[wolverine]

waited an extra day to go to the "branch " with farm specialists and she knew nothing she even said  there is a food you can give them called layers pellets !!!! How thick do they think I am?!!!! I'm gutted because I know she isn't ok bit to be told by the person you hope can help that she is fine just really annoys me anyone know a good chicken vet in Leicester ? For the record I'm getting softies / no eggs / shellless eggs and she isn't herself she has oyster shell she has been wormed we have red mite which the vet said wouldn't be the problem or they would all stop laying. Although I'm sure it is I'm just really anoyed !!!!!!

[themagicaltoad1]

There are some very unhelpful vets out there. I phoned mine when one of my chicks had what appeared to be a broken toe and was told "oh it's only a chicken, I suggest you put it down as we don't bother with them". A bit of time and TLC and it's fine now, but not what you want to hear from someone you expect help from!
Are you sure she hasn't got a broken shell stuck inside her? you could try a warm bath and a gentle feel.

[evie2]

When I asked our vet last week if he had any experience with chickens,d he pulled a face an said he'd look it up in a book

So if anyone knows of a good vet in North Derbyshire, let me know please

[joyfull]

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=26140.0
there is one in Derbyshire on here, also if you take a look there is a link to the omlet website list of poultry friendly vets.
Try also ringing around all the vets in your area, chicken keeping has become one of the fastest growing hobbies in this country and they would be daft not to start dealing with them. Also ask them if they treat parrots and other birds - sometimes they will see chickens then as they are similar.

[Kathie]

We have had a similar experience, vets don't really want to know especially if your ladies are ex batts.  We have relied on friends and other smallholders for advice and thankfully the only chickens we have lost have been through old age, oh and 1 to the fox.

[NormandyMary]

Perhaps we should write of get some sort of petition going to the British Vet Society (or whatever its called), to make sure that poultry are covered in their curriculam (sp) as well as cats and dogs etc. Im sure if you had a snake or an iguana, the vet would know enough to treat it. Its deplorable that in our hours of need, there are so few to help us. (In France too, where they'd rather just wring their necks!)

[evie2]

Unfortunately the vet knows nothing about snakes either and didn't want anything to do with my corn snake so I always go to the chap I got her from for advice, thankfully she's very healthy and we've only had to ask 3 times in 10 years and 1 was to have her sexed

The vet I asked is a director at the surgery, it's ridiculous  

[evie2]

Thanks Joyful, I've found one