FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[azygous]

The feathers that have emerged appear stunted and narrow, not fully formed, and they do seem to twist.

Parasites don't appear to be a problem. I've had the flock tested before for worms, and I've never seen any, and I keep a close eye on the poop for signs of ill health. And the crawling parasites have never infested my flock.

It's possible she is showing symptoms of lymphoid leukosis. I learned this past year that it's present in my flock, and four chickens to date have died from it. But Alice appears to be healthy in every other respect. As for the swollen shank, I need to wade out into this snow storm and take a close look and get back to you on that.

I just ran out and inspected her legs. They do not appear to be swollen. She isn't limping either.

Regarding the crusty butts, what about molasses as a treatment? I don't have any cocoanut oil.

 

[Chris09]

@azygous,

Remove her from the flock and offer her a poultry feed that is around 18% protein or better (chick will work if it is 18% or better). Don't feed her any fermented feed and offer her plain water or water with a good poultry vitamin mix mixed in.

I think she may have a vitamin deficiency which is not uncommon with feeding a fermented feed since some natural yeast will feed off B vitamins and some vitamins and minerals can be lowered in fermented feeds.

If you don't want to remover her from the flock you could just feed everyone a good non-fermented feed.

There can be a number of Vitamin, mineral, fats and proteins that can affect feathers and there growth and cutting out fermented feeds and offering plain water or a vitamin water will be a starting point.
You may not see a difference in the feathers until she has a good molt.

One other thing you might what to try along with my suggestion above is treating her with a good coccidiosis type med. A overwhelming amount of cocci could affect feathers but I don't thing this is the problem.

If you want to give her/them a treat wile there on straight feed you can offer them some (no more 10% of there diet) Bil*Jac frozen dog food. You'll have to thaw out what you need BUT it is very good stuff and is nearly all meat.
http://biljacfrozen.com/index.php?id=frozen-food

 

[Beekissed]

This is being cross-posted from the "Emergencies" forum because sometimes I fail to get very good responses from it.

I'm at my wits end with Alice, my six-year old SLW who has been hopelessly stuck in molt for the past five months. She's been on FF for over a year and I've been supplement with occasional high grade protein like tuna and tofu, trying to jolt her into completing molt. She eats a small bit then lets the flock finish it off. She won't eat at all if I isolate her from the others.

Also, while I'm here, I have a problem with messy butts on half the flock of seventeen hens. It really isn't at the level of vent gleet, little evidence of inflammation, but there's a lot of white, runny poop crusting on the vent feathers. I've been washing them every week or so, trying to keep them clean. I thought FF would prevent runny poop, and especially prevent thrush-like organisms from colonizing the intestinal track.

So, two issues here: Alice is stuck in molt and crusty butts on FF. Ideas?

Are you feeding your FF soupy? If so, you sort of force them to consume more fluids than they normally would in this season merely to get enough feed and this will result in more fluid stools. If you are not feeding it soupy, then try a little experiment and go back to dry feeding and see if FF was the culprit...that's an easy test.

I wouldn't wash their butts...I've noticed the more one washes feathers, the more their natural oils are gone and feathers without natural oils tend to hold fluids more and not shed them as per normal. So, the more you wash poopy butts, the more you will have poops clinging to the feathers in the long run.

I'd leave the poop alone on those feathers and give them good dusting areas and they will take care of it all eventually. Decreasing the fluid amounts in the FF may take care of it also.

The hen in the pic is old, which is one factor. That she's the only one in the flock suffering from seeming vitamin deficit would suggest that this is a bird problem and not a flock problem and with her age, it could just be natural aging preventing her absorption and production of natural vitamins in her bowel. Even aging humans have problems absorbing vitamins and minerals from their diet due to natural deterioration of body organs, including the intestines.

Most people feeding FF report increased feather health and bird vigor, so I'm doubting feeding FF is the problem.

 

[azygous]

No, my FF is as dry as I can make it. When it begins to tend toward soupy, I add dry crumbles to it in the evening so next morning it's the right consistency again, about the same as thick, lumpy oatmeal.

These butts are beyond having dusting remove the filth. Some have accumulated such a "load", they have whole turds hanging from their behinds, and the crust is so bad, it's like cement. It takes a bit of soaking to soften the mess. It's simply too unhealthy to leave it on their butts.

But I agree Alice may be suffering from old age. She's getting old and tired just like her human is.

 

[hennible]

Good luck azygous

 

[azygous]

Thanks, Hennible. Has anyone heard of placing a chicken stuck in molt into a dark cage for 24 hours to induce a new molt? Someone over on my cross-post on the Emergencies forum suggested this. I've since been reading a bit about inducing molt in this fashion, and now I'm beginning to doubt that keeping Alice in the dark for just 24 hours will be enough to do anything at all. And I certainly am not going to subject her to anything any longer than just a day of this.

I have her in a cage in the garage tonight with dark blankets draped over it so it will be very dark when morning comes. Then I'd planned on returning her to her coop perch tomorrow night so she can wake up with her mates.

Is this scheme likely to produce any results or should I just return Alice to the flock come morning and just live with her condition?

 

[hennible]

Well it's worth a shot, IMO any way, it's just a night or 24 hours... She will likely just sleep... Maybe it could work, light or lack of it has some in amazing effects.

 

[azygous]

Thanks for the reassurance, hennible. I'll give it a shot, as you say. I guess one day won't be too upsetting to her. I'll check on her frequently to make sure she isn't in distress.

 

[hennible]

I hope it works... It would be a simple fix so she can have an easier retirement so to speak.

 

[Tikkijane]

This is being cross-posted from the "Emergencies" forum because sometimes I fail to get very good responses from it. I'm at my wits end with Alice, my six-year old SLW who has been hopelessly stuck in molt for the past five months. She's been on FF for over a year and I've been supplement with occasional high grade protein like tuna and tofu, trying to jolt her into completing molt. She eats a small bit then lets the flock finish it off. She won't eat at all if I isolate her from the others. Also, while I'm here, I have a problem with messy butts on half the flock of seventeen hens. It really isn't at the level of vent gleet, little evidence of inflammation, but there's a lot of white, runny poop crusting on the vent feathers. I've been washing them every week or so, trying to keep them clean. I thought FF would prevent runny poop, and especially prevent thrush-like organisms from colonizing the intestinal track. So, two issues here: Alice is stuck in molt and crusty butts on FF. Ideas?[COLOR=005CB1] [/COLOR]

Vent gleet is more than thrush. It has 4 causes. I'll paste a link in next...