My hen is doing better!

[brwneggs]

My poor sickly hen! Sat. dad and I took all the wood shavings out, and put in sweet smelling straw, and I keep feeding them yogurt with spinach and add some corn meal and dad bought some pork and bone meal. She has really perked up!

She has not layed any yet, but I keep them in my prayers that she will be back to normal. I have 4 beautiful girls left, and love them.
Their poo is normal, and the eggs are clean, the only thing that concerns me is the dried poo that hangs off their back feathers. And they tend to pick at each other there. Two girls have pink bottoms and one has a pink back.
ALSO should i turn the straw over daily with a pitch fork, and when to put brand new straw in???
Any course of action to be suggested?

 

[Miss Lydia]

glad to hear your hen is better, for the poo sticking to their feathers give them a little trim, I do that with mine it helps keep things cleaner. I haven't used straw in my coops or nest boxes. but i would think you'd have to turn it at least once a week, I like to use pine shavings especially since i have ducks too. as for the feather picking it could be they need extra protein right now, and thats why they are pecking each others feathers. and then again if it's only one doing the pecking then she just has a problem. Which I found that a product called Blue-kote which i got at TSC and very inexpensive will help with disguising pecked areas and also help heal up sore areas. make sure they have plenty of fresh fedd and extra oyster shell fed separately[ the girls will eat it as needed] and water with ACV added to it. 1Tab. to 1 gallon of water. Good luck and keep us updated on how they are doing.

 

[brwneggs]

Miss Lydoa,

At TSC dad and I bought some Wazine17 for worms. They may have worms. I didnt know they got it off of grass, and they also eat each other poo poo. So I mixed that in with their water and they are drinking already-Yea! and we also bought something like Blue Koteinstead its called Wound-Kote from Farnam. Now, to catch the little suckers to spray them. You dont spray their openings??

 

[brwneggs]

I forgot to add---what is the best way to catch a hen and spray her? Whats the best thing to lure them to you?? Smart little stinkers!! When you get them upside down I heard they just give up.
Also, do you spray (sorry I can not remember the name) where the egg comes out? I dont want to hurt them. I know I read where you should wear old clothes and have an old towel cause you turn blue from the antiseptic.
Would appreciate any help!!