Had to take my hen to the vet today, still don't know what's wrong with her.

[casportpony]

Oh, that's cool! Does a chicken look pretty much the same? I've yet to pry open the beak and look inside. Something about not enough hands!

Exactly, just smaller!

 

[dawg53]

Quote: Feed your birds whatever you want. You'll eventually be posting here in this forum wanting to know why your birds are ill. Check the sodium in human foods, protein, sugars etc....

 

[centrarchid]

Dawg is at least partially correct. Additives like salts may exceed what is optimal for chickens. Additionally diet seems a little short on protein. Having a poorly balanced diet increases odds a chicken will have health issues that are not even directly related to nutrition. I also like to supply intact grains when diet is otherwise dominated by greens / mush. Keeps gizzard in shape and may provide more coarse fiber as needed to help push things along in digestive tract.

 

[das Huhnchen]

Yeah, no, I don't think she's got Marek's. She's doing much better today.

Dawg, any thoughts on this levamisole hydrochloride anthelmintic? It's not going to kill them to worm them, and if that's the problem for the low weight, then I need to take care of that.

 

[das Huhnchen]

Dawg is at least partially correct. Additives like salts may exceed what is optimal for chickens. Additionally diet seems a little short on protein. Having a poorly balanced diet increases odds a chicken will have health issues that are not even directly related to nutrition. I also like to supply intact grains when diet is otherwise dominated by greens / mush. Keeps gizzard in shape and may provide more coarse fiber as needed to help push things along in digestive tract.

Is a 16% lay mash protein enough for them? I've been feeding them this lay mash since the first egg showed up, and haven't had any trouble with it.

 

[centrarchid]

Is a 16% lay mash protein enough for them? I've been feeding them this lay mash since the first egg showed up, and haven't had any trouble with it.

Such a diet would be more than adequate with respect to protein assuming it is not cut / dluted to much my low protein density components. Based on description of situation, a gut parasite is operating. I did not read entire thread but that route should be pursued if balance of flock seems OK. Sometimes parasite impacts are very much a function of a birds genetics of even luck concerning what contaminated items are consumed. Isolating bird is prudent and gives more observation and treatment options.

 

[Michael Apple]

There are numerous beneficial foods that can be added to feed rations every so often that greatly benefit birds nutritionally. Tossing table scraps in the yard that can get rancid isn't wise. I give things like crimped oats once in awhile mixed in the feed, the hulls of which are proven to improve feather sheen and prevent feather picking. For extra protein, a little dried skim milk is 33% protein or some fish 60% protein (no salt) once in awhile is okay too, especially when they are moulting. If they desire greens, they have plenty of grasses and chard, kale, or some occasional tomatoes from the garden. I free range them, so they know what they want. I don't need to jeopardize their health by giving them things that sound cute to give them. Neither do the chickens.

 

[das Huhnchen]

Thanks, Centrarchid.
They have free choice lay mash and I've not given any other foods since Dawg's advice.
All 4 birds are relatively thin. My bad for not knowing what a 'thin' bird was.
I now know that oats will take the weight right off of them.
Any suggestions on getting them back up to weight?
I will worm them, just need to decide on which one. I'm leaning toward this levamisole hydrochloride, as it is given for only one day in their water.

 

[centrarchid]

Thanks, Centrarchid.
They have free choice lay mash and I've not given any other foods since Dawg's advice.
All 4 birds are relatively thin. My bad for not knowing what a 'thin' bird was.
I now know that oats will take the weight right off of them.
Any suggestions on getting them back up to weight?
I will worm them, just need to decide on which one. I'm leaning toward this levamisole hydrochloride, as it is given for only one day in their water.

With your birds in your situation I would temporarily move flock to elevated situation, then follow a de-worming protocol watching them closely if their condition is particularly poor. make so at least night time feces can be observed for worms. When de-worming I use Ivermectin and use it only under controlled conditions to slow development of Ivermectin resistant worms. My hope is worms will be made evident. Maintain feeding regimen as same during this phase. De-worming is hard on birds too so show them love. My de-wormed birds usually exhibit a rapid improvement in appettite and weight goes back up relatvely quickly. If not, then coccidiodosis might be at play so treat for that next. After treatment phase(s) complete return them to ground but in another location that they have not been on for a while if confined. To reduce re-infection to tolerable levels I move them about periodically which also protects plant community serving as forage.

With birds I am trying to put weight on during winter months, the inclusion of 3 parts whole corn and 1 part BOSS are provided in addition to free-choice base diet (in your situaton laying mash). Use only a 1/4 cup of the whole grains per bird to avoid diluting the balanced mash diet. Be sure to offer grit free-choice.

Could you provide a picture of living arrangments? Stress management, especially with respect to cold can help restore weight.

Additionally, I do not like using mash when much of it gets onto ground as birds eat. A coarser particulate like with pellets better to control waste and injestion of parasite laden feed mixed with soil. The fermented / wet mash would get around part of that problem.

 

[Etw321]

Feed your birds whatever you want. You'll eventually be posting here in this forum wanting to know why your birds are ill. Check the sodium in human foods, protein, sugars etc....

To each his own. Which is why i stated the i respectfully disagree. I give mine fresh veggies and fruits on an almost daily basis in addition to their grains. My chickens also are unable to be outside all day free ranging due to my work schedule, so i have to provide some sort of supplimental greens to maintain their regularity.

The only ill/sick hen I've ever had is the one I own with mareks. Even she has benefitted greatly from the fresh field greens and spinach.

Just like with humans, sodium and sugar in large quantities is awful for their diet.