Hi, my name is Julie and I am new to this website.
I have some experience with chickens, but as I am finding out the more I know, the more I realise I don't know.
A few weeks ago, I purchased 9 pullets ages from 2-3 weeks from a reputable petting farm. They are Rhode Island Reds.
A week and a half later, I purchased day old chicks from a reputable chicken farm. They are Australorps and Isa brown/New Hampshire. 12 pullets, 1 cockeral. I know these day olds were wormed & vaccinated for brocchitis. I believe this to be a live vaccine, from information provided on their website.
What has been happening:
I noticed about 2-3 days after the introducation of the day old chicks that two of the older Rhode Is Reds seemed unwell, flicking there heads and kind of gasping for air.
(NB: a few years ago with no experience under my belt I rushed a hen like this to the vet, & he put her down.
. )
I didn't want this to happen again, so began my research. Starting with the breaders of the hens.
First the breader of the Rhode Is Reds, I have not been able to establish if her hens were vaccinated, despite many unreterned phone calls.
I have now concluded that the first hens I purchased have not been vaccinated and by introducing the chicks I have also introduced the illness given the incubation period of 18-36 hours and the chicks having had a live vaccine.
What I have done:
I have increased the brooding box temperature. The two hens that had been unwell bounced back within 24 hours - yay! However, then I noticed a couple of other hens also became unwell, and now I have about four, with similar symptoms, of head flicking, slightly running droppings, bit yucky smelling, still eating & drinking though. (Today is 2 weeks since the introduction of the chicks.)
One seems worse though, she is flicking her head, has watery eyes and a cough or a sneeze.
My understanding was isolation was pointless by the time I found the first unwell hen because they would all get it anyway and as the recovery was so quick with them, I felt confident I was doing the right thing.
My hens are in a brooding box, that is covered & draft free, with fresh wood shaving on top of news paper. They have fresh water twice a day and I am feeding them starter/crumble. I change the pen/bedding every second day.They are in the house, our lounge room actually. We do handle the hens, sit with them, let them walk on our hand, up our forearms, let them eat from our hands as I want them to be tame and used to human contact.While they are unwell, we only spending time with them at bedding change time. Although they are not stressed by my presence.
To me, it appears my girls have a cold and need rest, warmth, clean water & fresh food (a given really).
Please can someone tell me if I am way off the mark here?
Should I be racing off to the vet everytime, the others all bounced back. Although she is worse that the others, she doesn't seem to be getting any worse. My instinct is confused now... I have trying calling the first breader again today, explaining my situation the the girls who answer the phone... still nothing though.
If anyone has experience with this I would most sincerely appreciate your thoughts.
With thanks
Julie
I have some experience with chickens, but as I am finding out the more I know, the more I realise I don't know.
A few weeks ago, I purchased 9 pullets ages from 2-3 weeks from a reputable petting farm. They are Rhode Island Reds.
A week and a half later, I purchased day old chicks from a reputable chicken farm. They are Australorps and Isa brown/New Hampshire. 12 pullets, 1 cockeral. I know these day olds were wormed & vaccinated for brocchitis. I believe this to be a live vaccine, from information provided on their website.
What has been happening:
I noticed about 2-3 days after the introducation of the day old chicks that two of the older Rhode Is Reds seemed unwell, flicking there heads and kind of gasping for air.
(NB: a few years ago with no experience under my belt I rushed a hen like this to the vet, & he put her down.
. )I didn't want this to happen again, so began my research. Starting with the breaders of the hens.
First the breader of the Rhode Is Reds, I have not been able to establish if her hens were vaccinated, despite many unreterned phone calls.
I have now concluded that the first hens I purchased have not been vaccinated and by introducing the chicks I have also introduced the illness given the incubation period of 18-36 hours and the chicks having had a live vaccine.
What I have done:
I have increased the brooding box temperature. The two hens that had been unwell bounced back within 24 hours - yay! However, then I noticed a couple of other hens also became unwell, and now I have about four, with similar symptoms, of head flicking, slightly running droppings, bit yucky smelling, still eating & drinking though. (Today is 2 weeks since the introduction of the chicks.)
One seems worse though, she is flicking her head, has watery eyes and a cough or a sneeze.
My understanding was isolation was pointless by the time I found the first unwell hen because they would all get it anyway and as the recovery was so quick with them, I felt confident I was doing the right thing.
My hens are in a brooding box, that is covered & draft free, with fresh wood shaving on top of news paper. They have fresh water twice a day and I am feeding them starter/crumble. I change the pen/bedding every second day.They are in the house, our lounge room actually. We do handle the hens, sit with them, let them walk on our hand, up our forearms, let them eat from our hands as I want them to be tame and used to human contact.While they are unwell, we only spending time with them at bedding change time. Although they are not stressed by my presence.
To me, it appears my girls have a cold and need rest, warmth, clean water & fresh food (a given really).
Please can someone tell me if I am way off the mark here?
Should I be racing off to the vet everytime, the others all bounced back. Although she is worse that the others, she doesn't seem to be getting any worse. My instinct is confused now... I have trying calling the first breader again today, explaining my situation the the girls who answer the phone... still nothing though.
If anyone has experience with this I would most sincerely appreciate your thoughts.
With thanks
Julie
