Alright. I'm about lost now.

[rachaelakers]

Long story short. Here I go...

*New chicken owner as of september of last year.
*Got three 18mo Golden comets.
*May of this year ended up killing on of them due to the fact that she was suuuuper sick and had lost a ton of weight and was not eating or drinking. Also had discharge from her nose. And was sneezing. Oh and she would fall asleep standing up all the time. Honestly sounded like she had a rattly chest. I'm guessing she had some sort of thrush. (big nasty yellow thing in roof of mouth)
*Got a New auracauna hen.
*Now one of my other comets is acting lethargic. Coughing. Rumbily breathing. Poopy butt. Just is not her big red headed bossy self. Also her comb is a little saggy. She appears to be eating normally. Just acts like she doesnt feel good.

I gave her a bath. (worst experience of my life.) Ended up flapping her wings and splashing her nasty poop water on my face.) Trimmed all of her feathers around her vent and treated her with a lice shampoo.


Now here is the weird thing.

The day I took my other hen to dispatch her. My comets quit laying. And have not laid a single egg since. I have not seen a brown egg in almost 8 weeks. My aracauna on the other hand has laid almost every day.
With Big Red feeling sick I havent been locking up my new hen at night. (she roosts on my deck in a cubby hole that she finds quite appitizing to sleep in. I thought she got eaten by something till I found her in there.) Because I'm not going to force her to be in there with my two hens that wont lay eggs. And might be sick.


So my questions.

Should I just get rid of my comets and get two new hens?
Should I keep my (appears to be healthy) new hen away from the two who are selfish non egg laying brats who I think could be sick?
Seriously... How to do you worm a chicken?

 

[barnyardmommy]

Ok, I'm going to be the first... I really wanted someone with more experience to comment on this one... they are NOT non laying brats they are sick chickens. You are blessed with the care of these wonderful creatures, they are not doing this just for the spite of it... If they are sick you need to take care of them, if they have stopped laying find out why... If they are sick treat them. I'm sorry but this really makes me mad. so how do you plan on "getting rid " of them. I have sat up all hours of the night and nursed a sick chicken not because I had too, but because I wanted to. Are you going to pass 2 sick chickens on to someone who doesn't know any better?

 

[ten chicks]

Long story short. Here I go...

*New chicken owner as of september of last year.
*Got three 18mo Golden comets.
*May of this year ended up killing on of them due to the fact that she was suuuuper sick and had lost a ton of weight and was not eating or drinking. Also had discharge from her nose. And was sneezing. Oh and she would fall asleep standing up all the time. Honestly sounded like she had a rattly chest. I'm guessing she had some sort of thrush. (big nasty yellow thing in roof of mouth)
*Got a New auracauna hen.
*Now one of my other comets is acting lethargic. Coughing. Rumbily breathing. Poopy butt. Just is not her big red headed bossy self. Also her comb is a little saggy. She appears to be eating normally. Just acts like she doesnt feel good.

I gave her a bath. (worst experience of my life.) Ended up flapping her wings and splashing her nasty poop water on my face.) Trimmed all of her feathers around her vent and treated her with a lice shampoo.


Now here is the weird thing.

The day I took my other hen to dispatch her. My comets quit laying. And have not laid a single egg since. I have not seen a brown egg in almost 8 weeks. My aracauna on the other hand has laid almost every day.
With Big Red feeling sick I havent been locking up my new hen at night. (she roosts on my deck in a cubby hole that she finds quite appitizing to sleep in. I thought she got eaten by something till I found her in there.) Because I'm not going to force her to be in there with my two hens that wont lay eggs. And might be sick.


So my questions.

Should I just get rid of my comets and get two new hens?
Should I keep my (appears to be healthy) new hen away from the two who are selfish non egg laying brats who I think could be sick?
Seriously... How to do you worm a chicken?

I would suggest before you get any new chickens,you try and find out what is wrong with the ones you already have. Several reasons why other hens are not laying. Chickens do get depressed when one is missing,possible they are egg bound,not enough calcium in diet,egg peritonitis,or they might just be broody, as you can see there are several medical issues that could be the problem. You should have found out what was wrong with the hen you culled, because several diseases are contagious. " A word to the wise",referring to your chickens as "non egg laying brats" is going to upset people. Majority of people on forum love their chickens,and go above and beyond to diagnose,medicate and ensure our chickens are receiving the best care possible.

 

[rachaelakers]

Hey I appreciate it. I like my hens. And I do my best to take are of them. More the less I was referring to them as brats as a joke. But I'm sorry if I upset anyone. I'll say this. I was on the phone with my vet this morning and went to two feed stores today trying to find medication for them. I don't hate my chickens nor do I want them to suffer. After a healthy dose of pumpkin purée and lots of water they seem to be more perky. But I will say this. A chicken is a chicken as much as a pig is a pig and a cow is a cow. To me they are livestock. Not members of my family. They provide for me as I provide for them. And that's my opinion. I value everyone's. and I'm sure your birds are lovely. And mine are just workin women. They earn their keep. By feeding my family.

 

[rachaelakers]

And they aren't low on calcium. Neither are bound or broody.

 

[realsis]

There is likely a problem. Stress heat temperature change illness nutrition these things can interfere with laying. I do not suggest you get new chickens
But find out what's stressing your current ones. New chickens under the same stresses won't lay either. My chickens are not just livestock to me
They are members of my family.. I just spent three weeks nursing one of mine back to health. Thank God she is better now. I'd try to figure out what's wrong and correct the problem. then I'm sure she will lay again for you. They are not machines but living breathing creatures that count on you... I wish the best for your chickens. Hopefully you can correct the stresser that's causing the issue. Best wishes...

 

[rachaelakers]

And I respect that that is how you view them. I don't think mine are machines. Nor do I neglect them in any way. They are on a layers pellet with cracked corn mixed in. With free choice oyster shell. And they also get meal worms. I take very good care of my hens hints why I am a little upset thy aren't doing well. They are free range and I lock them up at night. I have fraught off a hawk and a coyote over these birds. I am appreciative of them. As I know they appreciate me. I would never let one just be sick. The one that died 8 weeks ago was my favorite. I shot a coyote that was carting her off one night. And retrieved her. Thankfully she wasn't hurt. Just a hand full of feathers missing. So please don't make it sound like I am some sort of poor chicken mom because I am at my wits end on why these hens won't lay. I wormed them last fall and seven dusted them. And I'm starting them on a medicated feed today.

 

[salt and pepper]

If they are sneezing, and have a rattling chest, they probably have a respiratory disease, Tylan works the best, but durmicyn works as well, just not as quickly. Also, since they are sick, they won't lay since they are stressed.

 

[my sunwolf]

I agree with salt and pepper, sounds like some sort of respiratory disease. If you're willing to do antibiotics, try that first. There are other ways of ensuring flock immunity, but it involves going through a lot of chickens.

And rachaelakers, I definitely understand your view on chickens as producing livestock. Around here we don't spend a fortune on a single sick chicken, just try home remedies and bed rest and cross our fingers. For the whole flock, we weigh the costs with the benefits. Good luck, keep researching and trying to figure out what your best course of action should be.

 

[rachaelakers]

No more sneezing today and she sounds like she doesn't have a rattily chest. She is plucking her feathers around her croup. Looks like she is just ratty. Eating normally today. No sign of worms in poop.