- Jun 4, 2013
- 6
- 0
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Hi all,
I am concerned about three of my hens. I have a New Hampshire, Mabel, who is about 6 months old and is laying, a Buff Orpington, Sadie, who is about 6 months old and getting ready to lay, and another Buff Orpington, Pippa, who is 5.5 months old. We had a Buff Orpington rooster, Henry, who passed away almost two weeks ago at 5.5 months old. Mabel and Sadie look and act happy and healthy, eating well, poop fine. Sadie is nice and plump. I can feel that Mabel's keel bone is not as fleshy as Sadie's, it's more prominent. Is this a concern? Now Pippa, is my concern. She seems to be hanging back from the other girls. She's also at the bottom of the pecking order. I noticed this morning that she was just standing, not fluffed up, with her eyes closed. This is what Henry did the two weeks before he died. She seems to be eating and drinking fine, she eatings the mealworms with gusto. Her poop looks good. I haven't seen any runny poos or worms in the poop. The only thing I have noticed is some of the poop in the coop has what looks like broken up feather shafting on it. It's white/translucent fibrous looking hollow shafts. Is it feathering? Or is it actually worm casing I'm seeing? The poop in the run and free range pen does not have this. I have checked them over for external parasites and found none. I have no idea why Henry died, he ate and drank normally, even got excited for mealworms the day he died. The only symptom he had was dozing (not fluffed up) while standing. I don't want my hens to meet the same fate. Please help! Thank you!
I am concerned about three of my hens. I have a New Hampshire, Mabel, who is about 6 months old and is laying, a Buff Orpington, Sadie, who is about 6 months old and getting ready to lay, and another Buff Orpington, Pippa, who is 5.5 months old. We had a Buff Orpington rooster, Henry, who passed away almost two weeks ago at 5.5 months old. Mabel and Sadie look and act happy and healthy, eating well, poop fine. Sadie is nice and plump. I can feel that Mabel's keel bone is not as fleshy as Sadie's, it's more prominent. Is this a concern? Now Pippa, is my concern. She seems to be hanging back from the other girls. She's also at the bottom of the pecking order. I noticed this morning that she was just standing, not fluffed up, with her eyes closed. This is what Henry did the two weeks before he died. She seems to be eating and drinking fine, she eatings the mealworms with gusto. Her poop looks good. I haven't seen any runny poos or worms in the poop. The only thing I have noticed is some of the poop in the coop has what looks like broken up feather shafting on it. It's white/translucent fibrous looking hollow shafts. Is it feathering? Or is it actually worm casing I'm seeing? The poop in the run and free range pen does not have this. I have checked them over for external parasites and found none. I have no idea why Henry died, he ate and drank normally, even got excited for mealworms the day he died. The only symptom he had was dozing (not fluffed up) while standing. I don't want my hens to meet the same fate. Please help! Thank you!
