Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: not my chickens but on October 15, 2008, 20:23
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Help...
Any chicken keepers out there who can help me.
Am looking after my friends chickens ...4 Warrens.
Noticed last Sunday all seemed lethargic. Now 2 are great, eating ,running around seem interested in everything. But today other 2 are very very lethargic, not eating or drinking, not cleaning themselves, have stayed in their house all day. Can't get them to eat or drink. What should I do.
P.S. The area where they are kept is prone to flooding...bit wet at the moment...is this a cause maybe of their plight?
Any suggestions to aid them very welcome... :?:
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Hello,
I am sorry to hear your charges are not well. I have a hen acting the same way at the moment. I was advised to give some apple cider vineger in thier water. I did that and she is perking up.
Someone with more knowlege will be by shortly
Goo luck
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Good Luck :shock:
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Hi Not My Chickens :D
If you could answer a few more questions it would be real helpful.
Have they laid any eggs recently?
What are you feeding them? Has this changed to what they normally have?
Have you noticed what their poops look like (horrid thing to look at but it can help us)
Any sneezing/coughing eye's look bright ?
Are the other two laying?
Do they go to bed ok at night time?
Sorry fo the questions but they will help us :)
Sarah :D
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Thanks for your swift reply.
Have tried all to get the 2 sick ones to drink even plain water..so any extras added seem like a no no. Incidentally...was advised to add crushed clove of garlic to drinking bowl of water which I did...sick 2 not drinking...other 2 great.
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personally I wouldn't muck about but get them to a vet in the morning, assuming the owner has left you details of the vet they use. Time is of the essence, if I was in your situation I wouldn't risk it. Sorry thats not helpful but for me its the safest option.
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Hi Totally Bonkers
Thanks for your swift reply.
Last laid eggs on Sunday...only 2... usually they get four/ five a day
Still on usual food mash, little corn, fresh veg.
All have dirty bums...some very loose poops, others firm and normal.
No sneezing, coughing from any chicken.
All eyes look bright.
The 2 sick chickens are just very lethargic. One was out this morning, just standind dead still. All it's feathers underneath just muddy and unkept. Just picked it up and put it in the house to keep warm. Kept checking on it..laid in same place...wouldn't drink or eat...Don't know what else to do. House is kept spotless...no signs of mites.
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And there is no sign of lice on the hens??
It could be they are trying to pass a soft shelled egg, this really seems to take it out of the hen, they go very depresssed almost.
Are you able to gently feel their abdomen (sorry spelling not good :lol: )
to see if there is an egg there??
Are they getting grit & oyster shell in their diet, should have it out all the time?
Sarah :)