Hen with tail down. Not right...

[kellysmall87]

Hi, I have bought a pullet from my fb "friend". When i went to collect, she was in a box ready for me to take home. She has her tail pointed down, literally between her legs. She looks tatty too. I haven't put her with my flock yet, just in case.

I have dusted her in food grade DE, checked for mites (none), her nose and eyes are clear, she is eating but not drinking. There's also a few raised scales and maybe her one foot is a tad swollen. I have put ACV in her water. Maybe it's stress? Maybe she was bullied at her old place? Maybe she was confined so her tail hasn't properly sprung up like a hens should? She is 14 weeks, so shouldn't be egg bound. It's very weird... ALSO... to top it off, my fb Friend who I bought her from has since deleted me as a friend so is that a sign of a guilty conscience???? Hmm....

 

[Suzie]

DE is not a treatment for lice/mites... mites are VERY hard to see on a chicken and they do live in cracks and crevices of a chicken coop... I would suggest as a first measure that you treat her with a Permethryn based anti mite/lice treatment.... and do not put her with any other of your chickens for at least one month! Mites can sometimes be visible under the wings or around the vent area of the chickens.

Do also observe her legs closely... any raised leg scales are likely to be from " scaly leg mites" , easily treated by applying vaseline to the legs (up to where the feathers start).

She may well have been bullied.. feather loss and a depressed look is quite significant... I rescued some awful looking chickens last year and they all had problems of one sort or another... it may be a good idea to give her some tuna fish or scrambled egg to encourage her to eat a healthier diet than maybe she was given before you purchased her... it is essential that she drinks plenty of fluids, try dripping water onto her beak to ensure she gets enough fluid intake.

Once you can get her to eat and drink you should consider worming her too.

Some friend you have (had) there!

Good luck

 

[kellysmall87]

Thanks for your post. I bathed her this morning and she sit there and lets me do it! The stuff that came off her was unbelievable- so i had to bath her twice. Her crop is empty, but she is eating a few mealworms which I provided. When bathing her I could feel how excruciatingly thin she is! She has zero meat on her and that's no exaggeration. Im going to keep her away from my other chickens and let her on the grass for a while to see if she walks any better and see if she has a go at pruning herself and eats some grass and dirt. Ill get some vaseline on her legs today. Thanks! And yes I know... some "friend". And I paid £25 for her too!!

 

[kellysmall87]

Well... last night's diminishing light must have meant that I couldn't see them cleary.. but she is COVERED with mites. And she still stinks to high heaven. I've checked her once for a cut or something that could've been infected, and ill check again later to see if i overlooked anything. That "friend" is going to get an earbashing, right...about.... NOW!

 

[kellysmall87]

Would this be suitable?


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PROTECTOR...285?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item588f7160cd

 

[Suzie]

Yes... you will need to treat her and the housing she is in...

I hope your "friend" is ashamed of herself... although i doubt it!

£25 is an awful lot to pay for a chicken... especially a sick one.

I am pleased that you have her now, she can live a great life from now on in your care.

 

[kellysmall87]

I told my "friend" that I want a refund via paypal a ive had to treat for mites. They said that they didn't know and she has been fit and well when they had her! Ha. So my pullet has developed mite infestation and illness in less than 24 hours of being in my care? Pfft. I better get that refund!!

lol!

Is it a good idea to give the chicken crushed garlic made into a puree (a natural antibiotic I have read on here) and some metronidazole incase the almighty smell is an infection? I have one tablet of metronidazole and i could give her a 1/4 of it?
Meanwhile, I have ordered the mite stuff.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[kellysmall87]

Update: I have given the pullet a good dusting with DE twice a day, rubbing it all into her skin. Mites have reduced significantly, and will be dousing her and her living quarters in mite spray when it comes through the post.

As for the smell, I have come to the conclusion that it is infection from somewhere. It's smells like an infection smell, not a chicken poop or dirty smell. So, I have researched garlic and antibiotics. I had some antibiotics in my cupboard from a tooth infection I had (must have a prescription for antibio's here in UK) and so have been giving the pullet 1/4 antibiotic tablet crush with garlic. The foul paste is them syringed with water into her beak. She isn't keen, but she is picking up. So far, she had had two doses and is chomping sweetcorn and mealworm as we speak. She is also becoming curious and vocal, and since she has been having this mixture she is now struggling to get away when I pick her up which is of course what she should be doing.

The girls showing some vigour now!

 

[ozexpat]

Update: I have given the pullet a good dusting with DE twice a day, rubbing it all into her skin. Mites have reduced significantly, and will be dousing her and her living quarters in mite spray when it comes through the post.

As for the smell, I have come to the conclusion that it is infection from somewhere. It's smells like an infection smell, not a chicken poop or dirty smell. So, I have researched garlic and antibiotics. I had some antibiotics in my cupboard from a tooth infection I had (must have a prescription for antibio's here in UK) and so have been giving the pullet 1/4 antibiotic tablet crush with garlic. The foul paste is them syringed with water into her beak. She isn't keen, but she is picking up. So far, she had had two doses and is chomping sweetcorn and mealworm as we speak. She is also becoming curious and vocal, and since she has been having this mixture she is now struggling to get away when I pick her up which is of course what she should be doing.

The girls showing some vigour now!

you are very patient. well done

 

[realsis]

what a awful friend! thank God your a good person to take care and nurse the chicken back to health! I'm sorry there are such scammers out there! did you ever hear from her again? probly not huh? well good to know the chicken is coming around! so sorry this happened to you!