[debsiwood]

Hi

she has gone into quite a heavy moult which is fine as she was quite bald, and the prolapse seems to be holding.

I put her in with the rest on an afternoon but each morning I bring her in as she seems miserable and is keeping herself away from everyone else.

She is also still passing clear slimy poos and sometimes normal ones too. The vet said she was very underweight so I bring her in to make sure she is eating. Do you think it is because of her moult that her tummy seems upset?

Trouble is, I think because she is being spoilt she is not eating the normal pellets and just waiting for treats all the time.
she has been having scrambled eggs, rice, pasta,creamed rice, bread and butter, sunflower seed hearts, tuna wet cat food, banana, cheese .....
I am at a loss as how to help her and whether I am doing the right thing for her.
Do you have any ideas how I can fatten her up?
sorry I am clueless
Debra

[ANHBUC]

If she is not laying you can feed her growers pellets.  Soak them in boiled water to make a porridge.  Cut out all of the treats, they will not be doing her system any good.  The pellets are a balanced diet so are all she needs.  She might not want the pellets at first but if she isn't offered anything else she will soon come round.   

[debsiwood]

yes i thought as much. Right I will get straight on it.
 I will keep you informed
Thanks for your help.

[ANHBUC]

Another thought, if you can get hold of breeders food for poultry that would give her an extra boost if she has lost weight.   

[joyfull]

if you are going to give her growers make sure it is the none medicated type otherwise when she does lay an egg you will have to throw it away and also make sure you don't let the others have them. Most egg laying breeds (as opposed to meat birds) are thin and unless your vet is a knowledgeable poultry vet they will think she is underweight as they think of them in terms of the birds on the shop selves in the chillers. If you pick up another bird of the same breed and age then check her weight against your poorly bird.

she has been having scrambled eggs, rice, pasta,creamed rice, bread and butter, sunflower seed hearts, tuna wet cat food, banana, cheese
With the exception of the sunflower hearts and a little (and I do mean a very little) bit of banana (peeled outside not in your house to prevent any cross contamination) it is illegal to feed these to your birds, and the sunflower hearts should only be given very occasionally as a treat (perhaps just 2 or 3 per day) as they are high in oil.

Please get her back to eating proper food that has been formulated to contain the necessary blend of vitamins and minerals needed to be healthy and produce eggs. 

[debsiwood]

It is illegal to feed household food to chickens?

If so, I didn't know this. I was only trying to boost her weight a little bit as she was in a sorry state.

However, I have been giving her poultry spice and have cut out ALL treats and she has picked up a little.

She was asserting herself with one of the younger birds as they were feeding yesterday. And her prolapse seems to be holding.

Thanks again to all for your amazing advice 

[joyfull]

Yes it is illegal - please read this message that DEFRA very kindly sent to me just to clarify the law.

[ANHBUC]

Glad she seems to be on the mend.  Best to keep a close eye on her though, if she starts to lay again she could suffer another prolapse.

[debsiwood]

hi

I've just had Henry to the vets again as she stopped eating and drinking. I kept her warm last night in my sittingroom. She didn't have any energy and wanted to be on her own.

I took her today and the vet said he thinks it is peritonitis. She is on 2 lots of medicine. The banana flavoured antibiotics from most peoples child hood  and kaolin to help the runny poos.

He is also sending away a sample too of poo just to check its nothing else.

He said as long as she is eating and drinking and taking her meds, she should be ok Hopefully!!

I am worried about her eating though as she does not want her pellets or corn. So I am hoping it is just because she is being stuborn and waiting for something more tasty.

I was also told that under no circumstances was anyone allowed to eat her eggs. She needs to take them for 2 weeks and then we still can't have them until a month after that.
So unless I see her lay, I will have to throw the lot out. She isn't laying at all at the moment either because she is moulting. (I don't think)

I don't have anywhere seperate i can keep her through the day when I am at work.

So I will be glued to the TV that has a camera linked up to it to watch them in the coup, so all is not lost I suppose as I am always watching them laying. Its fasinating
As long as Henry is ok, thats the main thing.

Hope this is useful to anyone having the same problems.

[ANHBUC]

I hope that the latest medication sorts Henry out for you.

You could try a little boiled water on layers pellets to make a porridge, this sometimes tricks them in to thinking they are getting a treat.  They are also getting fluids at the same time which is a bonus.   

[debsiwood]

Great idea thanks.

I have just had to physically put her in the coup. She was hiding underneath in the huff from being force fed medicine, which by the way took 2 of us to do it.
Very fiesty grumpy girl !!

I will keep you posted.

thanks again x

[joyfull]

if you wrap a towel around her it does make giving them their medicine a lot easier 

[debsiwood]

  We did. she was livid.

It was hilarious. Trouble is I have to do it twice a day and now she is wise it will be alot worse.

 

[debsiwood]

Vet has just rang and said Henry's sample tested positive for coccidiosis. The meds she prescribed should after 10 to 14 days, have her on the mend thank goodness. She said it is caused because of being kept in wet conditions.

I did move them 2 months ago onto a hard standing area as where they were was prone to flooding and was very very muddy.

So I have to be careful as she will be passing the bug through pooing and the other chickens could pick it up. So extra house keeping for me 

She is however much better today. Eating PELLETS!!!!  and drinking as normal. I am still unsure as to whether she has laid. I haven't managed to catch her doing it. But she seems to be heading in the right direction. 

[ANHBUC]

That is a mixture of good and bad news but gladly she sounds as if she is on the mend.  A hens comb usually loses some of its colour and shrinks when they stop laying for a while so that may be an indicator.

Some info on Coccidiosis here

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=4345.0

My broody Dotty has 9 week old chicks and I noticed a change in the size and colour of her comb this week and then found an egg in their run.  It must have taken her by suprise as she didn't lay it in the nest box.