Unhappy hen

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Wyandottie

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Unhappy hen
« on: July 04, 2010, 09:57 »
Hi everyone,
Things have been going well until recently when one of my hens started to look unhappy.  She is a sort of illegitimate Welsummer breed probably a couple of years old!  Initially I  noticed she was being bullied by my White Sussex.  This went on for some time, the little hen becoming more morose.  She seems to have lost some weight and  I have checked her crop and gullet and there are no obvious obstructions - she shows no signs of 'gaping'.  I have checked her rear end (clean) and there are no eggs stuck in her duct.  She is eating very little, has stopped laying and spends most of the day hunched up.  Eyes are clear, breathing normal- not noisy, feathers look clean but her comb is a bit dull.  I have dosed her with cat 'Frontline' in the hope of killing any internal parasites, and also used a spray repeatedly on her scaly leg problems.  The chicken house is clear of bugs, and I clean it and their run out daily.  The Sussex was also displaying scaly leg, so she has also been sprayed in case it irritated her and caused her aggressive behaviour.  Bullying has subsided considerably of late.  The other five hens are in good health, busy and eating well.  They have layers pellets, a little corn, lots of greenstuff plus Michelin starred breakfasts of whatever goodies are left over from the day before.  I am aware through reading the various posts on this site what not to feed my girls.  Sorry for the essay, but I wanted to give as complete a picture as possible.  Any advice would be greatly welcomed

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joyfull

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Re: Unhappy hen
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2010, 10:44 »
internal parasites - worms - are treated with flubenvet not frontline which is mites, lice etc. She could have another internal problem which would need a vet to diagnose.
Along with the food you give them do they have grit and either oystershell or baked crushed egg shells? Both of these items are important for their well being (feeding grit isn't necessary if they free range as they will dig up tiny stones to use for grinding their food), but the oyster shell/egg shell is).
Staffies are softer than you think.

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hillfooter

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Re: Unhappy hen
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2010, 15:17 »
Hi Wyandottie,

Sorry to hear about your Welsummer X she sounds like she is depressed so something is bothering her if it's been going on for a while.  Your excellent description is a change as so many posts have really nothing to go on so even mentioning factors that aren't specifically relevant is useful just to eliminate obvious problems.  Other than the depression with little to go on here it's difficult to recommend any treatment but here's a few pointers.

1 If she's never been wormed and you suspect she needs to be (been on the same ground for 6 months or more) use Flubenvet available without prescription on the web.  Worm all your hens with this.

2  As she's stopped laying this could be significant and egg binding is an obvious thing to check for.  Eggs can sometimes be felt by gently inserting a lubricated finger and probing towards the top of the vent where the oviduct is.  Some times you can help it by gently squeezing it forward but before you try this if you think she's egg bound give her a warm bath and a blow dry with a warm drier and keep her quiet in a dark cardboard box for a day.  This should help relax her muscles so she can pass the egg naturally.

3  Check she's not got a bloated abdomen which feels hot and if so it could indicate she's egg bound and an infection may have set in.  In which case you need to get her to a vet asap.

4  Although I don't think this is conected with her problems it's best to hand feed corn and treats in the evening so you can be sure they've bulked up with layers during the day as their staple diet.

5  Keep a sharp watch on her and if there's no improvement or any deterioration get her to a vet.

6  Even if she's not eating well make sure she's drinking.  Apple Cider Vinegar in the water makes it more palitable.  If you think she's dehydrated an electrolyte maybe of benefit.

Best of luck
HF
« Last Edit: July 05, 2010, 04:30 by hillfooter »
Truth through science.

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Wyandottie

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Re: Unhappy hen
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2010, 17:45 »
Hello again
Thanks for the advice.  They do have grit and baked eggshells, and I always use Apple Cider vinegar in their water. I haven't wormed them since I got them, relying on greens, nasturtiums etc.  However I have now ordered some Flubenvet online, and will treat them all as suggested.  Here's hoping.



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