EveningPrayer
Chirping
- May 13, 2022
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I have a one-year-old Black Star hen who is my special case. Had coccidiosis as a pullet; a week of nursing inside got her over it. But since then, she’s prone to pulling out her own feathers with the least amount of change or stress. This has been prevalent for about 3 months. Free ranging helped the most to control the behavior. But last week, we lost half of our small flock to a fox. I can’t let them out anymore. So I’ve been giving her buckets of weeds/soil/insects to peck through in the run, fresh garden veggies… it’s not working. She’s not only pulling out her own feathers all around her rear end and abdomen, but laying shell-less eggs from the roost early in the morning. Her body is unhappy, and I don’t know what else to do.
We are transitioning her from Nature’s Path Organic back to Dumor’s Organic layer, because she seemed to do better on that. However, I will happily take recommendations on other feeds that might help chickens that can no longer free range, especially with weak immune systems.
She has access to grit and oyster shell. There is currently ACV in the water. I worm with Molly’s Herbals (on black soldier fly larvae) and occasionally with oregano oil.
The other hens are not exhibiting these issues.
She has sores on her bottom. We have used Hen on the Mend, Vetrycin, Pick No More, EMT First Aid, Hen Healer, epson salt baths…
While we know the fox attack/no more free ranging exacerbated the behaviors, we are not sure exactly why it started. A friend suggested food allergy, which is why we are transitioning off the Nature’s Path.
Poop looks normal. No discharge or smell from the vent. (The shininess you see in the photo is from Hen on the Mend.)
We have no vets in the area who will see chickens. I can drive 2 hours up to New Bolton (UPenn), but it’s not my the budget. So I’d like ideas here first.
Housing is a 10 x 12 foot coop and a 16 x 12 foot run for the 3 hens. There is a sand “litter box” beneath the roosting bar, and pine shavings for the rest of the coop. The run is dirt bottom and dry.
Thank you for any help. These chickens are very important to my autistic son, and he’s been really grieving since the other three were killed.
I don’t want to lose another bird, and I just don’t know what else to do.
We are transitioning her from Nature’s Path Organic back to Dumor’s Organic layer, because she seemed to do better on that. However, I will happily take recommendations on other feeds that might help chickens that can no longer free range, especially with weak immune systems.
She has access to grit and oyster shell. There is currently ACV in the water. I worm with Molly’s Herbals (on black soldier fly larvae) and occasionally with oregano oil.
The other hens are not exhibiting these issues.
She has sores on her bottom. We have used Hen on the Mend, Vetrycin, Pick No More, EMT First Aid, Hen Healer, epson salt baths…
While we know the fox attack/no more free ranging exacerbated the behaviors, we are not sure exactly why it started. A friend suggested food allergy, which is why we are transitioning off the Nature’s Path.
Poop looks normal. No discharge or smell from the vent. (The shininess you see in the photo is from Hen on the Mend.)
We have no vets in the area who will see chickens. I can drive 2 hours up to New Bolton (UPenn), but it’s not my the budget. So I’d like ideas here first.
Housing is a 10 x 12 foot coop and a 16 x 12 foot run for the 3 hens. There is a sand “litter box” beneath the roosting bar, and pine shavings for the rest of the coop. The run is dirt bottom and dry.
Thank you for any help. These chickens are very important to my autistic son, and he’s been really grieving since the other three were killed.
I don’t want to lose another bird, and I just don’t know what else to do.
