[The Ouma's]

:cry: I have 3 youngish cjickens who have not started laying yet - Lettie one of the two older ones who seems quite late to lay seems really under the weather - She is not as excited as she usually is, her tail is low some of the time, she does not want to hang about with the other girls and has a mixture of rather off poo - sometimes bilely?? frothy?? - No pictures I am affraid . . . .
Is there something I can do to help her or has she eaten something?? Is it because she is late laying - So many questions sorry just worried about the little dumpling.

[compostqueen]

she might be about to lay. Have a look in the hen house as there's a whole section of poo pictures which might help.

Someone will be along in a short while who can give you the help you need  

[Vember]

Hi & welcome

As CompostQueen has said have a look here
http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=17568

Does the poop look like any of those,  sounds to me like a caecal poop which is normal
Sometime they do get a bit "down" before they lay as sometimes the first ones can be soft shelled.
Is everything else ok? Breathing normal? Eye's bright etc...?


Have a look at the poop photo's then let us know which it looks like then we can go from there

Sarah

[The Ouma's]

HI to you both and thank you for the quick replies
I have checked out the poo pages  :? - very impressive. Her poo has looked like a mixture of the Caecel poop which is frothy although White not brown, a very watery brown poop and a few were more like the abnormal poop with the greenish poo in the funny watery fluid - although again this was white . . .
Apart from being a little quite and more docile she seems in good health - eyes are bright. Her breathing sometime seems heavier than usual - especially when her tail is down - it is like she is making very deep breathes???
Any advice or reassurance is very welcome.
  Thanks

[Vember]

A very green poop might suggest worms - but you say they are young :?
The ground you have them on has it ever had birds on before?
I shall ask Aunt Sally to have a look at your post - she's better on the poops than me
A photo would be handy though

Hopefully she is down due to an eggy been on the way.

Just a couple of other questions that may help
Have a feel under one of her wings dose & then under one of your other girls, does the poorly one feel hotter?
Is she eating and drinking?
Have they got access to grit & oyster shell - helps make the egg

Sarah

[The Ouma's]

I'll see what I can about a photo - These are the first birds I have owned and as far as i am awrae the previous owner of my house did not own any either.

I will go and check the temp under wings and see if she is hot. Otherwise she seems to be eating and drinking and have access to the garden and extra grit / shell in the supercorn which I was advised would be a good suppliment ?
 Thanks for all your help it is appreciated

[Aunt Sally]

It could be worms picked up from wild birds so a course of flubenvet before they start laying would be a good idea.  

She may be moulting, even a partial mould can upset them and give them a runny tummy.  

I am presuming their main feed is layers pellets !   but she may be eating too much of something like spinach which will loosen her.  Cut out any extra treats you give them from the kitchen for now.

Keep an eye on her and if the problem does not resolve within a week or so I'd get a profesional opinion just incase she needs some antibiotics.

[smiler43]

I'd worm them.  Mine had worms, I wormed mine not long after having them and they did have them.  Some of mine where like you described, and laid soft eggs after looking like that, usually a day though.  Usually after the soft egg they return to normal, keep an eye out for it as they can lay it anywhere.

Same as Aunt Sally though if no change get them looked at.

[Foxy]

Just a question -is she eating and drinking?
How is she standing ,for example is she looking "fluffed up?" Is she holding her wings normally or do they look a little droppy?

[The Ouma's]

Thank you - I will def get them wormed as I guess that won't do them any harm anyway???

And yes they mainly eat layers pellets with some kitchen treats and supercorn (both of which will be withhled until further notice)

In reply to Foxy - She is eating and drinking. Most of the time she is standing OK and looks normal - I haven't noticed her wings drooping but this evening before bedtime I noticed she was a little lethergic with her walking - Not her usual boisterous strides. She also didn't have it in her to step over the small chicken wire fence but instead kinda nose dived over it???

[karlooben]

Just a question -is she eating and drinking?
How is she standing ,for example is she looking "fluffed up?" Is she holding her wings normally or do they look a little droppy?

foxy that is just how one of mine is looking an her wings have seemed a bit more droppy then normal .

[Foxy]

thanks for answering our hundreds of questions!
 One last thing.....can you feel anything firm between her legs? The reason why I am asking is wondering if there is an egg stuck there? That can make them feel very off colour and a little wobbly on their pins....just a thought?

[karlooben]

yet another good tip from a more expericenced person  

will check tomorw , if yes to the question how do u remove it  :?:  :?  :? please dont tell me i got to put my fingers somewhere   :shock:

[The Ouma's]

:shock: I'm with you on that one Karlooben!!! Although what needs to be needs to be I suppose.
Thanks Foxy - I will check tomorrow. Will it be really apparent? or should I compare to Barbara - Chicken number 2

[Foxy]

Hi -firstly have a good feel of your hens that are normal  so you know what normal feels like!-have a feel between their legs gently, then compare to the poorly hen, an egg bound hen should be quite obvious -also the vent will be puckering a lot and she will be visiting the nestbox often and sitting but not laying an egg. Other symptoms are a droopy tail and a slightly waddling walk sometimes looking a bit unbalanced. and looking very miserable. Just a thought anyway.

Karlooben -I must admit your hen is sounding more like she may be suffering from Chronic Respiratory Disease def will need antibotics like Tylan (tylosin) which can be given to all of then in water as Vember has already suggested.