diamondsilkies
Songster
I have an EE hen who is just about a year old. I've had her since she was a day old chick, and this problem started up about last month.
I started noticing that her droppings were very very runny about a month and half ago. I did some research, but decided to see if it would go back to normal, as she seems very healthy otherwise. Alert, clear eyes, shiny feathers, color in her comb, etc. I got a couple eggs from her back in October, but after about three eggs she stopped laying. I chalked it up to the winter and didn't worry about it. She still hasn't picked up laying yet, even though all the other girls have.
I've also noticed her doing what I think is throwing up. She'll tilt her head back after drinking, but then look back down at the ground and it all spills out in a thick, clear liquid, almost like spit. No food or anything in it.
I have a Poultry Fountain water system. It's automatic, with several drinking nipples. Almost every time I go out there, my EE (her name is Mabel) is out there, drinking water either directly from the waterer or from little puddles that have collected on the brick below. Her neck and beard are often drenched in water as well, even when it's cold out. None of my other girls have this problem; not even my silkies.
My theory here is that she's drinking too much water. It's the only thing I can think of, but I would appreciate any other ideas. If she is drinking too much, why? And how can I make her stop? I doubt it's good for her health.
Here's a picture of her poop from about a month ago. It still looks just like this. I haven't seen if she has any normal droppings in addition to this. It's hard to tell, but this is probably about four to five inches long.
And here's a photo of her from this afternoon, drenched in water (as usual). She threw up right after this.
I'm stumped. Anyone else?
I started noticing that her droppings were very very runny about a month and half ago. I did some research, but decided to see if it would go back to normal, as she seems very healthy otherwise. Alert, clear eyes, shiny feathers, color in her comb, etc. I got a couple eggs from her back in October, but after about three eggs she stopped laying. I chalked it up to the winter and didn't worry about it. She still hasn't picked up laying yet, even though all the other girls have.
I've also noticed her doing what I think is throwing up. She'll tilt her head back after drinking, but then look back down at the ground and it all spills out in a thick, clear liquid, almost like spit. No food or anything in it.
I have a Poultry Fountain water system. It's automatic, with several drinking nipples. Almost every time I go out there, my EE (her name is Mabel) is out there, drinking water either directly from the waterer or from little puddles that have collected on the brick below. Her neck and beard are often drenched in water as well, even when it's cold out. None of my other girls have this problem; not even my silkies.
My theory here is that she's drinking too much water. It's the only thing I can think of, but I would appreciate any other ideas. If she is drinking too much, why? And how can I make her stop? I doubt it's good for her health.
Here's a picture of her poop from about a month ago. It still looks just like this. I haven't seen if she has any normal droppings in addition to this. It's hard to tell, but this is probably about four to five inches long.
And here's a photo of her from this afternoon, drenched in water (as usual). She threw up right after this.
I'm stumped. Anyone else?
