my baker's dozen of lavender cuckoo orpingtons

[ShanandGem]

I highly recommend it for anyone with a bird with paralysis. They get so agitated when their legs don't work and thrash around and exhaust themselves. This keeps them moderately upright and I think it makes them feel secure.
This morning: My first hen to get sick yesterday is holding up her own head, seems much more alert and ate some breakfast. The second one isn't much improved but he didn't get sick until later, so I hoping by tonight to see improvement in him.
I am syringe feeding liquids (coconut oil, honey, lemon juice and yogurt in warm water) every few hours. Three more out in the coop are showing mild symptoms but are still mobile so I am leaving them for now. There's only so much room in my bathtub!
I can't believe all this happened from a bad bag of feed. Just grateful we found out before I fed it to my hatchlings.

 

[aart]

Do the hammocks have holes for the legs to hang down?

 

[ShanandGem]

Do the hammocks have holes for the legs to hang down?

No, they're all tucked up iinside.

 

[ShanandGem]

My little pullet died this morning. She seemed much improved yesterday but somehow found her way off her towel last night and I think she got chilled lying on the cold steel tub floor. Amazing my cockerel who was pretty much comatose yesterday is still trying to rally.
I'm a little frustrated. I have kept animals all my life and my record of chicken keeping thus far is not stellar. Who knew it would be so hard?

 

[Honora]

How are things going? So sorry to hear of your losses. :-(

 

[ShanandGem]

How are things going? So sorry to hear of your losses. :-(

I got it sorted out finally, thanks so much for asking. I had another bird get sick after removing the bad bag of feed and in desperation began treating for a vitamin A deficiency as I was out of theories. Within 24 hours everyone was much improved.
I would encourage everyone to check the batch numbers on their feed bags and verify when it was milled. The bag my birds had been living on since they hatched was milled last August :-(. Vitamin degradation is a real concern.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I got it sorted out finally, thanks so much for asking.  I had another bird get sick after removing the bad bag of feed and in desperation began treating for a vitamin A deficiency as I was out of theories.  Within 24 hours everyone was much improved.
I would encourage everyone to check the batch numbers on their feed bags and verify when it was milled.  The bag my birds had been living on since they hatched was milled last August :-(.  Vitamin degradation is a real concern.

Wow that's awful! They should be required to check it! But then again to many they are "just chickens" :/

How do you find out when it was milled?

 

[Jensownzoo]

I got it sorted out finally, thanks so much for asking.  I had another bird get sick after removing the bad bag of feed and in desperation began treating for a vitamin A deficiency as I was out of theories.  Within 24 hours everyone was much improved.
I would encourage everyone to check the batch numbers on their feed bags and verify when it was milled.  The bag my birds had been living on since they hatched was milled last August :-(.  Vitamin degradation is a real concern.

Ah, so glad you finally figured it out though! There seems to have been a lot of chick illnesses lately fixed by vitamin supplementation. It would be interesting to know if they also were getting older feed or if the issue originated with the hen.

 

[ShanandGem]

Wow that's awful! They should be required to check it! But then again to many they are "just chickens"

How do you find out when it was milled?

I know the people at my feed store very well and had them contact the supplier for me.
I have since turned my kitchen into a culinary laboratory of chicken nutrition. Lots of math, measuring and supplementation going on!

 

[ShrekDawg]

I know the people at my feed store very well and had them contact the supplier for me.
I have since turned my kitchen into a culinary laboratory of chicken nutrition.  Lots of math, measuring and supplementation going on!

Ahhh okay that makes sense. No way to know without contacting them? And sounds awesome!