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Post by ashley on Aug 23, 2009 13:28:45 GMT 8
Hello
I've had my girls a couple of months now, I posted some picks of them and a few newbie questions at the time.
Everything has been going swimmingly until now... I may be over reacting, but this morning when I let my girls out to free range one of them didn't come out. She's spent the last couple of hours sitting on the steps of the house asleep with her tail pointed down and her wattles looking much less red than usual.
The suspect girl is a Black Australorp, she's pretty young, she laid her first couple of eggs about a month ago, but nothing since then.
I'm not sure if sh'es sick or if It's just coincidence that I haven't seen her sleep during the day until now. It's mainly the wattle colour that bothers me, it looks really washed out.
Thanks
Ashley
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betty
Junior Member
Posts: 53
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Post by betty on Aug 23, 2009 13:38:05 GMT 8
I find if my chickens are a sleep during the day that usually means they are unwell... so take it to the vet...its not exspensive and they give you treatment to fix the poor little chooken - I had a sleepy Rooster last week so off to the vet and he had the flu...now he is on injections for 6 days he is better already and we are only on day 4 of the antibiotic.
Cheers Betty
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Post by ashley on Aug 23, 2009 13:49:35 GMT 8
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betty
Junior Member
Posts: 53
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Post by betty on Aug 23, 2009 13:58:28 GMT 8
Does it have any discharge of any kind from its nose or eyes???
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Post by ashley on Aug 23, 2009 18:07:23 GMT 8
No, I can't see any discharge. She had a scratch around when I tipped a barrow load of weeds into their run this afternoon.
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Post by fluffychook on Aug 23, 2009 18:52:04 GMT 8
We need a bit more information Ashley, like anything new in diet, have they recently been wormed, have they been wormed at all, does the bird have any lumps or parasites, any sneezing or coughing. In the meantime try giving her a ricketts diet which I can not remember all the ingredients. But you can give her grated apple, rolled oats, natural yoghurt, a cooked egg yolk made up into a firm mix. They love it and it helps. Someone may remember the rest of the ingredients for you.
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Post by annieyokie on Aug 23, 2009 22:19:03 GMT 8
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Post by ashley on Aug 27, 2009 19:07:16 GMT 8
Thanks for the advice, sorry it's taken me a couple of days to reply, Boo has bounced back just fine, I on the other hand have been knocked out by a nasty vomiting virus.
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Post by Duck Diva on Aug 27, 2009 21:08:18 GMT 8
Hi Ashley, Im pleased your Boo is looking better. I have had a chook look out of sorts for a day and then fine the following. Its strange and no doubt I'll never get to the bottom of it. I think they eat alot of different things when foraging and may pick up insects or plant material that doesnt agree with them... possibly?? Im sorry to hear youve picked up a nasty bug too. get well soon. Cheers, Wendy
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Post by fluffychook on Aug 29, 2009 8:47:26 GMT 8
Great about Boo, sorry to hear about you
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Post by ashley on Aug 30, 2009 12:58:13 GMT 8
Thanks for your well wishes, I'm feeling much better now... but my saga continues, now Queenie is doing the same thing Boo was last week.
Head down, tail down, sleeping during the day, generally looking sad and not acting like herself at all. I ititially though she might just be molting because she hasn't given me an egg for the last week (she laid right through winter) but today she just look miserable.
She did have a dirty bottom yesterday, but I think that's mainly because she insists on sleeping in her nesting box and sat in her poop overnight. Still no discharge, sneezing or other symptoms that I can see (I washed her bottom yesterday and checked her over for parasites too).
She got left over vegi and lentil soup yesterday and I'm giving her that Ricketts diet today, hopefully a bit of extra nourishment wil help.
I've got some poultry wormer, I've been meaning to use it since I got them but I havent yet, I'm not sure if I should do it now or wait and see if she recovers like Boo did.
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Post by ashley on Aug 31, 2009 18:39:47 GMT 8
Wendy, Fluffy, She Died!
Queenie, who was looking down in the dumps yesterday was dead this morning when hubby opened up the coop.
I'm so sad, she was the first of my girls to lay for me and the friendliest of them.
Here I was just starting to think that this poultry keeping thing was easy-as-pie... I guess I've been put in my place.
Boo, Big Sister and Little Sister and still looking happy, but today I sanatised the whole coop, feeders, nesting boxes, everything. I've taken their water away tonight, in preperation for a dose of worming stuff in it tomorrow morning... I guess that's all I can do.
Queenie is the first pet death I've had since I was a kid, she's got a little cross in the garden now... stupidly sentimental for a chook I know.
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Post by Duck Diva on Aug 31, 2009 20:14:19 GMT 8
Oh Ashley Im so sorry for your loss You really did everything you could. I hope the others are all good. xxx W
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Post by fluffychook on Aug 31, 2009 21:29:34 GMT 8
Oh Ashley, how sad for you. We understand how you are feeling. Big hugs
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Post by horses7 on Sept 1, 2009 7:26:58 GMT 8
so sorry to hear of your loss, big hugs
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