Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Molly Hen on January 02, 2009, 10:05

Title: Bit worried - tail feathers down
Post by: Molly Hen on January 02, 2009, 10:05

Hello there.
I wonder if you can help me.  I am a bit worried about one of my girls.  I have only had them since last Saturday and one of them is walking around with her tail feathers down.  She just doesnt look right.  

I have tried various searches on the internet but nothing seems to come up with advise.  Some suggest egg bound, but could this be it.  She has not started laying yet, but her roomie has. (Black Rock's)  

I dreading looking in the coup this morning in case she was going to be all sickly looking or worse.  She was the last one out but seemed to be happy enough with the others.

Any advise/tips or links to other threads would be much welcomed.

Thanks :?

Title: Bit worried - tail feathers down
Post by: agapanthus on January 02, 2009, 10:57

Does she have any other symptoms?....runny nose, smelly breath?...is she eating and drinking normally, is her poo normal? Lift her up and gently check her abdomen for hardness.

Title: Bit worried - tail feathers down
Post by: poultrygeist on January 02, 2009, 11:13

Hi molly hen. Welcome :D

You could also check her comb colour (if it's developed enough) and see if there's any poo around her back end.

As aggy says, pretty much anything that you think may be not quite right.

They're generally pretty hardy souls but don't like to admit when there's somethign wrong so you have to be a bit nosey and force it out of them. :)

Rob 8)

Title: Bit worried - tail feathers down
Post by: matthew2riches on January 02, 2009, 22:05

It may be she is coming into lay any time soon.  It sounds like she is adjusting to what is going to happen!

Title: Bit worried - tail feathers down
Post by: Molly Hen on January 04, 2009, 17:39

Thanks for the advise.
I contacted the farmer who I bought the girls from and he advised me to take her back to him as she didn't sound right.  He checked her over though and there were no obvious signs of illness, but he swapped her for another.  

Felt a bit sad about this, as I had to leave her there and have come away with a replacement.  I hope she settles in okay.  The farmer has given me a tonic for the rest of the girls and advised that I give this for a week in their water.  

The other blackrock look-a-likie is looking well, but noticed this afternoon that she had a bit of a runny bum. Hopefully the tonic will sort her out but I am going to try and find that thread that was on the other day of the different types of poo (I know, what an exciting life I lead!!!!)  

 :lol:

Title: Bit worried - tail feathers down
Post by: Foxy on January 04, 2009, 19:15

awww what a shame. Hope the new girl settles in well, what tonic did the farmer give you?

Title: Bit worried - tail feathers down
Post by: Molly Hen on January 04, 2009, 19:19

Don't know.  I asked him what I should get once this ran out but he said I wouldn't need any more as this would do the trick.  He had decanted it to another bottle with no label.  I could be giving them magic council medicine (AKA water) for all I know but it does smell of something so probabaly isn't water.  Perhaps I am just too trusting, but he does seem to have the birds welfare at heart and full of useful tips and advice.  

Wish morning would soon come so that I can go and see how they are all doing. :)