GOOD and BAD NEWS- Update?**Shaking Girl

[BabyGirls]

HI one of my girls symptoms are starting to get worse so I really need some advise. PLEASE HELP

First, one of my girls is in severe Molt and it is getting colder than she is used to and she is very very bare. I can see here new feathers coming in but she is getting picked on pretty bad by the others, she is shaking when she walks and stands still and she is "Prancing" when she walks. She picks up her feet high, curl her toes then lightly set her foot back down. She looks like she is in pain? Please has anyone seen this behavior before?

Second, should I move her or let her be since she is getting picked on. She is about 7 years old and not sure if the stress of motling and being picked on is worse or stress from being seperated from the others. They are not making her bleed just pciking at the new feathers I imagin. She would be moved to a totally different building and not near the others at all. Thoughts and advise is greatly apprecaited.

 

[katrinag]

If she is getting picked at you need to move her. There are products that you can put on her that will tasted bad to other chickens.
Make sure she does not have lice or mites. Inspect her well.
Is she eating and drinking normal?

 

[dlhunicorn]

separate her ... sounds like she is unable to cope with the temps so I would choose to put her in a warmer draft free and temp stable area. A good general poultry supplement ( avia Charge 2000 is a very good one sold online from McMurray) ... also offer her free choice live culture yogurt, sunflower hearts, a scrambled egg through her feed to up the methionine content.

 

[BabyGirls]

Things got worse, she is staggering, walking low to the ground and standing still for long periods, she seems disoriented. I am not sure she is getting enough food or water? She is though picking at some of the bird seed treat I had thrown down as well as some of the wet cat food.

I just noticed that she had a bloody feather stub on her bum that the others have now found and are really picking at her. I know I now have no choice. I have brought her into our Sunroom, put blankets down, scratch, some cat food, and a dish of water. I am so fearful she is going to have a lot of stress being seperated AND when should I let her go back to be with her "sisters" again? Will they be mean to her, even after her feathers have grown in.

PLEASE HELP- tell me what I should do- it is breaking my heart !

 

[Barn Maid Ann]

I am sorry to hear all that you and your dear hen are going through. I hope she can recover. I am no help in the advice dept. I was just wondering if 7 is old for a chicken? What breed is she?

My oldest hens, 18 months, molted for the first time just recently. Actually, they are just finishing and still growing some feathers. I was surprised at how stressful it was for them. One in particular, got diarrhea and acted kind of 'off' for some time.
I have parrots and they never seemed to be all that stressed out during molt. Then again, they are in a nice warm house. And don't produce eggs daily. Though my hens went off laying reguarly, and still aren't back to normal.

 

[BabyGirls]

Quote:
I heard that if they are Very spoiled they can live to be at least 15yrs but average I heard is about 8-10 I think.

Her behavior is very stressful for me and I just ache to see her so bad ! I hope someone out there knows what is going on and can give me some advise!

 

[Birch Run Farm]

Your bird is probably very cold, hypothermic and is probably not eating and drinking enough because she is getting picked on.

She will die if you don't seperate her and get her warm, hydrated and fed.

 

[Laskaland]

Quote:
I agree!!
A nice warm _darkened box in the kitchen with her own water and feed might do the trick. No drafts. Add yogurt and maybe some protein, too. Do you have just general poultry vitamin? I would add that as well to her water
Good luck!
Christina

 

[dlhunicorn]

She needs to warm up and get some fluids in her...You need to put electrolytes in her water (in an emergency childrens pedialyte will do at lukewarm temp)...

 

[BabyGirls]

I hope I can get her to eat enough and drink for the next 2 days as tomorrow is Christmas and No one is open so I can't get her yogurt or any type of vitamin mix until day after. I'll just keep her warm inside and feeding her the scratch, cat food and some treats it should help to get her healthy enough until then! Right ??