Poorly Chicken - Help Please

  • 7 Replies
  • 1700 Views
*

Scrumptious

  • New Member
  • *
  • Location: Southampton
  • 12
    • Scrumptious Preserves
Poorly Chicken - Help Please
« on: May 14, 2011, 13:43 »
Right... here's my problem.

My favourite chicken Mable, lost the feathers a few weeks ago on the back of her neck, looks like she was being bullied as she gets out of the pen and seems a bit of a loner.  About 2 weeks ago i noticed that her bottom had lots of pooh stuck around it and matted feathers.  also a lot of the feathers were plucked out.  I bathed the area with cotton wool (i don't know if this was the right thing to do but it looked sore) and gave her some separate water and food, which she had.  Since then she has seemed brighter.  Today i have looked at her bottom and it's almost bauld, her bottom it's self is red and sore and keeps quivering.  My husband out her down and she did a poo with what appeared to be little worms in it.  She also started plucking her own feathers, so now we know it wasn't a bullying thing and perhaps she was poorly all along?

Now, i should have probably acted sooner on this and am feeling really bad, but i thought that she was picking up.  Today it looks really bad.  I've never wormed her either.

I just don't know where to start with making her better.  I guess i need to get hold of some wormer TODAY, although where from im not sure.  I also think that i might need to bathe her bottom as it just looks sore, but i don't know if that is the right thing to do....

At the moment i'm extremely concerned.  Will the eggs that we have been eating and giving the children have been contaminated with worms? should i isolate mable from the other chickens ( we have 3 others)... any help/advice is urgently needed and gratefully received!

*

wildy78

  • New Member
  • *
  • Location: Cannock, Staffordshire
  • 49
Re: Poorly Chicken - Help Please
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2011, 14:36 »
I personally would worm her and the others straight away, maybe someone on here who is local to you could help you out with some wormer if you cant get any.  Isolating her may not be the best for her, unless you can segregate an area for her where they can still see each other through a fence. 

Not sure if the worms can be passed through the eggs, i would imagine they would be visible if present, if they were fully cooked i wouldnt imagine they would cause an issue.

As for her back end i would spray some purple spray on it just to disguise the redness, chickens are cannibals!

After the worming has taken place i would give them a tonic in their water just to improve their health (garlic bulbs in the water or something like life guard).

Dont beat yourself up about it, at least you have noticed it now and can do something about it.

Good luck
1 wife, 1 daughter, 2 dogs, 1 horse, 1 Copper black maran, 1 Cherry Maran, 1 Speckled, 1 Sussex, 1 welsummer, 1 dorking, 1 silver laced wyandotte
6 new arrivals - 3 welsummers 3 barnvelder.
5 more new arrivals (pullets) - white star, fenton blue, fenton rose, plymouth rock, silver sussex

*

Fisherman

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Location: Lancashire
  • 889
Re: Poorly Chicken - Help Please
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2011, 14:41 »
First thing to do is to get all the chickens wormed. Best wormer is Fubenvet which can be bought on the internet. Have you checked them for lice? This could be another source of the problems you describe. Frontline for kittens / cats is good to rid them of lice pretty quick. Frontline isn't licensed for chickens but loads of people use it. Search the forum for more information on how to buy it and how to use it.

It is very unlikely that your eggs will be affected.

You need to put a regime in place for worm and lice treatment as prevention is much better than cure. Good food will help them get back to good health. Try a bit of tuna (in spring water not oil) and maybe get a tonic specifically for chickens.

Good luck.
« Last Edit: May 15, 2011, 10:38 by Fisherman »

*

Scrumptious

  • New Member
  • *
  • Location: Southampton
  • 12
    • Scrumptious Preserves
Re: Poorly Chicken - Help Please
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2011, 15:00 »
Thanks.  I have checked for lice and they are all clear.  I have powder and stuff... i just don't know how i forgot that i needed to sort worming out!

Will get them flubenvent, im going now as i have found a shop that i can get it to start straight away.  I also have a tonic for the chickens so will give them some of that too.
Am i right in thinking it's 7 days?

Its so stressful!

*

jinty1911

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Location: Ayr, Scotland
  • 791
Re: Poorly Chicken - Help Please
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2011, 16:37 »
The Tuna should be in Spring Water not Brine as it's too salty.

*

henamoured

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Wirral
  • 249
Re: Poorly Chicken - Help Please
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2011, 22:22 »
flubenvent is 7 days and don't give any other food than the pellets it's mixed in.
Afterwards try putting a bit (teasspoon) of apple cider vinegar in water say a couple of times a week. I've always done this and flubenvented twice a year and not had any worm problems so far.

*

bantam novice

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Somerset
  • 1544
Re: Poorly Chicken - Help Please
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2011, 22:36 »
Good Luck, Scrumptious, and keep us posted  :) 
11 bantams (and counting!) 2 dogs 1 cat

*

Lindeggs

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Kerikeri, New Zealand
  • 1341
  • A little Kiwi
Re: Poorly Chicken - Help Please
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2011, 23:53 »
Good on you for noticing something was wrong and acting on it, Scrumptious.  Don't feel bad - we all have to learn as we go.

Worming all the chickens is definitely step 1.  That might be all that is wrong, and Mable might perk up again once the worms are gone.

The purple spray is also a good idea as other chickens tend to pick on a poorly one, and might peck at Mable's red skin.  But it's better if you can keep them all together as they will be happier if they can stay as a flock.

Good luck and let us know how she gets on. :)



xx
HELP please...poorly chicken

Started by SarahCarter on The Hen House

8 Replies
2503 Views
Last post November 11, 2008, 14:06
by Vember
xx
poorly chicken

Started by beamer on The Hen House

3 Replies
1400 Views
Last post October 06, 2010, 18:37
by Jeanette
xx
Poorly Chicken ~ Please Help!

Started by Richardm on The Hen House

15 Replies
6976 Views
Last post January 16, 2008, 17:49
by Selkie
xx
Poorly chicken

Started by dink on The Hen House

1 Replies
1129 Views
Last post July 21, 2010, 20:11
by Aunt Sally
 

Page created in 0.231 seconds with 34 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |