[DebbieG]

Hello All,

I'm new to the forum and hope there may be somebody who could help me?

I have a Barnevelda chicken who is about 5 months old. She started laying eggs one every day or so but she hasn't laid any for about 5 days and she seems to be under the weather. She has some diarrhoea, mainly a white creamy colour! and she is very lethargic. She seems to want to go to sleep all the while even during the day and is closing her eyes even when standing up. She is not showing a lot of interest in food. She is mainly free range I keep her with a Rhode Island Red who is absolutely fine.

If anybody could offer any suggestions I would be very grateful.  :?

[muntjac]

she may be egg bound if she has been laying well the white liquid is urates the urine in chickens . take her into a warm place and look at her vent is it red and protruding? if so put her in a bath of warm soapy water .this will relax her vent  hold her there for about 20 mins ,rub some vasaline or ky jelly around and just inside the vent ...... do not put any pressure on the stomach as this may break the egg and cause even more problems, i do this with bad birds and usually get results , next if you get an egg out you need to isolate her on paper and straw  she may well have other eggs locked up behind the first with luck she wil pass these . if you dont see an egg you may need to get it out manually . using ky jelly just put a small amount on the tip of one finger and massage it inside the vent . now  gently massage the lump down from the rib to the anus  ,now if an egg pops out do as above and isolate her . she may well now have a prolapsed cloaca to put this right pop it back in with a finger ... like putting a finger in a glove .turn your finger right to left as you remove it to leave the prolapse behind .. now put the chicken on only wheat and water for a couple months and isolate it for a full week to 10 days until it perks up making sure it has grit and oestra.this will stop other hens attacking her vents also  this feeding may bring on a moult and she wil stop laying so giving her innards a chance to repair ......
if in the event an egg breaks inside her remove the remains very gently and wash her vent with warm salty water to prevent bacteria building up

if you see cuts on her cloaca  vent treat with hydrogen peroxide.. hope this helps .. also treat her with a bit of dandelion leaf daily

[Peverill4]

I have the same problem with a POL Maran but she is also sneezing, no discharge from nose or eyes. Any sugestions

[muntjac]

have you changed the bedding in tha last few days  pev?

[DebbieG]

Thank you for you advice. I think it sounds like a 2 person job so I'll wait for some help to arrive and let you know how I get on.

Mnay thanks

[muntjac]

no probs lots more help n advice her from the chuck brigade    

[Peverill4]

I only got her on Saturday but she was sneezing in the car, I've got them on straw. The others seem ok

[muntjac]

well then i hope she is isolated from the others ..... any other things she is/isnt doing mate?

[Peverill4]

she is eating and drinking but I can't get her to perch. I have e mailed the place I got her from and waiting for a reply

[muntjac]

give her some ( oh not dandelions again ) dandelions and keep her warm n fed n watered

[Peverill4]

thanks for your help I have isolated her and contacted the breeder he is going to collect her and give me another he thinks it may be shock of transportation and got an infection

[Aunt Sally]

thanks for your help I have isolated her and contacted the breeder he is going to collect her and give me another he thinks it may be shock of transportation and got an infection

Sounds like the breeder knows he has a broblem with some of the  birds in his flock  :evil:

[muntjac]

yeh methinks the same watson

[Aunt Sally]

Suspicious lot ain't we Munty  :!:

[muntjac]