[broodyhen]

Hi!

We have 2 hens (at the moment) Pat who is Speckedly and Gladys who is a Warren. Currently Pat is sitting (very patiently) on fertile eggs and fingers crossed the eggs should hatch next weekend. Gladys we got at POL and she is wonderful! Talks to me (don't laugh!) she is so tame eats out of our hands and gets on well with our pet dog. However, I am really concerned about her, over the last week she hadn't laid any eggs which I put down to her pal sitting and generally not being around for her (we have 2 nest boxes) but to my surprise she laid 2 days and we had another yesterday, but for the last 2 days she looks terribly depressed. Not talking when we approach her, she isn't feeding she is drinking, her has the runs. I did notice her eating alot of maggotts a few days ago could this have upset her?? They weren't on anything dead or putrid. Her crest feels slightly warmer than usual. I really don't know what to do as we had these as pets and have enjoyed every single minute of having them.

We are all really worried. Please help 

[poultrygeist]

Hi broodyhen. Welcome 

If you want to check her temperature, you can place your hand under her wing where it joins the body and compare her with your other hen.
If she feels overly warm, she'll need some anti-biotics which you can only get from a vet.

Watery poo can indicate a few things. Have a look at the poo thread http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=17568.0

ROb

[Vember]

Hi BHen

Welcome to the Hen House

A few things that may be worth checking on Gladys :

Have a feel underneath her vent and down towards her legs to see is you can feel anything egg shaped there?

Also check round her vent for any creepy crawlies

Check the coop for red mites, these only come out at night and feed off the hens, they live in nooks and crannies in the coop  

The other thing is to have a feel at her crop, first thing in the morning before she has any food, it should feel empty, in fact it's quite tricky to tell where it is if it isn't full

There is some info here on the creepy crawlies :
 http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=5250.0


Sarah

[broodyhen]

Thanks for your messages  but just a few hours of me posting our SOS she passed away. I managed to have a good at her and she had quite an infestation of what looked like headlice. I sprayed her but it was much too late she had crawled into the nest box where Pat is sitting and died. I am now really concerned for Pat and the chicks (which are due next weekend). Please God don't take them all.  We are all devastated 

[Vi]

You poor dear!  I'm sorry to hear she's passed away.  Are you able to keep the others dusted with the lice treatment?

[broodyhen]

Thank you. Well Pat is sitting tight on eggs so I'm going to try my best to treat her - I'm just concerned for her and the chicks (if they hatch) because they seem so little and vunerable. I thought keeping hens was going to be easy and stressfree but we are really finding if difficult just from the loss of one!   Tell me its worth it and to continue! 

[poultrygeist]

If you have a read of this page http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=5250.0 it shows what the lice look like and explains what products you can use.

Whereabouts are you ?

There may be somewhere open today where you can buy treatments. You can be sure they'll have spread to Pat. Try and check her over best you can and it may help to give her some poultry spice and a bit of non-chicken cat food to keep her strength up just in case.

It's important to treat her as quickly as possible so you can be sure the lice/mites are gone by the time the eggs hatch.

Rob

[broodyhen]

Rob your advice is invaluable thank you!

We have moved the coop racked all the area cleaned out the coop, sprayed Pat and the coop and she has gotten straight back onto her eggs after feeding and having a good preen, dust bath etc. I couldn't see anything like what Gladys had so we are hopeful. I will continue to do this a few times this week so the chicks will be ok.

Another question what do I put the chicks on because at the moment Pat is on wood shavings and I read somewhere that chicks may eat them??  Btw we are near Lichfield, Staffs.

Broodyhen - feeling a little better 

[poultrygeist]

That sounds like good news 

Tbh I've no experience of chicks so wouldn't want to recommend anything but hopefully someone will be able to advise you.

They'll probably be fine while mum's with them to tell them what to do. 

Rob

[cathangirl]

Hiya broodyhen,
So sorry about poor Gladys.
Yes, it is worth carrying on with hens; they are brilliant entertainment, although we do have sad times occassionally.

I have answered your Q on another thread, but wood shavings are fine for baby chicks to be on.  Straw, however, is a definite No - No as the chicks could tangle their little legs in it and suffer injuries.
Good luck.
cathangirl

[jjmack]

Hi broodyhen, i am near Lichfield too. There is a new chicken place in Whittington where i think you can get bits and pieces from. If you PM me I can send you the link, not sure if you are allowed to put links on. I haven't got my hens yet but am really keen to jumping in, just researching around. The guy in whittington sounded really nice and helpful.

[Foxy]

Hi broodyhen, i am near Lichfield too. There is a new chicken place in Whittington where i think you can get bits and pieces from. If you PM me I can send you the link, not sure if you are allowed to put links on. I haven't got my hens yet but am really keen to jumping in, just researching around. The guy in whittington sounded really nice and helpful.

thats OK you can pop the link on!

[Chookster]

Thanks for your messages  but just a few hours of me posting our SOS she passed away. I managed to have a good at her and she had quite an infestation of what looked like headlice. I sprayed her but it was much too late she had crawled into the nest box where Pat is sitting and died. I am now really concerned for Pat and the chicks (which are due next weekend). Please God don't take them all.  We are all devastated 

oh i'm so sorry, that's really sad 

one thing's for sure, you came to the right place for support.x

[jjmack]

The link is www.maddieschicks.co.uk they are near Lichfield and very friendly when I spoke with them.