[miss_t]

Hi,

This is my first post here, so I'm not sure if I've posted in the right place - if I haven't please feel free to move it!  I did write a post, but have lost it somehow, so am having to do this again!

I have 2 black rocks who are about a year and a half old - maybe a bit younger, one is broody (which is a nightmare) the other Matilda is very poorly at the moment.  She was fine yesterday was running around the garden causing havoc and eating as normal, but this morning when we went to let them out of the nest box, she was very cold and wet and was hardly moving.  Her eyes were shut and she only opened them if we called her.  We put her in a box in a warm place, and she did start to perk up a bit.  My OH  took her to the vet, she's not eggbound, they checked her, but declared although she wasn't in pain it could be a number of things and told him there was no hope and to put her to sleep.  My OH refused and said he'd bring her back in the afternoon, as I wasn't there to say goodbye, to which the vet replied there was no point as she would last 6 hours.  My OH then asked if she could be given something to sustain her, which they did. 

As he then had to go to the hospital, we couldn't take her back to the vets as his appt was really late.  When we got back home he put her back in her nest box so she was comfortable and she immediately walked down to her water and had a good drink. She has since been running around in the garden, eating insects and grass etc and has had a dust bath.  We really don't know what is wrong with her.  She has lost a weight, but she was always smaller than her sister.  She also has a very pale comb but once again it was never a dark red.  She also hasn't laid for about 10days sinse sis got broody.  We also have a mite problem, although we are using poultry shield to do a weekly clean, we haven't been able to break the egg cycle.

I know it may not be likely she will make the night and she is likely to pass away, I've read a lot of posts from people whose chooks are displaying the same sympoms and they've not had much luck with bringing them back to full health/  I know I can't get a diagnosis from anyone here,  but I am willing to try anything to try to help her recover from whatever it is.  Am just very annoyed the vet didn't seem to want to help, especially as 30mins after we were supposed to have gone back she was running around the garden.

Any advice would really be much appreciated as I want to do everything I can to help her feel better.

[pigeonpie]

Hi,
Do your vets deal with farm animals or just small pets as they may not have a lot of experience with chooks?  Mabel, one of our ex battery hens, looked so pale and ill a few months ago I honestly thought she would die.  After a quick trip to our vet she had a course of antibiotics and perked up no end.  She still has a nasty habit of threatening to die every so often but with some olive oil and a few more antibiotics (the vet gave me a few spare to keep in case I may need them) she soon starts to run around as usual.  A few days ago she was really ill and ended up being sick all down me and looked like death.  Today she has been keeping up with the others and you'd never know that she had been ill!  You never know, your girl may surprise you.   
Do you know how she became wet when you first found her looking ill?  Does she have any sniffles or wheezes?