help chicken ill

[alison barnett]

We have had our chickens for two weeks now, all 4 girls have settled in well 1 has even started to lay eggs. They have become very friendly and are eating out of our hands. But yesterday I noticed that one of them was beginning to look a bit of colour she has started to roost by her self and has one eye closed all the time I have checked the eye there is no discharge and nothing I can see in it. She spent most of yesterday under the ramp leading to the house and did not want to come out of the house this morning. I have wormed all of them 3 days ago and gave her some poultry spice yesterday but there had not been any improvement. Her poo is light brown and quite runny. Any suggestions on what I can do as I am a new chicken keeper.

[MaureenHall]

I swear by poultry spice as a first resort, and you've already done that. She might just be contemplating laying an egg, though the runny poo suggests she might have eaten a bit too much green stuff or slugs. Keep an eye on her. If she's not eating or drinking, then I think professional advice might be needed, otherwise see if you can tempt her with "comfort food" (layers pellets mixed up with poultry spice, mashed potatoes and warm water), mine go mad for that!

[alison barnett]

Phoned up the place where we bought the chickens they suggested beef in jelly cat food as they think she might be run down due to starting to laying. Went out and got some offered it to them with some poultry spice and a little bit of corn to get there attention. They all turned up their beaks up at it, but the cat ate it corn and all does any one know If poultry spice is ok for cats.

[MaureenHall]

Beef???? For chickens?????? Are you sure they know what they're talking about? I'd be very careful about feeding any meat to poultry, I don't think their digestive systems can cope with it. I'd stick with the comfort food and poultry spice, but other chicken keepers may prove me wrong on this. I'd definitely not be following the meat-eating advice though.

[MaureenHall]

Oh, forgot to say that the ingredients in poultry spice shouldn't hurt cats, it's mostly spices anyway (I love the smell of it )

[alison barnett]

Tried the mash and poultry spice the chickens loved it think I’ll save the meat for the cats thanks for the advice

[frias]

Are snails, slugs, worms, frogs, caterpillars etc not meat then?

[MaureenHall]

Are snails, slugs, worms, frogs, caterpillars etc not meat then?

Yes, they are aren't they? I was thinking about the meat aspect from the human point of view - I don't fancy slug salad . Seriously though, at the end of the day it's up to the owners to do what think is best for their pets isn't it

[Hilary B]

I believe it is now illegal to feed anything 'meaty' to poultry (I think that would include catfood), but there is nothing 'unnatural' about it. When we kept chickens (before all the new rules) any meaty leftovers unsuitable for the dog went to the chickens, and never seemed to do them any harm. They do OK with fishy scraps too, but I am unsure whether those are also banned.

[MaureenHall]

Thanks for that Hilary. I did think that there was some DEFRA ruling about feeding them meat, and I know you're not supposed to feed them kitchen scraps. Think I'll still keep my chooks vegetarian though, - with the odd slug, snail, fly, spider, caterpillar thrown in

[frias]

I think my girls are French hens because they love frogs legs. Well all of the frog actually. My Mum says during the war chickens were lucky to get any proper chicken food. It was scraps and fend for themselves. An experienced chicken keeper I know says chickens adore chicken curry! Obviously canibals. I know you aren't allowed to feed scraps but my hooligans eat anything they can get their beaks into. They got into the onion patch this morning so those eggs should be flavoursome. They do love Maureens mash/comfort food too and hang around the back door calling to me to hurry up and make it even though they should know by now they won't get it till later.
Alison hope your girl is back to normal. Second week I had mine one of them spent the week stood on one leg, head tucked in and not mixing with the others. I think all the changes were just too much for her. She's now the biggest and most talkative of the lot.

[MaureenHall]

How's the chicken today Alison? Any improvement or is she still the same?

[alison barnett]

Hi everybody, Chicken still looks under the weather and she still wont open her eye. She was the last to come out of the coop this morning but was still happily scraping around on the ground when we let them out into the garden. i dont think she is laying as i saw one of the other chooks hide under a bush and lay. We will give her some more comfort food tonight and hope she improves.

[Starchild]

Chickens are omnivores (as are pigs) and also can have cannabalistic tendancies.

[Sunbeam]

I give mine all the kitchen left overs - except chicken! They had the remains of roast beef and yorkshires plus any extra veg & were very very happy - you can tell by the contented clucking as they eat! I wasn't aware it was illegal to do so!