Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: gaufron on July 02, 2011, 21:50
-
I have had a recently rescued hen from a egg laying unit (about 4 weeks ago) She was in a group of three and was always a bit shy. In the last week she became very quiet looking very sick, not eating, not laying, not moving etc. Then suddenly she passed a 4" long hard piece of faeces (it looked like and felt like a stick with pieces of corn in it but no egg components. Since then she has recovered and back to normal in two days.
Has anyone else had expierience of this? There is nothing in any of my books about these symptoms. Perhaps it was due to a change of diet but the others are unaffected.
Any ideas
-
Hello Gaufron and welcome to the forum. :)
It could be change of diet or change of environment. She could be low hen on the pecking order and she may be finding it hard to get to the water. If she is back to normal now and integrating with the other girls I would suspect it is a reaction to the move and she has now settled. I am not an expert and I'm sure other more experienced people will be along to advise you. In the meantime good luck and keep us poated. :)
-
It does sound like the poor girl was constipated! :blink: I agree that the change of diet and environment has probably had an affect on her, but I'm glad to hear she is better now.
Molasses seems to be a laxative for chickens, so if you suspect something like this in the future you could try adding a bit of molasses to a damp mash. All your girls can eat it - but just don't add too much at once or I can't be responsible for the results! :ohmy:
By the way if you think that was bad, spare a thought for this poor penguin who thought it was eating snow and fish but was actually eating sand and sticks...
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10735940
(And yes we do think it's funny that the beach is called Peka Peka)
-
Thanks for the molasses tip. I will try it if she suffers again. She really is bottom of the pecking order so may have not been getting eough to drink. I have only just allowed the new ones total freedom with the established ones so there were all sorts dominance issues to sort out. She is still doing well and even took off and flew for about 10 feet yesterday when I called them for food. :)
-
If she is bottom of the pecking order put out extra feeders and drinkers spaced round the run/garden so she can get to them without the others bullying her away. Joyfull gave me this advice and you'll be surprised what a difference it makes.
-
I have already done that. Also they have about 4 acres of welsh hillside to roam freely with streams and wet areas where the worms are plentiful. the new ones are just finding their way around. Thanks for the hint though.
-
... they have about 4 acres of welsh hillside to roam freely...
How do I get reincarnated as one of your hens?
-
I see Lindeggs is in Auckland New Zealand. you don't have to worry about Foxes over there. It is a constant worry that a Fox will get my girls, they are wicked killers of lambs and poultry and often leave there prey half dead and badly injured. My Spaniel chases them off and I have to be strict about shutting the girls up at dusk etc. Do you want to change your mind on the reincarnation idea?
-
I have already done that. Also they have about 4 acres of welsh hillside to roam freely with streams and wet areas where the worms are plentiful. the new ones are just finding their way around. Thanks for the hint though.
What fabulously lucky chickens... especially considering where they came from, they must think they're in heaven! :)
-
gaufron, you make a very valid point about the foxes! We are very lucky not to have them here (despite the efforts of some of my well-intentioned but probably slightly dim ancestors). Apparently not all foxes are as harmless as my childhood favourite, Basil Brush. ???
-
Boom boom :lol:
-
I have spent all day wondering who would put that on :lol:.
Thank you BN for not forcing it to be me :D
-
:lol: