This quote is from threehorses "But another thing that is coming up a lot lately here in the US that I'd like for you to check for, oddly - and mind you if this is it, it's not the normal reaction to it: molt. I'd check her thoroughly for any signs of feather loss and (most importantly) new feathers coming in. Start at the head - that's where you're most likely to see the "pin feathers" that come in (in their casings) during a molt."
I was going through the posts trying to figure out what is wrong with my 9-10 month old BR hen when I came across the post (part above). She has stopped laying and there are a lot of feather in the run, and yes she has new feathers coming out on her neck. The problem is she is not doing well - eating very little, does not appear to have much of an appetite even for treats. She eats a bit of it and then leaves. She does however have an appetite for lettuce especially the core. She has been pooping very little but her poop appears normal. At times she seems normal but mostly she is hunched over slightly and seems a bit puffed up. I have checked her vent and all seems fine. I thought she might have something lodged
in her crop and gave her 5ml olive oil today. Since she has been eating so little I have tried offering her anything she may fancy. Boiled egg, sunflower chips, BOSS, layer mash mixed with warm water, shaved peanut butter type suet and meal worms. She liked them the meal worms and ate a container full ~ 100 small ones. Then went and ate some grit. I did notice at one stage that she seemed to have something in her throat because she kept on swalloing and opens her beak widely. Did this about 5 times.
One of the issues you raised on the botulism discussion was decaying vegetation. I let them out to forage in the little patch where I had my summer garden fenced with a short fence but they got over the top and were scratching around the pen where there is decaying straw and leaves and what looks like white mold under the leaves/straw. She is not exhibiting any type of paralyses or anything of that nature. She oddly does lift her wings up quite a bit as if she is going to fly!
They do not free range very much and are feed mostly on layer pellets with BOSS for a treat.
I have started adding electrolytes and vitamins to their water since it is getting rather cold here this week - lows under 20F.
Could it be that she picked up some type of toxin from the decaying leaves? I have not tried to pull any feathers out but a lot where coming out when I brought her into the house to try get her to eat a bit more without my other hen around (I only have two).
Does this sound like a molt or some kind of mycotoxin?
If it is a molt how long does this last does it make them feel that bad?
Your advise would be greatly appreciated.
Jenny
I was going through the posts trying to figure out what is wrong with my 9-10 month old BR hen when I came across the post (part above). She has stopped laying and there are a lot of feather in the run, and yes she has new feathers coming out on her neck. The problem is she is not doing well - eating very little, does not appear to have much of an appetite even for treats. She eats a bit of it and then leaves. She does however have an appetite for lettuce especially the core. She has been pooping very little but her poop appears normal. At times she seems normal but mostly she is hunched over slightly and seems a bit puffed up. I have checked her vent and all seems fine. I thought she might have something lodged
in her crop and gave her 5ml olive oil today. Since she has been eating so little I have tried offering her anything she may fancy. Boiled egg, sunflower chips, BOSS, layer mash mixed with warm water, shaved peanut butter type suet and meal worms. She liked them the meal worms and ate a container full ~ 100 small ones. Then went and ate some grit. I did notice at one stage that she seemed to have something in her throat because she kept on swalloing and opens her beak widely. Did this about 5 times.
One of the issues you raised on the botulism discussion was decaying vegetation. I let them out to forage in the little patch where I had my summer garden fenced with a short fence but they got over the top and were scratching around the pen where there is decaying straw and leaves and what looks like white mold under the leaves/straw. She is not exhibiting any type of paralyses or anything of that nature. She oddly does lift her wings up quite a bit as if she is going to fly!
They do not free range very much and are feed mostly on layer pellets with BOSS for a treat.
I have started adding electrolytes and vitamins to their water since it is getting rather cold here this week - lows under 20F.
Could it be that she picked up some type of toxin from the decaying leaves? I have not tried to pull any feathers out but a lot where coming out when I brought her into the house to try get her to eat a bit more without my other hen around (I only have two).
Does this sound like a molt or some kind of mycotoxin?
If it is a molt how long does this last does it make them feel that bad?
Your advise would be greatly appreciated.
Jenny
