Sick hen...

[Glutton4...]

Sharp words due for the Missus then!

[petal]

I am with richmond hens still on this one, if they are sneezing at all still I would take one to the vet - if it is mycoplasma they will be carriers - which might rule out getting any other hens in the future as they would get sick too.

[Albanach]

I'm going to get them on a dose of Tylan this coming weekend. They were all pecking at the door this morning before letting them out and have given them the dose of worming solution in their drinker.

[Flummery]

Here's hoping!

[Albanach]

Seems I was a bit too optimistic. Came home yesterday and the same hen was hunched, ruffled and not very well with heavy discharge from the nostrils but no swelling.

I spoke to the original seller who said she would one of the following :

1) replace the 3 hens as a gesture of good will as it is 4 weeks since I bought them.
2) replace the one that is very sick and to provide 5 days of tylan to treat and to call when the course of antibiotics is over.

She did say she would normally speak to the buyers when they pick them up to let them know of symptoms and to call her should something go wrong. I picked them up from her husband who never said anything to me.

I am not sure I want to replace them from the same seller given that the new hens could well display the same symptoms which would mean they could not be introduced to new hens in the future. On the other hand any hens from any breeder could well be carriers of the same type of thing. Very confused!?

[RichmondHens]

Sorry to hear the bad news. The very fact that the breeder thought that "something" might go wrong makes me suspicious she knew they may not be well in the first place. Definitely do not use this breeder again.

You have two choices:

1. Return all 3 birds and ask for your money back. The affected hen should be culled and I suspect if you return her that is what the breeder will do.

2. Cull the ill one and keep the other two but treat them with Tylan to clear up any residual infection they may be harbouring. Once you are satisfied with their health, then you could get a third hen from a different breeder. Take someone experienced along with you to help you choose a good healthy bird.

There is always a risk of picking up an illness when you buy live birds from anywhere but unless you have the set up to hatch your own (and this is not without risks as some diseases are transmitted through the egg from carrier parents) there is not a lot you can do. Have a good look round all the birds on offer, don't be afraid to ask for them to be caught up so you can handle and inspect them, and reject if necessary. If there is something you don't like the look of (dirty pens, poorly or unkempt looking birds etc) then walk away. There are millions of chickens out there, the right ones will come along soon, I am certain.

[Nicos]

Where abouts are you???
Maybe someone on here may know of a good breeder near you.

( - can you pop your rough location into your profile anyway??)


What would I do????


Hmm...think I'd take them back and scrub out your place with disinfectant. Then start again.

[Albanach]

Co. Limerick, in Ireland.

[motherhen]

Once again I agree with RH! return all of the birds ask for your money back, they maybe reluctant to give it because you have now had them a while and they will probably say it was your fault.
I would not keep any, they are never going to be right and you will just think you are getting there and some sort of stressful situation will make them revert back.
I would scrub the house with a good disinfectant that treats for viral infections.
Some diseases can be linger in the house on hard surfaces and in the ground.
I would leave it all empty for as long as you can just to be on the safe side.
I would not hatch your own or buy very young, I do not think you have the experience to cope with youngstock.
We supply many first time keepers and I think the best way to go is a proper commercial hybrid, if they come from a reputable breeder they will be fully vaccinated and will have had many health checks, if you want to go for something different or pure breed get hold of a poultry club or a recommended breeder, that will worry about their reputation, there are so many poor poultry outlets at the moment that are jumping on the band
wagon, because the hobby has become so popular.
All of us can have the odd poorly bird but every care must be taken to keep your stock as healthy as possible. We are extremely strict with our bio
security, the area where our POL that we sell are away from the casual visitor in a seperate paddock and we only take invited customers to them, if we allow them to enter the paddock they have to dip their feet in a footbath.
This may seem excessive but when you are providing livestock you should take that responsibility seriously. SORRY I WILL GET OFF MY SOAPBOX NOW!

[Suechooks]

Good advice Motherhen - we could all take note of your advice!

[Albanach]

It's been a while since I last posted so here goes if anyone is interested.

I put the chickens on a course of tylan for 7-10 days and this was completed on the 16th March. Unfortunately all three still display cold like symptoms, head shaking and sneezing (but not as often as before) but two of them are laying which the breeder said "if the hens are laying they are OK" and seem to be quite happy whereas the third is constantly ruffled up and lethargic but is still eating and drinking.

I have contacted the breeder who has said that she can't understand why the tylan has not worked and is willing to take the sickest hen and replace her. To be honest I think my best bet would be to just get her to take the 3 away and to start again with a different breeder/type of chicken. If I were to do this I would obviously disinfect the house/drinkers/feeders using ***** fluid. How long should I leave it before re stocking? I'd obviously move electric pen as well...

[Nicos]

No idea as to the ideal length of time to be honest, but if you're moving everything and disinfecting everything then I'd have thought give it a week?????
A few more frosts might see off a few bugs you may have missed??

One thought- it might be worth getting fresh feed ( there's no way mice could have got into it is there? - if so they will pee/poo in it- and that can make the chooks ill.)

[chris]

I'd definately take them all to her, for her to deal with - and quite rightly so go with a different breeder.

Personally, if I were in your shoes I'd give it a couple of clean outs with *****, leaving it to dry inbetween the washes (a day or so) - and then leave it for at least a week as Nicos has said?

I'm sure you will, but when you look at the next set of hands, ask to inspect them - and take note of the signs that your current flock are showing, check the eyes, crop (shouldn't be empty), legs, feet, toes, comb, beaks (signs of intensively reared as I think you may have posted before?). I'd probably look out for breeder recommendations around you too - post on some poultry forums. I'd probably name and shame the breeder too, as she's not offering your money back - where as in my opinion any decent breeder should have done.

[Hilary B]

Anywhere that can't be disinfected, I'd give at least 6 weeks gap, and possibly a lot longer. Where it can be disinfected, the above suggestions are probably as good as any.
If you have a way to apply the ***** solution VERY hot, so much the better, and maybe even apply a blow-torch (with due caution) anywhere that is reasonably fire-resistant. Fire is the most potent of germ-killers (but sometimes impractical to use).

[motherhen]

As you are not sure what they have, it's best to take every precaution, and most things can be harboured in the ground so if you treat the house and utensils and then leave litter in the run there is a chance you could still be infected. If they were confined to a run could you move it to a new area? if they free ranged then I would confine them, for a while.
Usually 30 days is a good guide to quarantine most infections, I know it seems a long time but it would be best to be safe.
This is why the unscrupulous should not be breeding birds ( I am not saying these people are by the way, as we can all have the odd bad day ) but there are people out there that have no idea and shouldn't be let loose on livestock.
Sorry I know I go on!! but it gets chicken keeping a bad name!