Hello Everyone, hopefully your experience can help me figure out if there is a additional problem.
I have what I think is a Cornish Cross chicken that is 11 months old and weights 12.4 lbs as of today. I don't know what her weight was when this all started but I'm guessing about 3+ lbs heavier.
We purchased 6 chickens from Tractor Supply. 3 Buff Orpington and 3 Cuckoo Marans. 2 of the Buffs turned out to be Cornish Cross after all. One of them was a Rooster and we had to give him away. We lovingly named one Biggie and one Smalls.
Biggie has done great with the other girls but has never laid a egg that we know of. She has a hard time with the ramp and only goes inside the coop at night. I let them out of their run in the morning and they roam the yard all day.
I am not sure exactly when this started but I do know that around the first week in March one of the Marans started being broody and staying in the nesting box. This same week my other chickens laid a few eggs in the corner of the yard. I assumed the was due to the broody chicken that made a fuss when they bothered her. The following week we noticed Biggie tripping every few steps and then after a few days she seemed to sit down and eat grass more often than usual. We have a pool enclosure and most of the day the chickens are running around from one side of the yard to the other. Biggie reluctantly follows most of the time but she seemed to be fine watching them and staying put.
On the 16th, I went out to lock the chickens in the run and found Biggie on her back next to the ramp into the coop. I didn't know if she fell off or she just toppled over since her balance had been getting worse. She has no injuries that we can find. She didn't come out of the coop after this, not even to eat. I was putting food and water in there for her.
2 weeks ago I discovered the mites and it all started to make sense. They are tiny black specs on her and in the coop. The other chickens only showed signs of a dirty butt and we dusted them. We bathed Biggie and put the poultry spray on her and also the DE the following day. The coop and run has been changed and covered in DE.
I have been having to put the food right in front of her to get her to eat and drink. I thought maybe she was just dehydrated and needed food in her. I have given her Poultry Cell this week in her food and water trying to get her moving more and I have seen a small improvement. She can lift her self up and move forward but she uses her wings and tends to only go a few feet and then she stays there. Today I was finally able to use the syringe to get more into her faster. She has even started talking more.
Her poop has been runny and brown and sometimes it is green when I put her in the grass.
I have been pulling her out and putting her in the grass during the day so she can get some outside time. And she has started to get her appetite back somewhat.
My Buff has been bullying her and pecking at her comb. Especially, if I try and put her near the other girls hangout.
I know she was effected by the mites and not eating but I don't know for how long. How long would it take for her to get her balance back?
I was also told that she could be egg bound. Is it possible for this to happen to her? I just assumed she wasn't going to lay eggs because she was a meat bird.
I could really use some experienced insight.
Thank you in advance!
I have what I think is a Cornish Cross chicken that is 11 months old and weights 12.4 lbs as of today. I don't know what her weight was when this all started but I'm guessing about 3+ lbs heavier.
We purchased 6 chickens from Tractor Supply. 3 Buff Orpington and 3 Cuckoo Marans. 2 of the Buffs turned out to be Cornish Cross after all. One of them was a Rooster and we had to give him away. We lovingly named one Biggie and one Smalls.
Biggie has done great with the other girls but has never laid a egg that we know of. She has a hard time with the ramp and only goes inside the coop at night. I let them out of their run in the morning and they roam the yard all day.
I am not sure exactly when this started but I do know that around the first week in March one of the Marans started being broody and staying in the nesting box. This same week my other chickens laid a few eggs in the corner of the yard. I assumed the was due to the broody chicken that made a fuss when they bothered her. The following week we noticed Biggie tripping every few steps and then after a few days she seemed to sit down and eat grass more often than usual. We have a pool enclosure and most of the day the chickens are running around from one side of the yard to the other. Biggie reluctantly follows most of the time but she seemed to be fine watching them and staying put.
On the 16th, I went out to lock the chickens in the run and found Biggie on her back next to the ramp into the coop. I didn't know if she fell off or she just toppled over since her balance had been getting worse. She has no injuries that we can find. She didn't come out of the coop after this, not even to eat. I was putting food and water in there for her.
2 weeks ago I discovered the mites and it all started to make sense. They are tiny black specs on her and in the coop. The other chickens only showed signs of a dirty butt and we dusted them. We bathed Biggie and put the poultry spray on her and also the DE the following day. The coop and run has been changed and covered in DE.
I have been having to put the food right in front of her to get her to eat and drink. I thought maybe she was just dehydrated and needed food in her. I have given her Poultry Cell this week in her food and water trying to get her moving more and I have seen a small improvement. She can lift her self up and move forward but she uses her wings and tends to only go a few feet and then she stays there. Today I was finally able to use the syringe to get more into her faster. She has even started talking more.
Her poop has been runny and brown and sometimes it is green when I put her in the grass.
I have been pulling her out and putting her in the grass during the day so she can get some outside time. And she has started to get her appetite back somewhat.
My Buff has been bullying her and pecking at her comb. Especially, if I try and put her near the other girls hangout.
I know she was effected by the mites and not eating but I don't know for how long. How long would it take for her to get her balance back?
I was also told that she could be egg bound. Is it possible for this to happen to her? I just assumed she wasn't going to lay eggs because she was a meat bird.
I could really use some experienced insight.
Thank you in advance!
