[Tazzy]

 
Hi all,

Just found this forum even though I've been keeping chickens for a couple of years!

Wonder if anyone can help with this one please. I have 7 chickens of various ages, all are hybrids with the newest 4 being about 5 months old and think that one of them came in with a bug as most appear to have the sniffles. We've been keeping their nostrils cleaned up as the discharge is a bit gluey, but they all breathe normally, are very active, feed normally and still lay. However our oldest (about 2- 3 years) has in the last couple of days refused to eat/drink/lay and has clear nostrils, no sneezing etc. She is very static, getting wobbly on her legs, comb and wattles going very pale and cool. She looks as though she has given up on things, and I've been giving her small pieces of bread soaked in water which she will only take sometimes.

Anyone got any suggestions please as I can't get her to  the vet for another day or so due to bank holidays and I don't want her to suffer at all.

By the way, all are free ranging, sharing a 5 acre field with sheep, the grass is only about 3" long at most, so don't think she's bound up with grass.

Thanks,

Tazzy

[azubah]

Could she be moulting? It does make them feel poorly and because they are not laying they do not need to eat so much.

[Tazzy]

Thanks for the reply.

I'm afraid that this will go unsolved as she passed away a few hours ago, very sad, the only remaining chicken of our original batch. So, all three of our first hens died aged between 18 months and 2 1/2 years. Is that normal for hybrids? They all seemed so healthy, haven't died together; one today, one 4 weeks ago (but she had a large growth and had to be put to sleep) and one a year ago.

tazzy   

[Sassy]

I don't know what the 'normal' life expectancy of hybrids is but mine died in about the same period as yours. I know they work harder with the egg laying but rescued battery hens often go on to live a much longer life.