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snapstacy said:
Thank you! Glad to be here! 1st one died the 1st winter, no sign of anything really but the day she died she wasn't moving around much then didn't go on roost, stayed on the floor of coop. We checked her an hour later & she was gone. No idea. We took a good look at her after too and didn't notice anything.
2nd one just passed about 2wks ago. She was having diarrhea & dirty butt/feathers x 2 days. Day 3 she was just sitting beside a tree alone. She allowed me to pick her up (my chickens don't like being picked up) I wiped her bottom, which was red, missing feathers too, then soaked it in a basin a few mins. Felt in her vent, she was having green diarrhea. I "googled" what it could be. Tried to give her Tums, she had a tiny piece. I gave her food/water, she did eat/drink a little, but didn't roam around outside. She went in the coop that eve. Found her dead on the floor of coop the next am. Watched the other chicks, they've been fine since. ? thought maybe she ate something she shouldn't have.
These chickens are tricky. I thought we were going to lose one about 4 mos ago, she blew up like a balloon, I think an egg broke inside her - I helped her out best I could & she's been fine ever since.
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Thank you. These type of birds you have are built to lay. They tend to end up suffering from layer type disorders easily.

It's best to keep them on a strict balanced diet to help prevent slight overweightness which is the number one thing contributes to these kind of 'lady part' problems.

Balanced diet would be layer crumble or pelleted feed. Not whole grain type feed where they have the option to pick and choose which grains to eat. Not daily treats of any kind.

Also know each state has a lab that will perform a necropsy for a very decent price to give you an answer should you lose another bird.
 
snapstacy said:
Usually 16% layer feed pellets
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Do you feed scratch... worms...kitchen scraps? Feeding any of these things takes away from the bird getting a balance to diet.
Please keep in mind that if you want to offer anything besides a layer crumble or pellet it needs to be no more than one tiny tablespoon worth per bird per day.
Anything more than that is overfeeding.
 
Kiki said:
Thank you. These type of birds you have are built to lay. They tend to end up suffering from layer type disorders easily.

It's best to keep them on a strict balanced diet to help prevent slight overweightness which is the number one thing contributes to these kind of 'lady part' problems.

Balanced diet would be layer crumble or pelleted feed. Not whole grain type feed where they have the option to pick and choose which grains to eat. Not daily treats of any kind.

Also know each state has a lab that will perform a necropsy for a very decent price to give you an answer should you lose another bird.
Click to expand...
Oh thank you, I had no idea I could get a necropsy. Good to know. I just worried about the others getting sick after. Thankfully none have. Yes, we've been sticking w/ the pellets. I do give them treats though. Its 90* out today, I gave them watermelon earlier. They also like pumpkin too. We try not to give them too much scratch, but usually do in the winter. Spring/summer/fall they are out and about catching bugs etc.
 
Kiki said:
Do you feed scratch... worms...kitchen scraps? Feeding any of these things takes away from the bird getting a balance to diet.
Please keep in mind that if you want to offer anything besides a layer crumble or pellet it needs to be no more than one tiny tablespoon worth per bird per day.
Anything more than that is overfeeding.
Click to expand...
We have gotten better I think!? We used to feed them something different every day when they got bigger. Now we do give scratch in the winter months. We have a lot of snow & they don't like going out in it at all. Spring/summer/fall we don't give much scratch - unless I'm trying to get them in the coop area for some reason. I do give watermelon, did this am actually because its 90* out today! They also like pumpkin. They will get some greens from our garden too come the fall. We try to give greens like every other day/every 3 days because we've noted some diarrhea if we give too much. But boy do they like them! (leaves from cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale)
 
snapstacy said:
Oh thank you, I had no idea I could get a necropsy. Good to know. I just worried about the others getting sick after. Thankfully none have. Yes, we've been sticking w/ the pellets. I do give them treats though. Its 90* out today, I gave them watermelon earlier. They also like pumpkin too. We try not to give them too much scratch, but usually do in the winter. Spring/summer/fall they are out and about catching bugs etc.
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I'd stop buying the scratch. It's not necessary and it may have contributed to the problems.

Layer pellets is a complete balanced diet.

If you get bored read through all of these. You will notice one thing mentioned often... overweightness.
One thing the humans have the power to regulate...the food.

Chickens are small so it is almost impossible for us to look at them and see how overweight they are. It is such a slight amount on a bird so small.


Again...I'm not saying your 2 we're overweight but it is extremely common and very obvious if you open a dead bird up.


https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/disorders-of-the-reproductive-system

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Thank you! I will! You may be right, especially the 1st year we had them. Hard to tell if they are overweight, and I was probably trying to fatten them up for the winter. We really have cut back significantly this past year on the scratch. I'll take all the info/advice I can get...I should have joined this 2yrs ago!
Thanks!
 

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