Needing advice and ideas on my hen!

[Sulli108]

I mash up the calcium really fine, put water, suck it into a syringe, grab her waddles and pry her beak open and put it in. However, there is a chocking hazard so watch a video, when I do this I pat my hens on the back and crop, (not to hard) to help it go down right. Whats there diet?

I'll watch a video!

We chose an organic layer feed from Murdoch's. It's called Eden feed. 17% protein mash, soy free, but not corn free.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes - a hormonal Cockerel then.

Maybe I'll let the ladies out too tomorrow and keep Bubbles the Cockerel in (my 2 year old daughter named him).

Bubbles will calm down when he's 2

Cockerels can be a pain sometimes, especially if the girls are all pullets around the same age as he is. A becomes sexually "mature" more quickly than the girls and sometimes just be over zealous, let's say.
This can sometimes lead to pullets getting injured or bare backed (been there done that!).

Once the girls all come into lay and are a little older, they can better deal with.

Remember, you are not punishing him! You are giving the girls a break. I'd still let him run with them some so he's happy too.

If you have a mature group of hens (1 year and older), then put the cockerel with them. They will teach him manners (most of the time) and he'll be a good boy for you (and the girls).

 

[Sulli108]

Hello!

I am jumping back in for an update.
Rainbow is still with us, but still not walking except on her knees.

Her legs seem to almost go over the other and sometimes she falls forward and picks her self up.

She is still eating, and goes through phases where I think she is not eating much - to today when she seemed like she was eating so much.

Her eyes are still clear.

She can feel her feet and wraps them around my hand when I hold her.

I have been giving her calcium - which she takes on her own - so easy.

I have added nutritional yeast to her food, as well as nutrients and probiotics to her water from grubbie farms (not sure if that's the correct name).

Her egg shells firmed up beautifully. But she hasn't laid for about 4 days now.

I have also looked into hypericum ( homeopathic st.johns wort) and decided to give it to her as a pellet into her food mash to see if it would help her nerve pain and for healing.

Juries our on if anything is really helping.

I have read that some deficiencies can take to reverse when connected to the sciatic nerve in chickens legs - but would love some feedback on anyone's experiences with this.

She was obviously deficient in calcium, as she bounced back to perfect beautiful eggs. Other than that everything is still a mystery

Thanks for your help! I love her and want to do what is best for her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have read that some deficiencies can take to reverse when connected to the sciatic nerve in chickens legs

Do you have that info or links to the studies where a deficiency affects the sciatic nerve?

Marek's disease comes to mind, since it's been a few weeks with no mobility improvement.

 

[Sulli108]

Do you have that info or links to the studies where a deficiency affects the sciatic nerve?

Marek's disease comes to mind, since it's been a few weeks with no mobility improvement.

I'll look again at the source of the info connecting deficiencies with the sciatic nerve.

 

[Sulli108]

Soo... Rainbow is now standing up more. She is trying to walk on her feet.

However, her feet look like they are not bending at the "wrist" and a toe on each foot doesn't wrap around the roost bar. (She did decide she wanted to roost on the side of her box - so I put a bar on it for a comfortable round bar to see if her feet could curl around it. Which 2-3 toes on one foot does and only 2 on the other).

I am now looking for foot rehab ideas??

Is it too late - if it was a B2 def. all along? Or is she possibly pulling through Mereks?

She also hasn't laid an egg in a week or more.

Thanks for the help and support.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Soo... Rainbow is now standing up more. She is trying to walk on her feet.

However, her feet look like they are not bending at the "wrist" and a toe on each foot doesn't wrap around the roost bar. (She did decide she wanted to roost on the side of her box - so I put a bar on it for a comfortable round bar to see if her feet could curl around it. Which 2-3 toes on one foot does and only 2 on the other).

I am now looking for foot rehab ideas??

Is it too late - if it was a B2 def. all along? Or is she possibly pulling through Mereks?

She also hasn't laid an egg in a week or more.

Thanks for the help and support.

How many days did you give the Calcium Citrate+D3?

Yes, you can still give B-Complex. Start giving her 1/4 tablet once daily and see if that helps.

I'm sorry she's not improving much.

 

[Sulli108]

How many days did you give the Calcium Citrate+D3?

Yes, you can still give B-Complex. Start giving her 1/4 tablet once daily and see if that helps.

I'm sorry she's not improving much.

I gave her the calcium citrate + D for a week and a half straight. She would literally eat it out of my hand when I broke the pill in two.

I am still giving her some - but was concerned I'd overload her - especially now that she is not laying.

I'll work on the B Complex. She doesn't take it as easily. I have started to add Nutritional yeast to her food.

Thanks for your help and support!