Author Topic: hen under the weather (Read 2415 times)

northfifeduckling · « **on:** January 19, 2012, 12:55:57 pm »

one of my girlies has stopped laying about 10 days ago and she seems listless and unhappy. Some others are having a go at her when she's around them (so she hides next to the ducks, poor soul). She has lost quite a bit of feathers around the rear and a quite a few on her back are broken rather than shed. No sign of mites or lice though. Could she be moulting at this time of the year?

OhLaLa · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2012, 01:12:50 pm »

Moulting usually is initially around the chest area.

Broken feathers on the back are often done by the cockeral.

She could be being pecked around the rear, if they have drawn blood they will keep doing it and that will certainly make her unhappy and listless, and she will try to keep away from them if this is the case. She will go downhill if they continue.

Can you put her into a hen ark where she can shelter, go inside at night and still be seen by the others during the day? This will give her time to herself if she is being pecked by others and give her a chance to recuperate.

Give her something tasty as a treat and see if she is eating ok (for example, a bit of tuna fish in it's oil, or some made up porridge oats).

Also, has she been wormed recently?

Hope she picks up, let us know how she does.

Best wishes.

PetiteGalette · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2012, 01:18:29 pm »

As OhLaLa says, to be safe, I'd isolate her from the others because, if the others, including the cockerel keep bullying her and draw blood, she'll be a gonner.
The weather has been very mild and yes, even in normal winters, they can fully moult this time of year.

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2012, 01:35:52 pm »

wormer, poultry spice and anti-pecking spray on order - thanks for your advice, will separate her in the prison oops, eglu , overnight. So far no blood has been drawn but she did look red over the first few days which improved with nightly dusting of beastie powder and diatom. She did have a rough time with him when she was in lay but I've not seen the boy with her since she went on the break

OhLaLa · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2012, 01:39:42 pm »

Keep her in there for a few days and keep an eye on her.

chrismahon · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2012, 08:17:46 pm »

Sounds like she could have been internally injured by the cockerel treading her. Separate as said. When she is recovered and re-introduced she will need a saddle to protect her back because, once the feathers have gone, it is easy for her skin to tear. She may be moulting as well which doesn't help -some of ours have got confused with the mild weather and have mini-moulted with a loss of tail feathers. Danger there is with feather pecking but anti-peck spray stops them preening as well. We usually spot the pecker and isolate her rather than the pecked.