The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: yankieGirl on September 12, 2011, 09:54:36 pm
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When it rains it pours....dead 8wk old chicken and a hen whose comb is lacking the pink color and is flopped over to one side. The flopper is in a separate area from the 23 8 wk olds.
Why? Any ideas?
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Hi - pale comb could mean red mites in the housing - coming out at night and feeding off hen and causing anaemia. Could be well into moult but indicated also by loss of feathers. Floppy comb normal in some breeds. If she is eating well and no other symptoms other than colourless comb I would check for mites - either on the bird itself or in the housing. Best of luck. Jan
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Hi,
Has the chick been vaccinated agaist coccidiosis or had any preventitive measures. 6-8 weeks is about the age they may succumb and drop down dead. You may see a little blood in their muck when alive? It is a parasite that particularly infects young chicks. Older birds may be infected but either become immune or it Becomes a low grade chronic infection. Medicated chick crumb can be given to chicks as a preventitive action. Good luck, just worth checking your other chicks for signs ofnlood in their droppings. :chook:
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Obviously check the obvious mites, worms etc but also give the hens some poultry spice and greens at this time of year to help them into the moult.
Silly animals moult when the weather gets colder ::)