Our last hen is a Buff Orp. This spring she will be 9.
Overall been in good health. Now she has a bad hip which keeps her from getting around well
Her legs are a bit short and geometry is off some. Breeding i guess. I give her baths but now include a nice soak of those thighs. It helps her old bones.
Always seemed to have nose issues, as if her nose holes were a bit too small.
Corid in the fall.
In the past we have used Valbazen for worming. I have not wormed her with that this year.
Poops are fine. Regular intervals. Right color, not runny. Clean fluffy butt and vent is pink and clean. Crop is emptying. No bad or yeasty smell to breath.
Has access to grit and calcium. I push the fresh water on her. We have spring water at our home.
We do not have access to a vet which handles "exotics."
Recent issues i noticed.
Runs out of steam, less active, quiet. Head down. Out of breath.
So i started really working on her. This is what i have done.
Confirmed leg mites. Last month I did 3 rounds of Ivermectin following advice from this site. First dose i was new at it and think i got more in her feathers than on her but did notice her feet pink up some. Repeated 2 more at 2 week intervals while washing her feet. They look much better, more pink and scales are starting to grow in new. Less swelling on her right leg. She seemed to perk up after that.
Sprayed the coop, yard and around it with T.C Pyrethrin. Mixture recommended on this site.
Long molt this winter. Added vitamins meant for molting and increased proteins some.
This winter has been rainy and i do keep her in as it can be wet and moldy and just gross and i dont want her sitting in a big empty coop yard alone. It is covered and i do keep a fan for circulation but still...... We have a playpen inside we put her in and i do hold her. She loves to snuggle.
When its nice shes out and protected. I still do our old habit we had with the flock and walk her around the house every evening and up a hill. Slowly as her hip is bad.
OK..i fed her too many treats and cracked corn with not enough walking due to the rain. Shes rather plump.
I have started a diet. More greens and layer feed. https://www.purinamills.com/chicken-feed/products/detail/purina-layena-pearls-feed
Question- is this a good diet for a chicken to lose weight? Do i need to add more supplements taking into account her age?
Past few weeks she has been very alert, active, talkative. Doing really good! I am happy BUT
She is out of breath a lot. Breathing hard at times, sometimes open her mouth for a gasp or 2. I pick her up and she opens her mouth slightly to breath. I clean her nose and used a bit of saline spray. Inside i keep a fan on her to assure she is not overheating
So..lose weight, exercise more. More walks. I let her walk until she winds herself than rest.
Lung infection maybe? I have started her on 1ML (100mg) of Baytril 10% daily. Her weight is between 5 and 6 pounds. I split the dose. Half in morning, half in evening
My question are: I used ivermectin. Does this not take care of intestinal worms as well? Gapeworms?
Is the Baytril dose enough if its a lung issue and should i give it all at once or is splitting it ok?
Can anyone think of any other reason she would be short of breath?
I just checked on her. She is not gasping, breathing is a bit up but she is not active. Worse when she is active.
We are going out of town this weekend. We are taking her and i want to assure she is in the best health she can be in and the recommended care is continued while out of town.
I know its a long post. Shes our last hen. Our daughters 4H chickens i helped raise. Now our daughter is married last April and is moved.
To think from the time she was a chick until now-if she was a child-she would be in 4th grade!
I am not liking this empty nest very much.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Overall been in good health. Now she has a bad hip which keeps her from getting around well
Her legs are a bit short and geometry is off some. Breeding i guess. I give her baths but now include a nice soak of those thighs. It helps her old bones.
Always seemed to have nose issues, as if her nose holes were a bit too small.
Corid in the fall.
In the past we have used Valbazen for worming. I have not wormed her with that this year.
Poops are fine. Regular intervals. Right color, not runny. Clean fluffy butt and vent is pink and clean. Crop is emptying. No bad or yeasty smell to breath.
Has access to grit and calcium. I push the fresh water on her. We have spring water at our home.
We do not have access to a vet which handles "exotics."
Recent issues i noticed.
Runs out of steam, less active, quiet. Head down. Out of breath.
So i started really working on her. This is what i have done.
Confirmed leg mites. Last month I did 3 rounds of Ivermectin following advice from this site. First dose i was new at it and think i got more in her feathers than on her but did notice her feet pink up some. Repeated 2 more at 2 week intervals while washing her feet. They look much better, more pink and scales are starting to grow in new. Less swelling on her right leg. She seemed to perk up after that.
Sprayed the coop, yard and around it with T.C Pyrethrin. Mixture recommended on this site.
Long molt this winter. Added vitamins meant for molting and increased proteins some.
This winter has been rainy and i do keep her in as it can be wet and moldy and just gross and i dont want her sitting in a big empty coop yard alone. It is covered and i do keep a fan for circulation but still...... We have a playpen inside we put her in and i do hold her. She loves to snuggle.
When its nice shes out and protected. I still do our old habit we had with the flock and walk her around the house every evening and up a hill. Slowly as her hip is bad.
OK..i fed her too many treats and cracked corn with not enough walking due to the rain. Shes rather plump.
I have started a diet. More greens and layer feed. https://www.purinamills.com/chicken-feed/products/detail/purina-layena-pearls-feed
Question- is this a good diet for a chicken to lose weight? Do i need to add more supplements taking into account her age?
Past few weeks she has been very alert, active, talkative. Doing really good! I am happy BUT
She is out of breath a lot. Breathing hard at times, sometimes open her mouth for a gasp or 2. I pick her up and she opens her mouth slightly to breath. I clean her nose and used a bit of saline spray. Inside i keep a fan on her to assure she is not overheating
So..lose weight, exercise more. More walks. I let her walk until she winds herself than rest.
Lung infection maybe? I have started her on 1ML (100mg) of Baytril 10% daily. Her weight is between 5 and 6 pounds. I split the dose. Half in morning, half in evening
My question are: I used ivermectin. Does this not take care of intestinal worms as well? Gapeworms?
Is the Baytril dose enough if its a lung issue and should i give it all at once or is splitting it ok?
Can anyone think of any other reason she would be short of breath?
I just checked on her. She is not gasping, breathing is a bit up but she is not active. Worse when she is active.
We are going out of town this weekend. We are taking her and i want to assure she is in the best health she can be in and the recommended care is continued while out of town.
I know its a long post. Shes our last hen. Our daughters 4H chickens i helped raise. Now our daughter is married last April and is moved.
To think from the time she was a chick until now-if she was a child-she would be in 4th grade!
I am not liking this empty nest very much.
Any advice would be appreciated.
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my Orpington always got broody, so that is when they lost weight, I usually discourage my chickens from getting broody, but I always let the Orpingtons sit to lose weight 
