[maisy]

I hope someone may be able to give me some advice.  I have 6 ex-bats, 2 I've had for 18 months , 4 for 3 months were in terrible state at first but now all looking great except for FiFi. Since the beginning of the week she has been sitting looking very hunched up and poorly she is feeding a little and has got food in her crop which feels normal, but is slighly messy round her vent, her abdomen feels slightly warm and is definitely larger than the other girls. I fear she may have the same as Kylie who I took to the vet in January, similar symptoms though they got gradually worse over a month or so.  As she was still eating I kept hoping she would recover but eventually couldnt bear seeing her waddling about so took her to the vet.  He keeps chickens himself but wasnt sure what it was but felt that she wouldnt be able to clear the swelling in her abdomen herself so put her to sleep.  I really dont want to see FiFi go the same way does anyone have any suggestions?
They have been wormed this summer twice in fact as I thought one might have gapeworm.  The other 5 seem fine very happy, but i am worried it may be something  I feed them.  They have layers mash sometimes dry sometimes with peelings, bread etc.  I give them bioyogurt every so often, and a few times a week a little bran and oat mash with honey and cod liver oil tablet to keep them healthy.  Any advice?

[AmandaH]

Hi Maisy.

Sounds like one of my ex-batts.  I got them in August and three settled in fairly quickly and started doing normal chicken things, like scratching around and trashing the garden.  But Mavis never did.  Just sat hunched up, beak under her wing, under my daughter's slide.  Does this sound like yours?  (Except the slide bit, obviously!)

I kept an eye on her but didn't know what to do as there was nothing obvious wrong (apart from being bullied by the others) and she was eating and drinking.  Then on the August Bank Holiday I picked her up to check her over and she was like a little chicken-shaped hot water bottle - she was burning.  Especially under her wings.  And she did seem all ballooned up.

Took her to the vet and she could find nothing at all wrong but gave me a course of Baytril and some Flubenvet.

Anyway, I spoke to the BHWT, where I got the girls from, and we discussed the options.  I was adamant that I wasn't going to give up her as long as she wasn't suffering.  The BHWT said that problems with ex-batts were often psychological, not physical, and all you can do is hope for the best.  Some respond, some don't.  So the decision was taken to stick with it and see how she went and to think again if she stopped eating and drinking or ent any more downhill.

I separated her from the others for part of the day (but they could still see her - I simply shut her in the run and the others out), so she could eat and drink in peace, which seemed to help.

Six weeks later, she's like a feathered football!  Bigger than the others, laying again, and joining in with all the chicken things.  Others are more accepting, although they do have the odd punch-up.  Even dust-bathing in the flowerbeds, which makes me really happy to see.  

Sorry for all the waffle above but I would stick with it, if I were you.  If she doesn't appear to be suffering, and she is eating and drinking, then give her a chance.  As the BHWT suggested, it may be psychological rather than physical.  Keep an eye on her and give her lots of love, but make sure she eats her mash (are you giving them the ex-batt stuff?) as that's where she gets the best nutrition and, IMHO, I would keep treats to a minimum at the mo.

Be careful with bread - I think it can clog up their crops.  And not sure about the cod liver oil...?  Someone else can give advice on that.  I wouldn't try to be too inventive - stick to good quality proprietary food, some mixed corn/mealworms and the odd bit of veg.  I can only suggest this as it's worked for mine - someone more experienced might suggest differently.

Hope I've helped a bit - love to Fifi x

[maisy]

Thanks for this i certainly dont want to give up on her but equally dont want her to suffer, but she is wandering very slowly round the garden scratching at the moment so cant be too bad at present.I will separate her for a little each day to make sure she gets food,though they dont really push each other out too much now,and try meal worms I've never given them those.
Thanks  a lot will see what happens.

[newChickenMummy]

Hi there, I'm no expert but just from reading symptoms on here after one of my girls was ill could it be egg yolk peritonitis? If you search for it on here or/and google there should be some advice.

