Owlbeard Pullet - chronic lethargy, slow, not getting better/not getting worse?

[Mrsmalexander8]

I have a Dutch Owlbeard, named Minnie, 14 weeks old, seems slightly smaller than the others, seems a little bony but still eating and drinking albeit slowly. Had a sister who was culled as a younger chick (named Merriweather, culled around 8 weeks old), who was fine and then went downhill quickly. Merriweather started with similar symptoms to Minnie, but within a week stopped eating, drinking, not reactive to poultrycell or other electrolytes, eventually was unable to walk on her own so we culled. Treated both for Cocci and de-wormed to no avail. She also has a brother I got at the same time who is a scissor-beak (named Gandalf), who is huge, thriving, active, and happy.

Minnie, who I'm writing about, has been essentially kept away from the others in the mixed flock because she's immediately preyed upon by all. Now I have her in a dog crate with the others in the run, and put them together to sleep at night. She won't come out of the coop on her own in the morning, I go get her and put her in crate for the day. When I've tried taking her out to be amongst the others, they all beat up on her and she doesn't try to get away, just lays down submissively and even starts to roll to her side. Its not easy to watch, hence her being in her own area. Poop is normal. Housed in an 8 x 8 ft. coop made of wood, use pine shavings as litter, run substrate is a mix of earth, leaf litter, hay when it gets muddy, pine shaving runoff. Run is 12 x 14 ft. and they supervise free range for now.

If it were just one of the others (I have 4 older hens, and 10 pullets her same age, 2 - 14 week old roos), I would separate the bully, but they all bully her. I expect it is because she appears very weak and they don't want that around their flock.

I think perhaps, because this is a very rare breed, this is a genetic issue, given the similar problems seen with her sister. Is this possible?

Basically, I want to know if anyone has had a similar experience and seen a chick turn around and get back to normal. If that is not the case, I may adopt her out to someone able to better care for her in a special needs way. Want to make sure I'm not missing something obvious.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

14 weeks old, seems slightly smaller than the others, seems a little bony but still eating and drinking albeit slowly.

Treated both for Cocci and de-wormed to no avail.

Can you post photos of her and her poop?

What are you feeding her, including treats?

What treatments and dosing did you use for Coccidiosis and deworming?

She may be failure to thrive, it's hard to know. I'd work on hydration and see that she's eating a nutritionally balanced chick starter or all flock feed that is 18-20% protein.

 

[Mrsmalexander8]

Can you post photos of her and her poop?

What are you feeding her, including treats?

What treatments and dosing did you use for Coccidiosis and deworming?

She may be failure to thrive, it's hard to know. I'd work on hydration and see that she's eating a nutritionally balanced chick starter or all flock feed that is 18-20% protein.

Thanks for your help- photos of her and poop attached! She is eating 18% grower feed, whole grain version from milefour. Treats I give greens from garden, mealworms, scratch mix with corn and sunflower. I have given her a mash of the food with hot water and some oatmeal, yolks a few times which she eats normally but not vigorously. I treated her and entire flock recently with corid 9.6% for 5 days and 1% ivermectin for 2 days- both in water.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She is eating 18% grower feed, whole grain version from milefour. Treats I give greens from garden, mealworms, scratch mix with corn and sunflower. I have given her a mash of the food with hot water and some oatmeal, yolks a few times which she eats normally but not vigorously. I treated her and entire flock recently with corid 9.6% for 5 days and 1% ivermectin for 2 days- both in water.

Does she have grit available?

I'd cut out the scratch and sunflower. Greens and mealworms as small treats only.

With whole grain feed, sometimes a bird will pick out the "good things" they like instead of eating all the ingredients. So she might be doing this - say she's eating the peas and barley but not really eating the rest, so she's not getting this meal/vitamin mix that is in the food too.
Try soaking the feed overnight or fermenting it to see if that helps or you can try offering a commercial chick starter crumble.

I'd try giving her a boost with vitamins, give 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex.

If possible, get a fecal float to see if she needs to be treated for worms again. Ivermectin is not that effective and is usually dosed by weight. Safeguard or Valbazen are better anthelmintics and will treat most worms that poultry have.

 

[LadyLucretia]

Any updates on her? Is she stronger and feeling better? I had an owlbeard pullet that was sick for a few days, but now she is doing really well.

 

[Mrsmalexander8]

Any updates on her? Is she stronger and feeling better? I had an owlbeard pullet that was sick for a few days, but now she is doing really well.

Hi there! Sorry for the delay haven't checked this forum in a while. She is doing much better, still at the bottom of the pecking order in our mixed flock but growing and acting normally for several months now.

 

[Mrsmalexander8]

Does she have grit available?

I'd cut out the scratch and sunflower. Greens and mealworms as small treats only.

With whole grain feed, sometimes a bird will pick out the "good things" they like instead of eating all the ingredients. So she might be doing this - say she's eating the peas and barley but not really eating the rest, so she's not getting this meal/vitamin mix that is in the food too.
Try soaking the feed overnight or fermenting it to see if that helps or you can try offering a commercial chick starter crumble.

I'd try giving her a boost with vitamins, give 400IU Vitamin E and 1/4 tablet B-Complex.

If possible, get a fecal float to see if she needs to be treated for worms again. Ivermectin is not that effective and is usually dosed by weight. Safeguard or Valbazen are better anthelmintics and will treat most worms that poultry have.

Thank you so much for this by the way! I switched the flock to pellets and I think that helped a lot.