[Porffor]

Not sure what's going on with Shimmer but she's really a bit down now, after not laying I'm getting worried. It's over 2 weeks since she laid.
Today I caught her hiding down the side of the old henhouse (that is in the run) with her head kind of tucked in and her tail down.. she's eating and will come running head up when I go out with the corn jar (they learn fast don't they). Pretty sure she's eating layers and I know she's drinking.

I used red mite powder in the hen-house but do you think i should powder them?

Does front line clear all the mites or not? should i use something different?

Thanks for any tips.

[Porffor]

sorry to bump this, but she's sat in a corner now.. not like her at all.. am thinking i need to inspect her for being egg bound but am at a loss of what else it could be.. maybe it's the heat? does this affect them so much?

[flocko]

Check her over for parasites. We have had(and still trying to get rid of) an extreme case of red mite and lost one of our chickens to it. :cry:

Check the hen and the hen house very carefully it wouldn't hurt to frontline the hens anyway just as a precaution.

[Jellyhead]

I agree, Frontline is very quick and effective but don't hang about, as I said to Richy a friend of mine lost one of her chooks cos she didnt treat for mites/lice quickly enough,  also have they been wormed  :?:

[Porffor]

Have frontlined this morning and will clean out the house before they go back to bed. She's taken to sleeping on the nest rather than the perch as she used to.

should i use redmite powder as well as the frontline? or just stick to frontline?

I can't 'feel' anything but her feet are colder than scarlets. not sure if this is a symptom.

Will inspect, clean and fully powder the house out again today.

They were wormed before I bought her, so i haven't wormed.. in fear of over worming, but do you think i should? If so what should I use?

Thanks so much for your help. really appreciate it.

[flocko]

Flubenvet to worm them. A small pinch in a grape everyday for a week.

Check out your perches in the hen house, spray,dust them as red mite love to hide at the ends of perches and come out at night and feed on your birds. Could be why she wont use the perch anymore.

[flocko]

Does your hen look pale, if so thats a sure sign that mites are bleeding her dry,could be why shes cold coz she has blood loss.

[Porffor]

Thanks - i had already sprayed the ends of the perches and nooks n' cranny's in the house with the powder. Will re-do after a good clean out.
And have a look on line for flubavent - thanks. I can't get it locally unfortunately.
Will have a look to see if she's pale next to scarlet.
She's tucked into her veggies this morning and gave her extra spinach beet. damped down an area of the run too in case she's too warm.

Thanks again all.

[Aunt Sally]

How old is she and has she been laying in the past ?

[Porffor]

Hi Sally, yes she has laid before but is always irratic. She was a POL when I bought her not long after I joined here.. I bought two hens from the same store (feed store) one lay's every day the other - the one that's poorly laid every other day when she started, then laid every day for 5 days, then nothing for a week.. started laying again and laid once a day for about 10 days and nothing since.. it's nearly 2 weeks now.

She's eating well and scratching around a little, but mainly sitting in the shade or tucked up with her tail down and her head kind of tucked up in her neck feathers if you know what i mean.

I checked her earlier and she doesn't look paler than the other but they are slightly different - different breed as they have slightly different legs and eggs are different colours too.

[Aunt Sally]

Have you checked her tummy; the area between her vent and breast bone.

If it seems swollen compared to the other hens then she could have egg peritonitis.  That's when a yolk is released and instead of finding its way into the fallopian tube it goes into the body cavity, or when the egg conveyor belt goes into reverse and a part made egg goes back and into the body cavity.

Antibiotics at this time can prevent it turning septic but once a hen starts doing this there in little hope of  full recovery

[Porffor]

oh dear..  :? i'll have to have a look where to 'feel' any pics of a hens anatomy would help.
She perked up recently as it cooled down before a short thunderstorm.
I'll have a look and see if i can figure out what i'm feeling though.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Sorry to hear Shimmer is not feeling herself. As you know, got now clever chicken advice but sending hugs to both of you. Hope she perks up.

[ness]

They sometimes go off colour if they are about to lay a soft shelled egg.  Here's hoping she feels better soon.

[Foxy]

oh dear, she does sound poorly-could be egg related too as Auntie suggests-what colour are her poos? do they look normal to you?
I dont like the sound of her cold feet either I'm afraid.