[buckrabbit]

Hi, this is my first post, anyway we have 17 ex battery hens, for three weeks everything seems ok apart from one, its wing seems to be drooping and it sounds a bit weezy. after a week they were strong enough to get on to the perches after much trying and failure, i thought it had hurt its wing trying to perch but it hasnt recovered and this past week it sounds a bit weezy should i be worried?

[poultrygeist]

Hi buckrabbit. Just spotted your post so I'll bump it up to the top in the hope someone will be able to advise.

I don't know what the problem might be although obviously ex-batts are not always strong enough to survive for long and may be susceptible to various infections.

Hopefully you'll get some advice soon.

Rob  

[poultrygeist]

Welcoem to the forum by the way.  
Very rude of me  :shock:

rob  

[Aunt Sally]

First of all check the wing for any broken bones.  Battery hens often suffer with osteoporosis.

If she has a wheeze I would separate her from the others until you decide what is causing it.  If it stays or gets worse then some antibiotics may be needed (or .......)

There is the possibility that it could also be Marek's disease

[babe]

Hi, this is my first post, anyway we have 17 ex battery hens, for three weeks everything seems ok apart from one, its wing seems to be drooping and it sounds a bit weezy. after a week they were strong enough to get on to the perches after much trying and failure, i thought it had hurt its wing trying to perch but it hasnt recovered and this past week it sounds a bit weezy should i be worried?

do you have a photo? she may have hurt wing, which may be inflamed putting  a little pressure on her insides.

after being so confined, they dont realise how vulnerable they are to even the smallest fall.

[Foxy]

Hi, this is my first post, anyway we have 17 ex battery hens, for three weeks everything seems ok apart from one, its wing seems to be drooping and it sounds a bit weezy. after a week they were strong enough to get on to the perches after much trying and failure, i thought it had hurt its wing trying to perch but it hasnt recovered and this past week it sounds a bit weezy should i be worried?

do you have a photo? she may have hurt wing, which may be inflamed putting  a little pressure on her insides.

after being so confined, they dont realise how vulnerable they are to even the smallest fall.

Was thinking may be a mechinical injury too,is it just the one wing? is she eating and drinking, her behaviour normal?If she has bumped her wing and chest may also affect her breathing. Battery hens are healthy just very weak as not used to using muscles.
Auntie thought that batterys were vaccinated against Mareks? I know not an infailable vaccine though...

[Aunt Sally]

Battery hens are vaccinated against Marek's but it does not stop them from catching the virus.  I stops them going on to produce the tumours which cause  death.

[Foxy]

thanks Auntie I never understood why the mareks vaccine  didn't always work! :shock:

[buckrabbit]

Checked out her wing no sign of any damage, shes eating,moving about and laying as normal, the wheeze is no worse hopefully its just a mishap, i will just keep a close eye on her. Thanks for the advice.