[mintytwoshoes]

Hi,
Bought five 12 week hens a couple of weeks ago, have had them in isolation.  Spent two days this week out in the run on their own but in a warmish shed at night.  Realised that one of them is a cockeral as he is growing colour it is an auracana so getting yellow feathers on the grey.  He is now listless and not really eating, sitting in the corner and all tucked up.  Any thoughts or suggestions.  The others are perfectly well.  They came from a good supplier.  I can return the cockeral as I thought it was a hen but in the meantime I need to bring him back up.  I have tried apple cider vinegar in the water, he has pecked as a little food but them gives up and goes back to the corner.

[mojocafa]

Hi Minty, cant offer you any advise, hope you get to the bottom of whats wrong.
are all 5 auracanas?
Brandy, my dumpy cockeral I got from you is doing just fab
Mojo

[jaykay]

That tucked up and listless look is often coccidiosis and it can appear when chickens are bought and sold, as moving is a bit stressful, so it gives the bugs that were there chance to multiply. It could also be worms, who start causing problems for the same reason.

However, if it was coccidiosis, you'd expect to see him with watery poo or mucky feathers round his bum? What's his breathing like? Any rattle or bubbling round his nares?

Have you wormed them anyway, with them being new onto your place?

[mintytwoshoes]

Hi
He is not rattling and does not seem to be in any way mucky round the rear end.  Just hunched up. Should I isolate as he is with the others.

[mintytwoshoes]

Hi Mojo,
Good to hear from you, the new chickens are mixed, two are araucanas.  So pleased Brandy is doing well, I still miss him but the other dumpy and cochin are friendly too.  I shall look forward to news of his offspring.
Hope you are ok with the cold and the snow.

[jaykay]

Yes, I'd bring him in somewhere warm and quiet. Doesn't sound good 

[chrismahon]

I agree with Jaykay. Isolate and observe. Make sure he is eating and poos are fine. Try a shot of Cod Liver Oil with multivitamins -0.5mL per Kg bodyweight we use. We call it 'a little shot of sunshine' as it can pick them up immediately. Just one shot though as two has the opposite effect we discovered.

[mintytwoshoes]

Thanks, I will isolate him - they are all in the store which has the boiler in so he is in a warm place.  Where can I get the cod liver oil with multivit?  I have given him chick crumb today as it has coccistat thinking it might help - he is eating better today but still goes off hunched up in the corner.