Author Topic: confused-sick flock..... (Read 4519 times)

zeeteecee · « **on:** July 13, 2011, 07:08:30 am »

20 Rangers, had diarrhoea and some coughing for over a week.
The diarrhoea seems to be slowly resolving now.
Vet thinks its probably worms.
Yesterday one hen had temperature&very doughy crop so vet gave her antibiotic inj.& i'm giving liquid paraffin till the crop clears.
today however the others seem to be off their food a bit & their crops feel the same as hers.

Vet said that it could just be their system returning to normal after diarrhoea.
Anyone have any experience of this kind of thing, and how do I help shift this doughy crop in the whole flock? Don't really want them all to end up with temperatures etc!

Should i withdraw feed for a day or should i feed em something different for a while? Theyre just on layers with occasional chopped greens, although i have held off on the greens whilst theyv had diarrhoea.

just dont want to lose any-iv only had em 5wks!!!

wellywearer · « **Reply #1 on:** July 13, 2011, 08:55:52 am »

I'm very sorry to hear of your poorly hens, you must be very worried. Re feed, I have been advised in the past by a vet to feed mixed corn to hens with digestive probs as it passes through the system more slowly than pellets. I don't know about the crop thing tho' but I'm sure that someone with expert knowledge will be online soon. Sometimes if a hen has had a very heavy worm burden and is wormed, it can go downhill for a bit. If that was the case I would be trying mixed corn, cider vinegar in the water and maybe some poultry spice? Also think about giving their house a good clean with something like virkon or poultry shield just in case the problem wasn't worms. Keep your chin up, you did the right thing calling the vet. Hope things improve, let us know

little blue · « **Reply #2 on:** July 13, 2011, 08:45:59 pm »

contact the place you got them from - if you'd only had 'em 5 weeks then there could be problems in the flock they came from.

good luck

zeeteecee · « **Reply #3 on:** July 16, 2011, 09:30:38 am »

most droppings back to normal now,
not heard any coughing to speak of,
but they're not eating as much as before!
House is kept v v clean-i have a routine i stick rigorously to after a bad experience in another shed.
I also contacted the people i bought them from and they just said i should get the vet to prescribe antibiotics. All hens are looking ok, running to and devouring 'treats' which i throw out for them, just the daily layers ration is not being eaten fully when they had been in the past.
i will try a pick me up like poultry spice or cider vinegar.
I'm trying to flubenvet them at the moment so hope they eat it all!
the one who had antibiotics seems healthy enough!

still confused but they r not in any immediate danger so we carry on!
hoping their appetite returns before it affects the lay!

Thankyou for your help & ideas!
Z

jaykay · « **Reply #4 on:** July 16, 2011, 04:17:00 pm »

Glad to hear they're doing better but odd about the lack of appetite. Has it been hot where you are, could that have affected it? Flubenvet sounds like a good plan

TheCaptain · « **Reply #5 on:** July 16, 2011, 05:34:21 pm »

lack of appetite or just a return to 'normal'? I had a soldier once who was extremely sickly, used to eat like a horse but was always ill, didn't come from the best of backgrounds. Eventually he collapsed on exercise and was medevaced out. Turns out he had a massive worm burden in his stomach. Worms killed, back to health but ate about a quarter of what he was eating. Same thing with your chicks; no longer having to support the massive worm burden therefore not eating anywhere near as much? That's my theory anyhoo...

zeeteecee · « **Reply #6 on:** July 16, 2011, 06:39:46 pm »

ha ha-captain, love the example!
I may have thought same as you but as i only started the flubenvet this morning i'm certain it can't be that!
And, (tee hee!) my hens come from the very BEST of backgrounds!

I will try mixing their flubenvet with some lovely porridge oats and layers pellets tomorrow-they seem to like em!
There is still some coughing but this could still resolve with worming i suppose!
If theres no change after the worming,i'll have to consult my vet!
Z

wellywearer · « **Reply #7 on:** July 16, 2011, 08:58:54 pm »

Just an idea for next time you have to worm them, Marriages make layers pellets with the flubenvet in them. They aren't too much more expensive than food plus flubenvet and are so much more convenient, no fiddly measuring or wastage etc. We buy on line and have them delivered, easy! (and things that are easily done are more likely to get done!!

) Hope the chooks are perking up!

zeeteecee · « **Reply #8 on:** July 17, 2011, 12:13:44 pm »

Thanks for the info!
It's only between 3 and 4 months since my others were wormed and I've only had these rangers since end of May.
I think most of the birds are recovered completely, but htere are 1 or 2 who are still off their food, so the wormer won't work!
I am 'forcefeeding' the ones with empty crops a little feed/flubenvet mixture to hope it does the job. They are also on a tonic which says it helps to increase appetite so we'll see.There's some headshaking and coughing still so wondering if it's gapeworm.
If theres not any improvement in the next couple of days I'm calling the vet in!
Had enough of this and its taking too long to resolve!
onward and upward!

wellywearer · « **Reply #9 on:** July 18, 2011, 09:29:45 am »

I know that the vet has already been and checked out the first poorly chuck, but coughing and head shaking? Could it be mycoplasma? Do they have a watery, bubbly discharge from their eyes? I know I shouldn't try to diagnose, after all I'm not a vet and can't even see your chooks - and I don't want to worry you needlessly if you have already discounted this! But in case you haven't, google it and see if it sounds like what your hens have - then if it does you can suggest it to the vet. Hope by now they are all back to normal and that you can just ignore me!!

zeeteecee · « **Reply #10 on:** August 15, 2011, 08:44:18 am »

no,not mycoplasma.... never been any discharge at all and only one bird affected. Its 3weeks since the worming,and the hen is still coughing a very little (but loads better!) so i think it could have been gapeworm and then possiblty some irritation caused by the worm in the windpipe which took a bit longer to clear up.