- Apr 15, 2011
- 3
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Hi there,
I have been keeping chickens (central Victoria) for just over two years and love them to pieces but I keep losing them. So far we have lost around 15 chickens. Some of them we bought as pullets and some were hatched here naturally. Some died after displaying "sleepy" symptoms and others became paralyzed before they died.
Just yesterday we lost a 2 month old chicken and now the hen (a Silver Sussex) that raised the chicken is showing signs of sickness as well.
We have 3 hens - an Isa/Aracana (main egg layer and hatched here, a Plymouth (bought as a grown hen) and a Silver Sussex (bought as a hen). The Isa is the only one getting fertilized eggs and the Plymouth and Sussex do the brooding and raising.
The Plymouth sat on eggs again and again for ages to no avail so we put some duck eggs under her and now we have fully grown ducks. The Sussex also sat on eggs and only on hatched (belonging to the Isa).
The Plymouth and the Isa/Aracana pick on the Sussex. They picked on the chic as well!
The Hen House is good. Its dry, has ventilation and is cleaned regularly. I always make sure there is fresh water - this is quite a task now that the ducks have joined the gang. They are feed Barstock organic feed and fresh scraps every day or so. Wild birds are always in the pen.
I just don't know why they are dying one at a time from this sleepy sickness - the Sussex is also breathing quite heavily and seems a bit unstable on her feet. She was such a happy talkative hen that ran about and it makes me really sad to see her go through this.
I'm no expert so I would really appreciate some advice because I don't know anyone else around with this problem.
Thanks
Jackie
I have been keeping chickens (central Victoria) for just over two years and love them to pieces but I keep losing them. So far we have lost around 15 chickens. Some of them we bought as pullets and some were hatched here naturally. Some died after displaying "sleepy" symptoms and others became paralyzed before they died.
Just yesterday we lost a 2 month old chicken and now the hen (a Silver Sussex) that raised the chicken is showing signs of sickness as well.
We have 3 hens - an Isa/Aracana (main egg layer and hatched here, a Plymouth (bought as a grown hen) and a Silver Sussex (bought as a hen). The Isa is the only one getting fertilized eggs and the Plymouth and Sussex do the brooding and raising.
The Plymouth sat on eggs again and again for ages to no avail so we put some duck eggs under her and now we have fully grown ducks. The Sussex also sat on eggs and only on hatched (belonging to the Isa).
The Plymouth and the Isa/Aracana pick on the Sussex. They picked on the chic as well!
The Hen House is good. Its dry, has ventilation and is cleaned regularly. I always make sure there is fresh water - this is quite a task now that the ducks have joined the gang. They are feed Barstock organic feed and fresh scraps every day or so. Wild birds are always in the pen.
I just don't know why they are dying one at a time from this sleepy sickness - the Sussex is also breathing quite heavily and seems a bit unstable on her feet. She was such a happy talkative hen that ran about and it makes me really sad to see her go through this.
I'm no expert so I would really appreciate some advice because I don't know anyone else around with this problem.
Thanks
Jackie
