BurbMum
Chirping
Hi all! I found this (pic at bottom) below the roosting bar today. 2 of my 3 layers gave me eggs today, so I think this must have been Roxanne.
All 3 big birds started laying in April, but she gave us 3 eggs and then went on strike for like a month. Tail was down, looking depressed, I felt for stuck egg but ultimately figured it was coccidiosis. She perked up after Corid treatment, but didn’t start laying again until end of May. She’s been inconsistent; took 3 days off and then layed a large, long skinny egg yesterday and then the shell-less/soft shell (?) today.
[Now we also recently got 3 baby chicks from Hilltop, and they arrived sick. I treated for cocci/bloody poops but then they started showing respiratory symptoms too. The worst chick has sneezing, rales, and is hoarse. No runny noses, coughs, bubbly eyes that I’ve seen. They are 5-6 weeks now.
I’m caring for both groups (chicks indoors, big girls outside, no contact yet) and trying to change clothes between, but I know some stuff can be carried on hair/skin/in nose etc… ]
Her strike started before I switched food and before we got the chicks (in mid-May).
So do you think this just a calcium/vitamin deficiency, or result of a disease (IB?) or a reproductive issue…or a normal one-off?
What do I do?
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Barred Rock, 8 months, normal size.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Normal now. Doesn’t seem to eat oyster shell with the other girls though.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
On and off for 2 months; she had hiding/lethargy and tail down for a few but perked up after Corid x6 days. Then a round of constiptation/stuck poo with mild prolapse/vent tissue showing. Currently none.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No, 2 others are laying regularly.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No. There was a little blood when the prolapse was visible, but has been looking/acting fine for ~1 week.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
She was constipated for a day last week, pooped it out following bath, didn’t lay for a few days. One long egg yesterday.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Drinking ok, alternating plain water with probiotics, Oregono and ACV.
I’m going to be changing their food out soon because I got mixed seed stuff that they are picking and choosing from and throwing the pellets. I also give them rose petals and nasturtium leaves.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Normal under her roosting spot. Hard to tell in the run, but I haven’t seen anything off in the last few days.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Only Corid when she was off-lay, and baths. Probiotics.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Wondering about calcium versus viral/bacterial cause…?
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Photos of bird next post.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Photos. The run is sand/peat moss/dirt. The coup has pine shavings, deep litter (but I clean the chunks out) until it gets hot.
All 3 big birds started laying in April, but she gave us 3 eggs and then went on strike for like a month. Tail was down, looking depressed, I felt for stuck egg but ultimately figured it was coccidiosis. She perked up after Corid treatment, but didn’t start laying again until end of May. She’s been inconsistent; took 3 days off and then layed a large, long skinny egg yesterday and then the shell-less/soft shell (?) today.
[Now we also recently got 3 baby chicks from Hilltop, and they arrived sick. I treated for cocci/bloody poops but then they started showing respiratory symptoms too. The worst chick has sneezing, rales, and is hoarse. No runny noses, coughs, bubbly eyes that I’ve seen. They are 5-6 weeks now.
I’m caring for both groups (chicks indoors, big girls outside, no contact yet) and trying to change clothes between, but I know some stuff can be carried on hair/skin/in nose etc… ]
Her strike started before I switched food and before we got the chicks (in mid-May).
So do you think this just a calcium/vitamin deficiency, or result of a disease (IB?) or a reproductive issue…or a normal one-off?
What do I do?
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Barred Rock, 8 months, normal size.
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Normal now. Doesn’t seem to eat oyster shell with the other girls though.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
On and off for 2 months; she had hiding/lethargy and tail down for a few but perked up after Corid x6 days. Then a round of constiptation/stuck poo with mild prolapse/vent tissue showing. Currently none.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No, 2 others are laying regularly.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No. There was a little blood when the prolapse was visible, but has been looking/acting fine for ~1 week.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
She was constipated for a day last week, pooped it out following bath, didn’t lay for a few days. One long egg yesterday.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Drinking ok, alternating plain water with probiotics, Oregono and ACV.
I’m going to be changing their food out soon because I got mixed seed stuff that they are picking and choosing from and throwing the pellets. I also give them rose petals and nasturtium leaves.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Normal under her roosting spot. Hard to tell in the run, but I haven’t seen anything off in the last few days.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Only Corid when she was off-lay, and baths. Probiotics.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Wondering about calcium versus viral/bacterial cause…?
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Photos of bird next post.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Photos. The run is sand/peat moss/dirt. The coup has pine shavings, deep litter (but I clean the chunks out) until it gets hot.
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