One of my ex-batts, adopted yesterday, doing classic sick hen pose

Hi,

Before I forget, here's a photo http://imgur.com/NsfCHId

So, yesterday I adopted 5 ex-batts. Most in poor condition (feathers like sticks and stumps etc). They went in the coop for the afternoon and overnight.

Today, I opened the pophole an hour after sunrise. The sick hen was first out, she took herself to the far end of the run. It took a few hours before the others came out to explore.

Anyway, peaky hen stayed put in the classic "sick hen" pose. She then laid an egg... But stayed put.

If bothered by me or another hen she will move, and when I threw down some corn she had a scratch. i saw her eat and drink last night too (they each did).

being new, its hard to say if it's shellshock from the move or what. she is the most feathered of them all so I actually expected her to be dominant,but she seems to like her quiet corner...

Any ideas? i have ACV and Nutri Drops on order (they were meant to have arrived before then hens,grr). I could buy natural yoghurt locally if that might help.

otherwise,do i just leave her to cope and see what happens?

The other 4 are hanging out together,pecking (but not nastily)and exploring,so i think she is safe and undisturbed but i wish I could perk her up.

then again yesterday will have been a huge upheaval so maybe im best giving her space for a day or two, knowing she has eaten and drunk,and laid (so not an egg issue).

helpity help! thanks

Courier showed up with various things including Nutri Drops so I've given those to her. By all accounts that can work magic on perking up a peaky hen so I'm hopeful.

Otherwise I don't have any ideas.

I'd still really welcome advice. I'm guessing it's trauma from the move as she isn't showing lameness, has laid, is eating and drinking... But when she gets a chance she sits there in classic sick hen pose with her eyes closed

If there's anything else I can do to help her, please do tell me.

Quote:
Do you have any other chickens other than the ex-batts? Just wondering since if she is sick with something contagious and you do have other hens, it will infect your other hens if you didn't quarantine.
-Banti

Coccidiosis could be a problem since they probably haven't been on dirt before. Corid in their water would treat that while they are building up resistance. Dosage is 2 tsp of the liquid, or 1 1/2 tsp of the powder per gallon of water for 5 days. Worming them would be good, with Valbazen 1/2 ml orally, then repeat in 10 days is the dose. Check them for lice and mites especially under then vents.

Hi Bantychooks and thanks

These are my first and only hens. The run has a roof too, I can't see any bird getting in there! They are vaccinated against most diseases as they were commercial hens.

So I don't think they have caught an infection or that quarantine is an issue (of course if I got any more, quarantine would be a very serious issue!)

Also, this hen seemed OK yesterday, but peaky all day today. I was warned that some hens can't manage the stress of going from cage to new home... But I hope she can make it and enjoy her new life...

Hi Eggcessive and thank you

Good point... We have been told to worm 4 times a year but that that they are very unlikely to have worms on arrival, because they've been kept in a sterile monitored environment (in cages, poor sods) and won't have had the opportunity to be exposed.

But that doesn't mean they *havent* got worms, just it is unlikely!

I ordered medicated feed when preparing for them, it isn't here yet, but as soon as it comes I will treat them as a preventative. Any day now (depends on Amazon!)

Thanks for the idea, I hadn't thought of that.

techiebabe said:

Hi Bantychooks and thanks

These are my first and only hens. The run has a roof too, I can't see any bird getting in there! They are vaccinated against most diseases as they were commercial hens.

So I don't think they have caught an infection or that quarantine is an issue (of course if I got any more, quarantine would be a very serious issue!)

Also, this hen seemed OK yesterday, but peaky all day today. I was warned that some hens can't manage the stress of going from cage to new home... But I hope she can make it and enjoy her new life...

Click to expand...

Ok, good. Just wanted to make sure you were not multiplying the problem!
-Banti

Cheers, its good to have someone sanity checking! for all the reading around Ive done, there's no substitute for experience!

Now I look at Peaky Hen's egg, it has a white band on it (the others are all fine). It looks like the first one from the egg quality page https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/common-egg-quality-problems. Suggestions of the cause are stress (very likely), artificial lighting (yes,she came from a cage environment where they light for 18 hrs a day) or infectious bronchitis (I hope not! cant see any other symptoms at all,and the others are unaffected).

After I gave her the nutri drops I went to bed (long day all round!) but when I got up at dusk to put them in the coop she was at least a bit livelier. i hope it's just stress and she is on the mend, but we will see.

I dont think theres anything else I can do tonight (730pm and dark here) so Ill see how she is when I open up in 12 hours...just hope she is ok.

any more tips (from you or anyone!) will be very welcome.

thanks again for reading and the support

How is she doing?

Hi Banti!

Similar today. She seemed a *little* better. Basically, again (day 2 now) she came straight out, to the far end of the run, and lingered there. A lot of the time she did Sick Hen pose and closed her eyes to sleep. The others ignored her, while gently pecking each other (sort of "I say, did you notice that I'm here? Oh you did, jolly good" rather than the pecking order fighting I'd been led to expect!)

She perked up when things happened, like me sharing some old baby corn or peas. She did still prefer to be alone tho. I made sure scratch reached her, and that she used the waterer and feeder. I gave her Nutri Drops again.

I'd say she was better than yesterday but it's close,and an instinct thing rather than something quantifiable.

Now they've been here a few days, and are used to me (I sit in the run a few hours a day) I'll try picking each up, feeling crop, and weighing (um. Tips for weighing, pls?!) and making notes as some have the spur like nubs, one has a toe in that orientation, a couple don't at all, etc. One has beautiful dark chocolate neck feathers (are they called hackes on girls or just boys?) so ill get my notebook out and start watching them each.

i hope Peaky is ok. At least she is laying,that rules out several issues.

Back tomorrow! Thanks so much for the support, it helps to have someone going thru this with me!