[Daisys Mum]

Some of the Bluebells that I bought fron Lanark last week are looking decidedly poorly, sitting around all puffed up they are also doing bloody caramel coloured poos, I am adding coxoid to the water and minerals to the feed is their something else I should be doing? the weather has been diabolical and they have been wet a few times. 

[Mrs Snoodles]

I doubt that there is much more your can do, other than keeping them in and perhaps boosting their diet. They have obviously been stressed via the sale and getting wet and cold will have done its bit, so  it is a matter of time (and warmth) letting them settle down.a bit of prolonged sunshine would put the world to right!

[ellied]

Sorry to piggyback with a similar problem but I've got one that has started puffing up and standing about with her head almost lost in her neck feathers the last few days.  She's been here a month or so and still goes in and out the coop, seeks shelter etc and currently gets out in the garden 12 hours a day but is relatively inactive compared to the very busy other ones, tho I have seen her drinking and eating to some degree.  She follows the rest out in the morning and back in to the run at about this time when I'm feeding corn, but just doesn't go for the grain which I'm a bit worried about, the rest go mad for corn and I'm not sure how much she is eating compared to them as the feeder is ad lib.

I'm assuming the dire weather is a major factor,  so rather than keep them in the pen til lunchtime, I started letting them all out in the garden as soon as I get up so they can choose where to shelter from the driving sleet, snow, rain etc and the rest are thriving other than the pecking I mentioned elsewhere. 
Other than control weather, am I making things worse letting them out 6-7 hours earlier these last 4 days and disrupting a routine they'd got used to?  It's just been so snowy and muddy in there that I thought they'd be happier roaming.

I bought a tonic/supplement to add to the water and assume the rest won't mind getting it, and I'm looking into getting them all a bag of the medicated wormer feed from Marriages anyway but it's just this one hen - she's a big strapping one not a weedy skinny one and not one that has been getting pecked either.

[Daisys Mum]

I now have quite a few that are poorly even some of my old girls, don't think that I will buy from Auction again. One was so bad today we put it to sleep, to be honest they look like the have pnuemonia, is that possible?

[goosepimple]

sorry to hear that Anne, they looked very robust.  Flubanvet to worm and a heat lamp in their den, some plain boiled rice shouldn't do them any harm and they may eat it warm. 
 
We once had a hen very poorly a few years back, so much so that I thought she was on her way out definately.  As a last resort I syringed a half a Rennies tablet (smashed up in water) into her.  24 hrs later she was walking about pecking around.  Don't everyone up in arms, it's a last resort.  If they have something it could of course harbour it by chalking up their insides but as a last resort its worth a try.  Just don't use the eggs for a week I expect.
 
Is it worth changing your feed - unlikely they'll be eating though I expect - I mean could it be something on that feed from the supplier that's a problem?
 
Such a pity, let us know how it goes with them.  My Welsummers are all fine and very friendly which is nice.  I'll keep an eye on them though and let you know if something goes with them in case it was something spreading at the sales. 

[mintytwoshoes]

Hi,
I bought three bluebell hens from a market last year.  Driving home they were snuffling in the back of the car.  On arrival I put them in a crate away from the others to quarantee them.. They had very runny noses and were poorly with runny poos!  Quite hunched up as well. I must admit having discovered that getting any antibiotic from the vet meant taking the chickens in to the surgery I went on line for any help!!
I found a natural antibiotic available from health stores and put a few drops into the water.  They were fine within a few days.  Kept them warm and fed them really well with sweetcorn on the cob being very tempting.  Antibiotic is also available on line from a chicken site its called Citricidal - liquid grapefruit seed extract made by higher nature.  Hope this helps and they improve its really hard when you have just bought them in.

[Daisys Mum]

Have spoken to the vet today and gotten some antibiotics. Set up a quarantine area with a clean shed so putting all poorly looking hens in there. PTS another 5 today as they were very old and due to go in the next few weeks anyway, they had totally blocked noses and struggling to breathe.
Mintytwoshoes I will get some of that as I a,m sure it would be really handy to have.
Hopefully the weather will improve soon  and I will get them wormed and give them some fresh ground.

[goosepimple]

That was good advice from m2shoes, how are the cream legbars, was it just the bluebells and your old ladies?

[mintytwoshoes]

Hi Anne,
Really feel for you, hoping things improve and you dont lose any more.

[Marches Farmer]

I treat with Tylan soluble at the first sign of a sneeze.  Birds can recover from mycoplasma but remain carriers.

[Daisys Mum]

Vet has given me Karadox for them.
 

[Mammyshaz]

  hoping you are over the worst of whatever your hens have. It sounds like the new girls brought something nasty with them.
I think the safest method is keeping new ones separate for a few weeks to avoid infecting stock. Also worm and delouse/mite as soon as they are home.
A tonic won't harm either. Good luck with them 



 

[chrismahon]

Hybrids will have the ILT and IB immunisation viruses. They flare up when stressed and with nasal discharge are highly infectious to non-immunised birds. We introduced hybrids in that condition to a Pedigree flock and all were infected with both viruses simultaneously -cost a lot to save them all. Two very very stressful weeks.


Buying from auctions can be a real gamble. We went to Melton and one cockerel died in the cage -he looked really ill when we walked past. Amazingly someone bought the three hens that were in with him and the lots either side of that cage!