poorly pullet

[johnbhoy]

hi there
im john and live on inchfad ,an island on loch lomond and am just starting out
i was wondering if anyone can give me some advice as i got 10 16 week hyline brown pullets 2 weeks ago and one now seems a bit lethargic she has lost appetite and has a bad dose of the runs, her discharge is liquid reddish brown and frothy she is still drinking i dont know if they have been wormed at all before i got them and if they might be needing this done now?
any advice would be most welcome

[Snadger]

Welcome to the vine johnbhoy! Can't really help with your question just to say that too much greenstuff can give them the runs!

Loch Lomond is a beautiful area and must be a lovely place to live!

[HayleyB]

I'd worm her as a precaution anyway, sounds like she might have eaten something. Out of interest have you got foxes on the island? Just thinking that if not then you are sooo lucky

[johnbhoy]

thanks haley no predators at all yes i know how lucky i am lol
just need to get rid of moles and i think the deer are swimming round the deer fences into the garden

[Flummery]

They do sometimes go a bit lethargic just before starting to lay - which they could from 18 weeks. One of mine scared the life out of me and then began laying eggs. I hope it's just something like that.

Incidentally - if there's real blood in the poo it can be a problem - coccidiosis, but you can get treatment for it.

They also sometimes produce what are called 'coral coloured urates' so reddish and normal. They also produce regular ceacal poos through which they shed part of the ceacum (whatever that it - I'm not knowledgeable, just well -read!) and these are also normal.

Make sure it isn't blood, won't you?

[HayleyB]

Wow, true free range chooks very rare.......

[johnbhoy]

flummery thanks for replying and the point you made about ready to start laying might, just might be what im seeing as its the pullet with the reddest comb and wattle
but i will check if my local has treatment for coccidiosis just in case
many thanks
j

[RichmondHens]

Diarrhoea is always a bad sign - worm them all asap and if possible isolate the poorly hen to avoid passing anything on to the others. There is the faintest chance she's eaten something that's upset her, but free range hens are very canny and usually avoid poisonous plants etc by instinct.

[johnbhoy]

thanks for all your replies i have wormed all hens and same one still lethargic and spending lots of time in coop but now eating and no runs anymore the rest of the chooks are all fine so will just keep an eye on her
many thanks
j

[johnbhoy]

just to let you know my chook is on top form again rooting away with the rest this afternoon and wasnt hiding in the coop
panic over nothing it seems lol

[frias]

Happy to hear that. These hens are supposed to be a relaxing hobby but as soon as one is off colour we worry.

[Chuky cupcake]

Hi John, our Girls had this, your's may have come with a gastro untestinal parasite or two. Don't worry, the reddish brown is intestinal lining and we gave our girls Diatom (trade name) commonly known as diatomashious earth, natural and organic I was told. The girls were sorted in 24 hours. Cider vinegar, a 5ml measure in the water every other day also keeps them parasite free relatively. Diatom once a month in food, again 5-10 ml spoonfull and springled on bedding when a complete change done. Blessed be x