Contracting rear end

[luckychic]

I have a couple of things going on with my girls. I've had them for 4 weeks, 4 chicks. Two are just about egg laying age and two are egg laying age.

The two that are egg layers have a bit of a cold. Both are eating well, pooping well and walking around fine. I think the problem I have with them is dust related. One let me open her mouth and look inside and I don't see any mucus - and there isn't any around their nostrils either. Leela is a turken and she is making honking noises, and no rattling, and the other, Veronica a Polish is not honking, but coughing occasionally and has a little rattling. Leela has been having coughing for about 1 week and Veronica just started a couple of days ago. Since they seem to be acting fine, I'm not sure what to do about that.

The other thing is that Leela seems to be constantly contracting her vent area. Since I've had her she has only layed 4 eggs. And she is nearly impossible to catch/touch to feel her out.

Does any one have any suggestions for either of these situations?
Thanks, Cynthia

 

[gumpsgirl]

I'd keep a close watch on all of them since they all seem to have the sneezing/coughing/rattling issue to some degree. If egg production drops off and they all three start sneezing and rattling, then it could either be Infectious Bronchitis, which there is no treatment for or Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD) which they would need an antibiotic for. You also need to pay close attention to their eyes. If they start watering, get clouded over, or crusty looking then you might have a bigger issue going. Have you changed their bedding or litter recently? That could be the issue also. I would recommend that you go to www.featherfanciers.com and read up under the Diseases, Symptoms, & Remedies section. The more familiar that you can make yourself with illnesses, the easier it will be for you to recognize, diagnose, and then treat them! Like I said, just keep a close eye on them and if they seem to be getting worse, then it might be time to start worrying. I'm not sure about the contracting vent. Sorry.

!!!

 

[luckychic]

How quickly do things go from this condition to worse. I read about people's chickens who just seem to drop dead. Mine do seem to be fine, as in active and lively - Veronica, the Polish is the only regular layer right now with about 5-6 a week and Leela has not been regular since we brought her home, 3 eggs over three weeks and all were in the middle of her second week...... I feel pretty confident that it will pass, but the more I read the more freaked out I get.... Should I be giving a light anitbiotice like terrimycin as a just in case?
Thanks, Cynthia

 

[gumpsgirl]

I wouldn't start an antibiotic unless they absolutely seem to need it, as in they just won't get better. The more you administer antibiotics, the easier it is for the chickens bodies to build a resistance to them and there is a likelihood that they won't work in the future in the event that you do need them. How long have you had these chickens for?

 

[luckychic]

On Tuesday I will be going on my 4th week of having the girls. About an hour ago Veronica gave me an egg. My gut tells me that these two are reacting to the dust, but I'm just not sure. And if it is dust, if I can control it will these issues go away on their own?

 

[gumpsgirl]

If it is the dust and you can fix that problem, then yes, they should get better. What kind of building/coop do you have them in and what kind of bedding do you have in there for them?

 

[luckychic]

I have them in a 4x5x4 coop that is 2 feet off of the ground. It has 2 10"x10" windows plus a 6"x3' window, a nest box door on the west side, which is closed mostly, well you know and a 10"x10" door on the east side that is open all day. It opens into an enclosed run - totally covered in 1/2" hardware cloth - that is 4x4x6, but also encloses the underneath of the coop which gives them another 2 square feet, this is primarily where they dust bathe. The girls only go into coop to lay eggs. The coop has pine shavings and the nest box has Timothy grass. There is a very large partially enclosed day run - which I think is the problem. It is about 20'x12' and was covered with wood chips. I think that as they were decaying (composting in this summer heat as the chips came in about 2 weeks before the chickenss) they were creating this moldy dust. Yesterday I cleaned out the coop and put in new pine and today we moved all of the chips out of their part of the yard....What we do for the chicks. I have them isolated to their coop/enclosed run now and will probably keep them there for a couple more days. I'm hoping that this will sovle the problem, and I am also thinking that I may have to lightly spray down the area they have turned to dust in their enclosed run. I think it is a good plan. I am just hoping that is the problem and that if so, dust problem taken care of, that they can get better.

Cynthia

PS Thank you for all of your input!

 

[gumpsgirl]

Well it sounds like you are doing everything right. If the area that you were talking about was moldy that could most definitely be what the problem is. The pine shavings are perfect, so I wouldn't change anything there. If they still seem to have a problem while being confined, I would switch out the timothy hay to just plain straw or even the pine shavings. Timothy hay can be dusty also. Let me know how they are doing once they have been away from the moldy area for awhile.