Kisses to Fifi xxx

[judrop]

Hiya ,
Hope your chook is ok, I have had something similar with one of my ex batts, (had them since July ) that started a week last Thursday, she was very down for about 3 days but on the Monday morning began to pick up, however she seems to have levelled out now and is just plodding along, sometimes she is a normal chicken scratching about etc, but spends a lot of time in the coop with her face in a corner.
I thought for a while she had egg yolk peritinitus, but she was still rosey , which they cant apparently if that is the problem.
I have had lots of great advice from people on here too, but still wonder what is wrong with BB ( big bird).
The best thing is that her two companions make sure there is always one of them with her, they "nurse" her, and when she was really down Coco, scratched for her and let her eat, lovely to watch.
I hope things go ok for you, incidentally I see you feed them bread do you soak it first? I was advised to make sure it was well soaked before feeding it, as if its dry it can swell up in the crop, I hadnt known that.
We will have to have a "sick chicken club" you me and New Chicken Mummy !
All the best and a big hug
Ju X

[redmolly]

Aw Ju - that is sooo sweet how the others nursed her!! Yes - bread can be bad - it can ball up!! I didn't used to worry to much - but since hatching some littlies I always make sure its soaked in either water of milk (particularly milk if I have a softish egg or eggbound hen). I also work them with bread - seeing as they love it and that way I can ensure they've all had wormer!! Hope all sick chicks are well soon!! They are such a worry!! x

[Rubellite]

You could try giving her a warm bath to clean her up. This will also help if she's eggbound.
Make sure she doesn't get chilled afterwards, keep her indoors 'til she's dry as it is cooler now.
My Myrtle had a mucky bum and seemed depressed but bucked up no end when we gave her a bath. Someone else had this too, recently (ish) and posted some great photos of their girl in the bath.

[Rubellite]

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=44557.0

This was the post I was thinking of...............

[maisy]

Hiya ,
Hope your chook is ok, I have had something similar with one of my ex batts, (had them since July ) that started a week last Thursday, she was very down for about 3 days but on the Monday morning began to pick up, however she seems to have levelled out now and is just plodding along, sometimes she is a normal chicken scratching about etc, but spends a lot of time in the coop with her face in a corner.
I thought for a while she had egg yolk peritinitus, but she was still rosey , which they cant apparently if that is the problem.
I have had lots of great advice from people on here too, but still wonder what is wrong with BB ( big bird).
The best thing is that her two companions make sure there is always one of them with her, they "nurse" her, and when she was really down Coco, scratched for her and let her eat, lovely to watch.
I hope things go ok for you, incidentally I see you feed them bread do you soak it first? I was advised to make sure it was well soaked before feeding it, as if its dry it can swell up in the crop, I hadnt known that.
We will have to have a "sick chicken club" you me and New Chicken Mummy !
All the best and a big hug
Ju X
FiFI is still rosey too so perhaps it cant be that however she seems a bit worse this morning though must be eating a little as she is still pooing.  I do soak the bread a nd only give a little between all 6.  Though FiFi used to be one of the greediest.  For a little one she was very feisty! I cant see mine being as lovely to a poorly chicken as yours but at least they arent picking on her at all which I thought they might do. Will keep an eye on her and perhaps try another bath as she sat quite contentedly for that yesterday. Thanks!

[maisy]

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=44557.0

This was the post I was thinking of...............
Did give FiFI a bath yesterday and she seemed to enjoy it will try again!  Thanks for all your advice!

[maisy]

Thanks for all your help she is no better but no worse though i think she may be getting thinner so have decided to go to the vet if she isnt improving by middle of next week.  She has quite a purple tinge to her comb which I think may be a more serious problem.  Will let you know the outcome.

[hillfooter]

  They have layers mash sometimes dry sometimes with peelings, bread etc.  I give them bioyogurt every so often, and a few times a week a little bran and oat mash with honey and cod liver oil tablet to keep them healthy.  Any advice?

I'd just stick to the layers and a handful of mixed poultry corn in the evening while she's ill and cut out the other treats which she doesn't need and might be unbalancing her diet. 

If you ocassionally feed peelings they should be cooked, particularly potato which must not be green either.  I'm not so sure about honey and cod liver oil tablets and I've never given yogurt which is sometimes recommended to help recover the digestive microflora after a treatment of antibiotics.  She certainly doesn't need these things from a nutrional perspective and feeding a cocktail of things which are supposed to "be good for their health" could be doing more harm than good.

Hope the vet comes up with some useful suggestions.

Regards