Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[satay]

I've only ever had one that bit when broody. The worst I ever get from the others is a little fluff of the feathers and that errr sound they make. I can happily pat all mine on the nest and pick them up and move them without the slightest sign of aggression on their part.

Most of my broodies just tell you off but i do have the odd one that will bite scratch and literally try to kill you if she had a chance, i find they usually are the best mothers.

 

[locknest4]

Hi Everyone

Haven't been on for a while and there is too many posts to catch up on so hope u r all well.

The girls are now around 19 weeks and one did the rooster crouch for me the other day so hopefully we will be getting some eggs for Christmas.

I have noticed though, that some of them have 'Stick Fast Lice ' on their combs and wattles. These blood suckered are brought in by native birds and are in the soil so there is no way to get rid of them. Eventually they kill the birds. In the past I have slathered their combs and wattles with vasiline to smoother the lice. I was wondering if using 'Vicks' instead wld be more effective. Fancychhoklady I remember u recommend in it for their legs. Do u think the Vicks wld be good for the stick fast lice?

If anyone else has an effective treatment wld love to hear about it.

 

[Anniebee]

Gees Anniebee I am so sorry that you are going through this with Mandy.

As you know, I am not the expert on what ails chickens but thought I would share some thoughts regarding some of her symptoms.

Not interested in eating much: my broody’s will usually eat as much as they can in the short time they are away from the nest if I move them or if they take a break themselves.

She squatted: my broody’s do not squat as when they are broody, they are in no mood to submit.

Dribble of water from her beak: I have experienced this in the flock twice and both times it was impacted crop.

Carrying her tail downwards: not normally a sign with broody’s.

Yep, a broody can be all laid back and friendly .. While Cilla is a terror with her flock mates, she is fine with me .. no growling, no fluffing up, no nastiness whatsoever.

I hate to say it, but could it be egg peritonitis? I lost a bantam leghorn to egg peritonitis and the symptoms were similar to what you are describing.

This is the link to a helpful sheet which explains the subtle differences between egg bound and egg peritonitis:

http://luckyhensrescuenorthwest.weebly.com/egg-bound-henegg-peritonitis-help-sheet.html

I hope so very much that she is just broody

Thanks Teila for the link. I have had a look at that, and nothing there indicates the same as Mandy was .... yesterday !! Today she is back to what I call normal ---

I am writing further to all who helped with the 'problem' ... and will address you all there --- with my thanks.

Cheers ....

 

[Anniebee]

To : Fancy ... appps .... Teila ..... cwrite


Well, do I feel like the right dill ??

Spent all that time typing explanations and symptoms, and what I had done, and today she makes a total fibber of me. I spent literally hours researching stuff - impacted crop, sour crop, pendulous crop ( something I think she's always had a bit of ) ... and a whole host of other information leading from one site to another.

Because today she was scratching around for bits and bugs on the ground - I threw them all some scratch mix - and she immediately took to finding it, avoiding Molly to do so. Her comb is back to red. And her tail is back to normal upright position. She has not yet laid another egg ( 3rd day now ).

Molly - her 'friend' has in recent times, particularly over my rice and oats etc. goodies --- dominated the food, pushing Mandy out of the way. I stand guard and hold Molly back to let Mandy at the food - until Molly settles down. But Mandy will still take a back seat with that. Far more gentle than gutsy Molly.

Today I noticed a few grain bread crumbs I had thrown also - were being taken out of Mandys' mouth by Molly the guts, so tomorrow Mandy gets scrambled egg with shell in yoghurt BY HERSELF. Molly can eat hers outside the run. Don't think it will hurt to give them all a very small bowl of that.

Tonight I will repeat the vent and crop massage - just in case. I don't think it could hurt - even a healthy chicken. Also watched a video for impacted crop manipulation ( Teila mentioned impacted crop ) ... and it was very interesting and useful. Here is the link if anyone is interested :

There was no sour vile smell from Mandys mouth last night, and I would have caught that, as I gave her drops of olive oil in her open beak. A close encounter, for sure.

Finally, I am wondering if yesterday she hurt herself in some way. I now don't think she is broody but will wait and see. And another site I found, said chickens can become 'sad' ... or depressed ?

Has anyone ever experienced that ? I only mention that as if I were to describe Mandy's behaviour yesterday it was sad and depressed, which I immediately translated to being sick. !!!

Many many thanks everyone for your help ..... I will try not to be such a fusspot if / when there is a next time.

Cheers all .......

 

[sjturner79]

Thank you Fancy ... very much.   

I wormed the girls about 6 days back ... ( you and I  had a discussion here about it ) .... and Mandy is one of the two who wouldn't touch the worming mixture in the water.   You advised not to dilute it in a whole heap of water, as that renders it ineffective.  I could make up the worming mixture, to mix in with food ( bread and rice ) however, as she is not eating much at all, that would not be a plan.   And I cannot syringe the worming mixture down her throat, in its' undiluted form.    I doubt I could get tablets down her throat either - it was difficult enough giving a bit of olive oil. !!  

