SomeChookLover
Chirping
- Sep 24, 2023
- 71
- 97
- 86
Hi everyone, for a little while I’ve noticed most, if not all of my chickens have lost some weight. Most of their keel bones are fairly defined. I initially suspected worms, but from the poops I’ve seen there have been no sign of worms, and the poops are fairly normal for my chickens.
Their diet hasn’t changed, though I installed new perches which I guess could be causing stress. However they were already thin before those were installed.
it has just come into spring, so it’s possible that the weight loss is from being colder and expending more energy into keeping warm, but I want to be on the safe side.
Apart from two particular chickens, their behaviour is very normal. The amount of eggs is through the roof, feathers are healthy, don’t seem stressed or unwell etc. That is apart from those two hens. The first one, had lost a lot of weight, kept panting and after what I believed was a stoke, became paralysed. I thought she was getting better, but I believed she had another stoke and died around a week ago. I’m worried that this could be mareks, which has caused the weight loss in my chickens, but I’m not sure the timeline or symptoms add up.
The second hen is very old, at the youngest 7, and a few weeks ago I thought she was going to die. She was hardly moving or eating, had her tail down and was almost crouching. However, she made a recovery, and while she’s a little smaller than she was before she had been doing well. But yesterday and today, her tails been drooping again, and she seems to be having pain in one leg. I’m not sure that her and the first hen are related to my flocks situation, but I want you to have as much information as possible. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Their diet hasn’t changed, though I installed new perches which I guess could be causing stress. However they were already thin before those were installed.
it has just come into spring, so it’s possible that the weight loss is from being colder and expending more energy into keeping warm, but I want to be on the safe side.
Apart from two particular chickens, their behaviour is very normal. The amount of eggs is through the roof, feathers are healthy, don’t seem stressed or unwell etc. That is apart from those two hens. The first one, had lost a lot of weight, kept panting and after what I believed was a stoke, became paralysed. I thought she was getting better, but I believed she had another stoke and died around a week ago. I’m worried that this could be mareks, which has caused the weight loss in my chickens, but I’m not sure the timeline or symptoms add up.
The second hen is very old, at the youngest 7, and a few weeks ago I thought she was going to die. She was hardly moving or eating, had her tail down and was almost crouching. However, she made a recovery, and while she’s a little smaller than she was before she had been doing well. But yesterday and today, her tails been drooping again, and she seems to be having pain in one leg. I’m not sure that her and the first hen are related to my flocks situation, but I want you to have as much information as possible. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
