The Poultry Keeper

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1598 Location: Carmarthenshire

At the moment i have 1 Bluebelle limping, 1 Bluebelle with the runs and I have heard a few sneezes amongst the chooks - all are eating and laying fine. The limping one loves to roost on the shelf above the nest boxes and, as i cannot find anything on her foot or leg, assume she must have strained it jumping down. The one with the runs is eating, scratching and laying - I have been trying "Ropadair" in the water and this is the second lot of the 2 weeks on 2 weeks off regime. I also have Ropadair dry to try in the food and Orego Stim to try after that - up to now some seem to have better poos/coats but not all so wondered if this isn't agreeing with all of them. I have tried garlic and ACV in their water but the garlic kept block the hole - I have 2 X 25 litre waterers on legs that fill the bowls as they drink. They also free range and, as the sheep can get the runs on new grass, don't know if this is the problem or they are picking something up. I don't know who is sneezing but there is more than one - can't see any runny noses or eyes - they got very wet and cold in the recent awful weather, not sure if chickens can get colds but wondered if i aught to put some Tylan in their water to knock anything thats brewing on the head! Why does it all come at once? I am on tenterhooks waiting for the ewes to start lambing and now i've got the girls to worry about too, my OH says i'm not happy unless |i've got something to worry about Laughing

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Chris

Chris

NannyP · Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 11:52 am Post subject:

I would personally wait before doing anything else.......there is a risk you won't know which of your remedies has worked.

If they're all eating and drinking well, and happily free ranging, I would wait and watch for more worrying symptoms.

Limping will more than likely be because she has jumped from a height, just check the foot pad for bumble foot. Otherwise, like us, you'll have a goose stepping hen for a while until it heals. Runny poo could easily be a reaction to something eaten, and again, wait a few more days before worrying too much.

Tylan is an antibiotic, and if you use it before you really need to, there is a risk that it will not have such a potent effect in the future at a time they really need it....I would leave Tylan for the serious stuff.

Only when you're hen stops eating, drinking and happily scratching do you need to do something more proactive.
Very Happy

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1598 Location: Carmarthenshire

Thankyou Nannyp, I know i shouldn't worry so much but i hate to think of my animals in pain or ill. Limping hen's limp is better today and OH remembered that the day before the runny poo we had moved some old wood from the paddock - there must have been hundreds of bugs and slugs under it! There is still a bit of sneezeing but it's not all the time nor are there any other symptoms - so I am going to do as you say and sit on my worries and wait and see. Now I just wish the ewes would start so we can get the lambing over with, hopefully, safely! Laughing

- first one due today.

Chris

CP · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:23 am Post subject:

Fingers crossed everything goes OK Chris.