She seems to be 'pancaking' ... in the nesting box, which is the furthest she can get from anything --- ( but it's never been used by them to lay eggs in - they sleep in it, and occasionally they will roost on hot nights  !! ).   But is showing no aggression to me at all, nor to her friend Molly.   Molly is having a tough time trying to sit / lie down in the nesting box, as Mandy takes up 80% of the space at the moment - she has spread herself out.   She half flew, half jumped off the washing machine ( when doing the TLC bit ) ... at one stage, and immediately pancaked herself on the floor. I thought she had hurt herself, but apparently had not.   She also spread herself on the ground yesterday afternoon - normal position, not lying sideways or anything  - and I thought it was because she is / was / maybe, sick.   Such unusual behaviour for her.  

She has never been broody before.   And I have found on a BYC link, that when they become broody, their combs pale right off.  Which is what has happened to her in one day - except for when inside, when the colour brightened back to red ????   Have also read on another thread here, the Welsummers definitely can go broody.   I am SOOOO hoping that is all that is happening.  

And it fits ( if that is the case ) to bring her inside - with only an offering of food and water - ( after 24 hours - to give whatever else might be troubling her a break ) .... to break her out of being broody.   That's IF she is broody.   Same idea as if my dog is not well ( rare )  --- off all food, only fresh water for 24 hours, then an introduction of rice - then rice plus chicken, then all that plus a little of her Black Hawk holistic dog dry, gradually getting back to square 1.

I can only try this .... it is 1 a.m. and I have just checked on her.   She is hogging the nesting box, still alert - very docile ( well it is night time ) ... and I am hoping she has a go at me tomorrow --- which might prove what I am hoping for - broodiness ?   .... Must say I have never heard of a docile, gentle broody before, and can find nothing on the Net about that.  

Can a broody be all laid back and friendly -  ?    She is not and never has been a cuddly chicken.

The poop indicator did not show me anything that resembled the last poop I saw her have.    Just have to keep on, keeping on, I guess.

Thanks again, and cheers -------- 

I know I'm a bit late as I see you said she's back to normal. My best broody actually gets more friendly and docile. She will let me pick her up with out fuss and ignores everything except food and water while she's sitting. The symptoms you described indicate pain for any of my chooks. I bring them in, give them a spa treatment, trim around their vents, and eyes if created, let them sit on my lap till I go to bed, and if I don't find an actual problem by then, I put them back with the flock when I let them out in the morning.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hi Everyone

Haven't been on for a while and there is too many posts to catch up on so hope u r all well.

The girls are now around 19 weeks and one did the rooster crouch for me the other day so hopefully we will be getting some eggs for Christmas.

I have noticed though, that some of them have 'Stick Fast Lice ' on their combs and wattles. These blood suckered are brought in by native birds and are in the soil so there is no way to get rid of them. Eventually they kill the birds. In the past I have slathered their combs and wattles with vasiline to smoother the lice. I was wondering if using 'Vicks' instead wld be more effective. Fancychhoklady I remember u recommend in it for their legs. Do u think the Vicks wld be good for the stick fast lice?

If anyone else has an effective treatment wld love to hear about it.

It's probably going to end up in their eyes and cause more irritation. You could try a roll on or stick type insect repellent . It would be easier to apply.

 

[satay]

It's probably going to end up in their eyes and cause more irritation. You could try a roll on or stick type insect repellent . It would be easier to apply.

Shows you learn something new each day. I would not have thought of that for stick flea lice.

 

[locknest4]

Hi Everyone

Haven't been on for a while and there is too many posts to catch up on so hope u r all well.

The girls are now around 19 weeks and one did the rooster crouch for me the other day so hopefully we will be getting some eggs for Christmas.

I have noticed though, that some of them have 'Stick Fast Lice ' on their combs and wattles. These blood suckered are brought in by native birds and are in the soil so there is no way to get rid of them. Eventually they kill the birds. In the past I have slathered their combs and wattles with vasiline to smoother the lice. I was wondering if using 'Vicks' instead wld be more effective. Fancychhoklady I remember u recommend in it for their legs. Do u think the Vicks wld be good for the stick fast lice?

If anyone else has an effective treatment wld love to hear about it.

It's probably going to end up in their eyes and cause more irritation. You could try a roll on or stick type insect repellent . It would be easier to apply.

Thank you.that sounds like a good idea

 

[chooks01]

Cracked 3 eggs for an omelette and I got 1 normal egg 1 double yolker and wait for it.... 1 triple yolker! I am definitely gob smacked I know whodunnit my light Sussex Alice.

 

[locknest4]

Cracked 3 eggs for an omelette and I got 1 normal egg 1 double yolker and wait for it.... 1 triple yolker! I am definitely gob smacked I know whodunnit my light Sussex Alice.

Wow a triple yolker, didn't even kno they existed!