[PCHStu]

I am new to the forum so hello!

Can anybody advise please? Bought  2 Lemon Pyle Brahmas, 2 Gold Brahmas and 2 Buff Orps just over a week ago...from a well known poultry provider in my area. I have kept POL before but never had a week like this one...

Noticed one of the Gold Brahmas gaping quite badly and after a day or so more than one was doing the same but not as badly so did some research and bought Flubenvet to treat them all. Seemed sensible. By day three the Lemon Pyles had formed a perfect bullying pair keeping all other four away from the Flubenvet treated food with aggressive pecking (I do understand about the pecking order but haven't seen anything like this). Even when I out extra feeders and water pots it didn't improve. The other four were absolutely terrified and couldn't get far enough away.  So I isolated the Lemon Pyles in a separate coop so the others could feed and drink safely in an approach I have tried before. By day five all the remaining four but particularly the second Gold brahma were head shaking and coughing and the second Gold Brahma now has a raspy chest.

We isolated the Lemon Pyles for four days and released them only to find the behaviour was the same as before if not more aggressive. I isolated them again as the other four birds were still terrified  and now weaker. By now my gaping Gold Brahma appears to be not feeding as well as the others and snoozes a lot making a loud clacking noise when asleep and awake.

Bizarrely the four weaker chickens still potter about in the garden and seem engaged enough but are clearly unwell but I am so concerned about their health and I haven't yet got to day 7 of the Flubenvet and the girls seem worse not better...certainly the original gaping hen hasn't improved at all. I've not given them anything other than pellets and water as it says not to while you are treating their pellets with Flubenvet. And then to top it all off we released the Lemon Pyles again and it was no better so we gave them away today.😢

If anyone is aware of the likely causes of the hens ill health I'd be really interested but our much much waited for return to chicken keeping has been a real challenge and I can only think then hens must have been in poor health when I bought them?

Thanks in advance...

[GrannieAnnie]

Firstly, sorry to hear of your woes over your new chickens.  I've had sick chooks before, but never so near to actually buying them.

Have you been in touch with the seller?  If he/she is well known, that sounds like they may have a good reputation.  They SHOULD, either give you your money back, or perhaps exchange those chickens for healthier stock.

It wasn't very often that I have had chickens returned when we reared our own to sell on.  I had a couple of cases where I'd sold a youngster of my pure breeds, only to find out that they were cockerals, so I was happy to exchange them for hens.  And in another case, like yours, a hen turned into a bully so I exchanged her too.  I like happy customers as they come back again! 

If the seller won't exchange them, and some can get quite nasty about it, then I would report them to DEFRA because if they are registered, as they should be, then DEFRA will send one of their vets out to inspect the place.

It may be an idea to find a poultry friendly vet who can look at one of the sick birds to see what is wrong and can prescribe something more effective.

Hope you get them sorted soon.

[LILLILEAF]

Hi
I agree with grannieannie,contact the seller as soon as possible,they should  take the sick birds back,i would not have any more from that seller.
If they give you your money back ,don't buy any more birds for a while,completley clean and disenfect every where the last birds have been.Give all water and feeders a good wash.
 If you keep the birds they need to go to a vet for treatment as soon as you can.

[PCHStu]

Thanks so much grannieannie and lillieleaf, your sound advice is much appreciated....today both buff orps seem to be improving....actually better than improving..they are bright and curious, pottering in the garden. Gaping gold brahma still gaping but eating and drinking now so might push the Flubenvet in for another couple of days (7 days would be Wednesday), raspy Brahma still raspy but all feeding and drinking now...

Will keep close eyes on as you advise....not sure I'd want to go back to poultry seller although I know what you are saying..and know you are right but am not that confident. I.will go somewhere else in future though.

Thanks again for your kind welcome and support, it's the first time I have joined a forum!

[Flowerpower136]

What a traumatic  time you are having. So glad they seem to have turned a corner. Understand reluctance to maybe challenge the seller, but even if you don't want refund or exchange, think they should be told you've had problems so they are at least aware there could be a problem with their flock.
Hope the girls continue to improve.