- Jul 19, 2010
- 3
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I am new to raising chickens, this is our first flock, we only have 3 hens. I believe they are Stars or Sex Links - from what I have seen online. They are a little over a year old. When we got our first egg last year our Sweetie laid a double egg fused together - had her at the vet - she was laid out almost dead when I found her. Got her fixed up and then the problems began. We were getting very large eggs, and Sweetie prolapsed, had her at the vet again, they were able to get it back in and she was given a 3 month shot of birth control so that she could heal up. Then is was Zena - went out to lock them up and she was prolapsed, much worse than Sweetie. Had her at the vet, they said put her down or have her spayed. So I had her spayed (for those of your laughing at me - she is my pet not just a chicken - we love her like the family dog). She came through fine and we brought her home and pecking began, she moved into her low spot on the totem poll and everything seemed ok until I noticed the diarrhea. Zena's dropping never became solid after her surgery, but now the other two had it as well. Was hoping it was the heat. Zena started hiding and not eating well and hers was the worst, so back to vet. Thought maybe an infection or parasites (they could not get a good stool sample since she basically has liquid droppings). Antibiotics and de-wormer for her and just the wormer for the other girls. Now Zena's comb and waddles are shriveling, I have to seek her out and give her bread or popcorn as she has no interest in eating and the top hen just chases her down and pecks her when she does ANYTHING and she smells like she is rotting. The other two girls seem fine, they eat, drink and act just fine, but they have runny crap crusted to their backsides, I have trimmed the feathers and their skin is raw. Vet has no idea what to do. I am going to have to have Zena put down - I can't stand to see an animal suffer.
I JUST DON"T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
I switched them to an organic feed from the commercial brand of layer crumbles. They have fresh water 24/7, the coop is cleaned every morning. They have a 4 x 8 covered run, but most of the time the door is open and they are allowed to free range. Not much for them to get into - we are on a 3 acre lot with new construction from a former cornfield - just plain nothing but a bad lawn.
They do get a treat once day, be it whole grain bread, corn, etc. but not to much. Have started them on a pro-biotic per the vet - not really doing much. They have a couple days left on the wormer medicine. They are still laying and the diarrhea has cleared up in the other two girls - just this messy runny but thing left.
I JUST DON"T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
I switched them to an organic feed from the commercial brand of layer crumbles. They have fresh water 24/7, the coop is cleaned every morning. They have a 4 x 8 covered run, but most of the time the door is open and they are allowed to free range. Not much for them to get into - we are on a 3 acre lot with new construction from a former cornfield - just plain nothing but a bad lawn.
They do get a treat once day, be it whole grain bread, corn, etc. but not to much. Have started them on a pro-biotic per the vet - not really doing much. They have a couple days left on the wormer medicine. They are still laying and the diarrhea has cleared up in the other two girls - just this messy runny but thing left.
