and that she had no chance of survival. I went to the local shop on impulse and bought a tub of natural yoghurt with probiotic and fed her that through a syringe. Within 2 days she was back to normal. She got it again two weeks later so same again and 4 years later she is still with us.
 
That is a good tip about the yoghurt! Must have been very scary seeing her poo like that. I have my 3 babies jumping all over me as I type, Rolex has just started to become himself again after 4/5 days of misery! It's scary to think just dust in air can cause such illness. X I notice that google bot is doing a good job for this brilliant forum to help others x
 
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