- Aug 21, 2008
- 63
- 1
- 39
I have a barred rock hen (older) who is molting like no other this season (my girlfriend has been calling her Hell Raiser if that gives a picture of how thoroughly she molted). Unfortunately for her the dumping of all her feathers coincided with serious rain/wind storms. I noticed her shivering a bit since she is basically naked and I put a heat lamp on the perch. That seems to help but I did notice that she seems like she's a little less active than normal and she also has an audible rasp when she breaths. It's nothing too severe but you can hear it if there is no other noise in the coop.
Now, yesterday I noticed my other barred rock standing with her feathers a bit puffed and head tucked in. Her right eye (only) is a bit puffy. I tried to look for worms in her eye but she has plenty of energy to resist that. I did not smell anything in her nose (have dealt with coryza before) and didn't notice any discharge in her nose or eye. Just a bit lethargic and puffy in the one eye.
I have read a bunch of threads and web pages on chicken diseases but it seems like every one directs your towards some other treatment. Going to the vet is not an option until Thursday and I'd like to treat them today. I am going to isolate both of them and give them heat lamps. I'll put Rooster Booster in their water and give them a bran mash with extra protein. I have Sulmet here but don't want to just shotgun it on treating them. The feed store down the road carries Duramycin 10 so that would be an option too.
One piece of information that may or may not be helpful. I have one hen who has just been a chronic chore to get healthy. She has never acted ill (lethargic, poor appetite, etc) but she has always just looked scruffy. I got her from a farm getting rid of their chickens (something I will never do again - I understand the stupidity in that now) and at the time she just looked terrible - all scraped up from the roosters mostly. A year and a half later, she seems healthier. She is a very energetic gal and loves to eat. Her feathers grew back, all except she has a pretty unimpressive tail. I believe she has vent gleet as well as she has chronic "poop butt". But one thing I do notice is she has a rasp when she breaths as well. I've noticed it here and there for the past couple months but it could easily have been something she's always had. I see no other symptoms with her but I wonder if she possibly has CRD and that's what I am seeing now in the other hen(s).
No other chickens (in a flock of 25) are showing any of the above symptoms (yet).
What medication (if any) should I give the hens who seem under the weather?
Should I also give it to the hen who has has a raspy voice for much longer but without symptoms?
Should I treat the whole flock with medication? (I do plan on giving them all Rooster Booster for a few days)
Any other advice?
Thank you for helping me sort through this.
Now, yesterday I noticed my other barred rock standing with her feathers a bit puffed and head tucked in. Her right eye (only) is a bit puffy. I tried to look for worms in her eye but she has plenty of energy to resist that. I did not smell anything in her nose (have dealt with coryza before) and didn't notice any discharge in her nose or eye. Just a bit lethargic and puffy in the one eye.
I have read a bunch of threads and web pages on chicken diseases but it seems like every one directs your towards some other treatment. Going to the vet is not an option until Thursday and I'd like to treat them today. I am going to isolate both of them and give them heat lamps. I'll put Rooster Booster in their water and give them a bran mash with extra protein. I have Sulmet here but don't want to just shotgun it on treating them. The feed store down the road carries Duramycin 10 so that would be an option too.
One piece of information that may or may not be helpful. I have one hen who has just been a chronic chore to get healthy. She has never acted ill (lethargic, poor appetite, etc) but she has always just looked scruffy. I got her from a farm getting rid of their chickens (something I will never do again - I understand the stupidity in that now) and at the time she just looked terrible - all scraped up from the roosters mostly. A year and a half later, she seems healthier. She is a very energetic gal and loves to eat. Her feathers grew back, all except she has a pretty unimpressive tail. I believe she has vent gleet as well as she has chronic "poop butt". But one thing I do notice is she has a rasp when she breaths as well. I've noticed it here and there for the past couple months but it could easily have been something she's always had. I see no other symptoms with her but I wonder if she possibly has CRD and that's what I am seeing now in the other hen(s).
No other chickens (in a flock of 25) are showing any of the above symptoms (yet).
What medication (if any) should I give the hens who seem under the weather?
Should I also give it to the hen who has has a raspy voice for much longer but without symptoms?
Should I treat the whole flock with medication? (I do plan on giving them all Rooster Booster for a few days)
Any other advice?
Thank you for helping me sort through this.
