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- #11
- Jul 21, 2014
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I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to this post. My brother passed away yesterday and I have been at the hospital most of the past two days. I haven't had much time to check in on Lady. My husband has been trying to care for her. To answer a couple of questions - the ladies are between 21-22 weeks. Their first worming was with Wazine and now I keep DE out in the run and it is sprinkled in the coop. They're not due for another worming with the wazine for another week - but the guy at Tractor Supply told me if I keep DE out regularly that it is a natural pest control and will work as a wormer as well - I need to double check that - but I wormed the entire flock of five with wazine about three weeks ago. The medicated feed is not the medicated chick starter. A friend that works in a co-op told me to try it - it has erthymycin or something like that - it lists all kinds of things that it is supposed to help with. I started that the day she got wobbly. She seems completely alert. She is not having any breathing difficulties and as soon as the others became aware she was weak they began pecking on her and I moved her to a kennel. The kennel is large enough that she can walk around in it if she chooses and I put a nice layering of straw on the bottom. Instead of walking around she has chosen to "sit". This morning has really been the first morning I have been home and not at the hospital so I coaxed her out with some treats. I she is still giving to the left side - She stretched her right leg and fluttered her right wing - but did not stretch her left leg or wing. She seems more steady on her feet but I can tell she is still giving to the left side. Her eyes are bright and alert - I can't see any blood or feather loss or feel anything - but just the way she stretched the right side and not the left makes me wonder if she injured herself maybe off the perch or if one of the larger girls hurt her. She is the smallest in the flock. Up until now no other has tried to be dominant, but in the last week the BO has pretty much asserted herself as the one in charge and she is the first I noticed to pick on Lady. I left her out on the fenced in patio for about 30 minutes to walk around and she followed me in the house for a little while. I have now put her back outside and put her in the kennel and closed the door so she is confined again. If she is injured - should I keep her somewhat immobile for a while to see if it heals - Like I said I see no obvious injuries but she won't even stretch that side. I did give her a dose of vitamins as well - put I give them all a commercial food that has a good protein content - they have grit, oyster shell and while they have pecked every shred of grass that was in the run - I give them turnips from the garden and every other day I toss them a handful of treats - typically meal worms and cracked corn and seeds. None of them have loose stool and I don't see bugs on any of them. The other four are much larger than Lady with the Buff being larger than all of them - or at least with her feathers she appears to be much bigger. I guess my next question - seems she doesn't seem to be getting worse - I'll keep up with the vitamins and medicated feed - but should I let her out to stroll around the patio and flower bed or keep her inside the kennel. Is it best to keep her more sedentary or would movement be helpful. Thanks all.