When and How Much to Worry?

[Pozees]

After 10 years with no chickens I now have some again, and am in process of acquainting 2 6-7 month old girls (RIR and Blue Cochin) with 5 Speckled Susses pullets about 3 months old. All has gone well, but I noticed yesterday one of the young ones seemed to have no neck, or was keeping her head pulled in, then last night she was gurgling, and I don't know if it was only after I fed them a dish of cooked pumpkin and a dish of cranberry sauce, or before. She was also a bit lethargic. I added ACV to all the water last night which I had not done until then. This morning I was prepared to be late for work so I could get some duramycin-10 and bring it back and add to water to avoid potential illness in entire flock, and when I let them out the one who seemed possibly ill dove into the food and seems fine - so now I'm not sure what to do. I really really really don't want to give antibiotics if I don't have to, will pick some up on the way home to have on hand in case, which I should have done anyway, just not sure whether to watch another day or treat pro-actively.

 

[aoxa]

Could have been a minor crop issue that corrected itself overnight. I wouldn't give any antibiotics unless you see her worsening or back to the state she was in the night before.

 

[Pozees]

Thank you, aoxa, I appreciate your prompt assistance I hadn't even considered that, but it makes sense.

 

[aoxa]

Thank you, aoxa, I appreciate your prompt assistance   I hadn't even considered that, but it makes sense.

 

No problem at all I have had the same symptoms with sour crop. She did make a gurgling sound. This was sour crop in my RIR hen. She is fine now, but I worried for a week. What I would do to be safe, is feed plain no-name yoghurt. It has probiotics in it that will help restore the good bacteria in their crop. Also provide free access grit to them at all times.

Some birds are stupid. My silkies would eat shavings at a young age and get impacted. Only the silkies.. Sigh..

 

[Pozees]

Interestingly, I have given them yogurt a few times including the night before last, but I gave them some again tonight, and got a quart of Braggs ACV at my local Natural Grocers, where they set aside produce scraps for me if I call in the morning, and I pick them up on the way home. I do this usually twice a week, and the girls vastly prefer their veggies and treats to the crumble. Last night I thawed some pumpkin I cooked from last year's harvest (just cooked in water), and the older two didn't think much of it, but the young Speckled Sussex devoured it. Mealworms were a huge hit with all. They learned quickly that when I get home, I visit them with goodies, and it's a treat for me to go out and watch them run back and forth waiting for the night's goodies

At any rate, this evening the one I was concerned about was more active, eagerly participated in treat time, and seems almost back to normal. I have been mixing oyster shell into the crumble but think I will start serving it separately in case I'm not giving them enough.

Thank you again for your help, the crisis appears to have been a rumble of thunder rather than a full-blown storm, but I will continue to keep a close eye on the little dickens, and probably need to think about whether I want to stick with shavings or switch them over to straw, in case that is the problem.

 

[aoxa]

Interestingly, I have given them yogurt a few times including the night before last, but I gave them some again tonight, and got a quart of Braggs ACV at my local Natural Grocers, where they set aside produce scraps for me if I call in the morning, and I pick them up on the way home.  I do this usually twice a week, and the girls vastly prefer their veggies and treats to the crumble.  Last night I thawed some pumpkin I cooked from last year's harvest (just cooked in water), and the older two didn't think much of it, but the young Speckled Sussex devoured it.  Mealworms were a huge hit with all.  They learned quickly that when I get home, I visit them with goodies, and it's a treat for me to go out and watch them run back and forth waiting for the night's goodies

At any rate, this evening the one I was concerned about was more active, eagerly participated in treat time, and seems almost back to normal.  I have been mixing oyster shell into the crumble but think I will start serving it separately in case I'm not giving them enough.

Thank you again for your help, the crisis appears to have been a rumble of thunder rather than a full-blown storm, but I will continue to keep a close eye on the little dickens, and probably need to think about whether I want to stick with shavings or switch them over to straw, in case that is the problem.

Definitely separate the two, as they are far too young to eat any extra calcium. They shouldn't eat it until they have laid their first egg. What type of crumble are you feeding? Grower?

Some will say cut back on treats, but I give a lot, and everyone is healthy and extremely happy. I would stay away from anything starchy like bread, but feed as many veggies as you can. Green veggies being the best for them.

I'm glad to hear she is feeling better

 

[Pozees]

Right now I'm about a week from finishing up the bag of starter and going today to see if the local supply has grower to switch them over - I got them three weeks ago, and wanted to let them adjust to new surroundings before I made them adjust to new food, which they seem to have done now. The first week they were really spooky and weren't sure what they were supposed to do with those green leaves and things I kept giving them; now there's only one who gets worried when I stick my hand in there, the rest just wait to see which treat it's carrying This is the first time I've bought started pullets, in the past I always bought day-olds, and it's a definite trade-off. Didn't have to worry about heat, chicks piling up, whether each of them knew how to drink and eat, etc. but they really hadn't been handled much and had no exposure to anything but crumble. Still, they were right down the road from me, so no holding my breath while I opened a shipping box to see whether all survived the trip. Mainly I'm so happy to have chickens again, the challenges seem minimal.