The Poultry Keeper

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

Hi all. Poor old Doris is under the weather at the moment and any ideas would be really helpful.

On Sunday & Monday I thought she was going to lay her first egg after the Winter break, only one of the 9 girls has been laying since early November! She was going in and out of the hen house, making all the right noises, she is nice and red on her wattle, but nothing.Then on Monday night she slept on the floor of the house and not the perch, which is where she normally sleeps and when she went out on the Tuesday morning there was quite a mess under where she had been sitting, but it didn't look like a non formed egg, more like poo, but runny and I could be wrong about the egg bit.

She didn't go near the food or water, which is really un like her and she was not herself at all. She also had messy feathers on her rear.

I checked the site to see what it might be and thought she might be egg bound, so we got her and put her in a bath of warm soapy water, which she seemed fine with and on checking her parsons nose was moving all the time as if she was trying to get something out. I couldn't feel an egg inside her. We left her in there for 30 mins and then put her in a box with warm towels for a few hours next to the radiator, but nothing. I then let her out and she rejoined the other girls but was hunched up. About an hour later there was an egg on the floor where she had been, but the others were in that area too, so I couldn't say for definite if it was hers or not, although it could easily have been. She continued to be quiet all day and I didn't see her eat at all but she went to bed with the others and resumed on the perch as normal. This morning she was still on the perch and stayed there when the others came out, she came out about 30 minutes later and again I didn't see her eat anything. She has been hunched again today although she did eat some grapes from me no problem and she ate some corn this afternoon and scrapped about for a bit, but she put herself back in the house a good hour before the other girls and was on the perch. When I went to shut them in, she had moved off the perch and was on the floor again, which is just not her and sat as if going to lay an egg.

I am sorry to go on, most of you will probably have lost the will to live by now!! Her vent was not red or angry at all when we bathed her and her feathers are glistening and healthy looking but she is just not right. There are no unpleasant smells or any other odd things visible.

Over to you guys!!

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

I'm sorry to hear Doris is unwell and more sorry that I can't help. Hopefully someone with knowledge will be along soon

CP · Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 10:54 pm Post subject:

I'm no expert, but maybe as she's starting to lay again, she has 1 or 2 stuck in the 'pipeline'? I'd probably keep her isolated & in the warm for a day or so to see if she lays another egg. (or her first if the other one wasn't hers) You could try her in the warm bath again tomorrow which will clean her rear end if nothing else. Smile

Make sure she's drinking water & try to tempt her with something you know she will normally eat.

Maybe someone else will have some more ideas. Confused

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

I will see how she is tomorrow, it is a shame we are having such a cold snap at the moment, I'm sure it isn't helping. We were only remarking on Sunday how healthy she was looking. She doesn't seem to have any other symptoms, which is a good thing. Will wait for some more replies but I can easily bring her into the house into a box tomorrow and keep her nice and warm. I am convinced it is to do with laying... or NOT laying for that matter!!

Aussie Chick · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 1:11 am Post subject:

I agree with CP...She's probably trying to lay again.

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

Funny things chickens!! That's my conclusion. How can a chicken that seems so under the weather etc make such a good recovery so quickly??
Doris is back to normal, she is laying and happy as can be. Seems like it was either cured by the warm bath or she was just a bit strange coming into lay after a break. hey never cease to amaze me! Rolling Eyes

Thanks for your help gang! Very Happy

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

..or she was just smart enough to get herself taken in door for a sauna!

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

I am afraid to have to report that Doris took a turn for the worse about 10 days ago, she was a little under the weather but then got quite listless and wasn't eating. We took her to the vet's who said that she had probably been egg bound but now had peritonitis and the prognosis was not good. She gave her a shot of antibiotics and she was worse for a day but picked up a bit, we have continued taking her to the vets every 3rd day for a further injection and she seems to pick up after the second day, it's as if the shock of being prodded at the vets and the travel upsets her, that and her illness.

We took her yesterday morning and she seemed fine before we went but she has been really poorly today but then picked up again for the last couple of hours.

She hasn't been eating out of the feeder but has been scratching about and eating off the floor and off shrubs and she also scoffed grapes from me as well as eating some corn and oats. She is very thin though although she is drinking plenty of water laced with Poultry boost, ACV and Poultry spice!!

The vet's have said to keep on as it is at the moment but if there is no significant improvement after about 5 injections then it needs to be reviewed.... Gulp!! She has 2 more to go!

Any other ideas or advice would be much appreciated if you have experienced the same. She is a fighter but I fear the worst.

Oh, the vets, which is on the A10 at Reed charged a one off £10 for a consultation which included keeping her in for a day and then £1.94 for every injection including the one on Sunday!

Big thumbs up for them!

Bhindi · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:33 pm Post subject:

Sorry Doris is so poorly, unfortunatly I dont have much to add except to say if she's not eating properly then maybe you need to put the food into her yourself. I wont go into detail with suggestions except to say if you read my relatively recent topic 'Bhindi's miserable' it may help.. Also I would recommend you get some lectade (electrolytes) and drip this into her too.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Claire....
(and good luck)

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

So sorry to hear about Doris not picking herself up. Peritonitis is bad enough in humans (and some people die from it) think what it's like for a chicken ~ the poor thing.
It sounds good that she is eating and drinking ~ the drinking is the main thing as I'm sure you know, but you seem to be doing everything you can. I don't have anything to offer except my support at this time. I hope she starts to pick up before the 5th injection.

Well done and top marks for your vet ~ we ought to have a list of approved vets by area I think. Especially when you hear of some of them who wont treat one chicken on her own.

Good luck with Doris and I hope she gets stronger and recovers

CP · Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:25 am Post subject:

Fingers crossed for poor Doris.

Well done to your vet - if only there were more like that. Rolling Eyes

mojo · Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:03 pm Post subject:

hope doris gets better please ask your vet if you can post their name as folks need to have access to good vets

Zooey · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 82 Location: East Sussex

I don't know if it's of any use, but we had an ex-battery hen with egg peritonitis about a year ago. The vet gave us 5 injections of Baytril to give at home, but although she perked up a bit, I didn't think she was back to normal. I asked for another 5 injections. After that, she was OK, but didn't eat much, so we force fed her for a couple of weeks. I took her back to the vet to check her weight and as that was fine we let her fend for herself, keeping a close eye on her of course. She's now the biggest of our battery girls and probably due to all the attention she received, now follows us round like a dog. Good luck with Doris!

Bhindi · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:24 pm Post subject:

How is Doris doing?, (hope she's on the up!)