Acting funny dull feathers Funny poo, Help!

[blue fire]

K today she felt better so I went with her outside and walked around a bit. She still seems to have vision issues and stumbles, but for the most part just follows me around the yard. She ate a little bit of chicken food while she was out. I forgot to tell you that every night instead of keeping her in the house I put her in the coop. Not worried about contagiousness, the others would have become sick long ago if it was.

 

[blue fire]

K she is feeling better now. She is outside and can eat and drink by herself and has normal poo, but her eyesight has not improved. Any Idea what that could have been about? I think she may still be skinny, how can I fatten her up? She is a Maran and is the size of my EE her same age. I think she should be at least as large as my BR...

 

[PunkinPeep]

To me, there's a difference between skinny and stunted. I tell the difference by feeling around on their bones. I have one cockerel who was having digestive problems, and i didn't know it. He started losing weight, and when i finally realized he was having a problem, i could pretty much feel his entire keel, almost to the ribs. He was skinny and starving.

I have another cockerel who has been small since very young, like a runt. He has a very small frame, but he's not skinny. He fills out his frame just fine.

I don't worry about the runt, but i have read that others have helped runts catch up by giving them extra private protein (eggs or egg yolk) feedings a few times per week. Also, i have one friend who swears by calf manna.

If she's skinny, you can still supplement her feeding with boiled egg yolks and vitamins to help her fatten up. And also, check up on her digestive system often.

 

[blue fire]

She is definitely skinny I can feel her keel. What do you mean when you say check her digestive system? Take a poo survey? If so I do it every morning and her poo looks normal.Still wondering what the problem was.... It happened twice and I would like to make sure it would not happen again....

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
You can probably feel the tip of the keel on most of your birds. Can you pinch it? One finger on either side of bone? Then she's definitely skinny.

You can 'keep an eye on' her digestive system by being sure she's eating and acting normally. Checking her crop from time to time - make sure it's empty in the mornings.

And if i were you, i think i would still consider worming her - i can't remember for sure, did you?

 

[blue fire]

Thank you so much PunkinPeep. You have been really helpful.

 

[PunkinPeep]

anytime. hope she's on the way to complete recovery.

great picture!

 

[blue fire]

No I did not worm her..... kinda in a tough financial spot, what would you suggest?

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
i guess that depends how tough your spot is.

i definitely relate.

if you can spare $5-ish next time you get some money, you can buy a tube of ivermectin paste, which is marked for horses. it's one dose for about $5, but that one horse dose will probably treat your whole flock, and you can keep the leftovers for next time. you use a b.b. size dose for each chicken. i stuck it in their beaks with a toothpick. You're supposed to retreat about 2 weeks later.

if you happen to have access to cayenne peppers, you could feed her one of those for a more natural and inexpensive option.

i don't have a lot of experience with the worms, but those are the options that come to mind.

 

[purpletree23]

Have you tried other foods to get her appetite up? Try scrambled egg, well cooked pasta and maybe a few grapes or strawberries. Whatever you have around the house. Just not too many fruits because it can cause diarrhea. I've even given my hens cooked grits. Check out the reduced rack of fruits and vegetables in the grocery store.

Do you have any vitamins at home? If you have some without iron I would crush one up really well and giver her a tiny amount on her food. Try and think of it this way. 1 vitamin for a 150 pound human and reduce that to a 5 pound hen. One vitamin could last for weeks if it is crushed. You only need a tiny bit. I would recommend Poly Vi Sol liquid baby vitamins but I see financially you are in a tight spot.

Do you have a neighbor or friend that could loan you some wormer?

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