Chicken falling over

[Nicos]

Ah, OK thanks. I'm not sure if I can get Flubenvet over here or if I'll have to wait until we come back in the new year. I'm trying to use gentle / more natural products when possible - does Flubenvet fall into this category do you know?

Nope- can't get it here.

I have some spare which I can pop in the post for you!
PM me your address etc and I'll sort some out

It's not 'natural' but does a thorough 'clean out'

[VirginVegGrower]

Sadly Albert Peacock went 'walk-about' in the Spring.
No idea where he went...we did ask around but no-one had seen him.
To be honest we were rather glad cos he munched his way through most of our fruit and veg the previous year and pooped on everything- including the BBQ and table and chairs.
A fantastic experience , but a relief that he's gone !

Noooooooo liked Albert Tales

[Nicos]

* sorry!

[its hilly]

Just a thought on her tail position. Some people catch chickens by their tails, this can result in a broken/dislocated tailbone which leaves the tail leaning over drunkenly. (there is also something called wry tail which looks the same/similar but is a genetic fault which shouldn't be bred from) I'm wondering if this may have happened to your girl, if she was young it could have separated the tailbone leaving her tail flopping down. However if that was the case I would think she would be unable to use her tail at all?
Think a dose of wormer and some extra protein sounds a very good idea though.

[kathyd]

Nope- can't get it here.

I have some spare which I can pop in the post for you!
PM me your address etc and I'll sort some out

It's not 'natural' but does a thorough 'clean out'

Thanks Nicos, I'll do that, that's really kind of you

[kathyd]

Hi its hilly

I have no idea - maybe that's what happened, but I guess I'll never find out... the tail isn't really leaning over though, it sort of hangs down the back. Just occasionally the other bird's tail tips down too - eg when sitting on something and presumably balancing - but her's goes back to normal, which is quite upright. Maybe you're right and there was some damage to Bums-down's tail which prevents it turning upwards. I'm going to buy some wormer from Nicos anyway, and I'll get some protein down her - I've heard cat food is good for this? Is that the mushy stuff in packets, or the biscuity stuff? And it wouldn't do any harm to let them all have some? Or would I be better feeding them some er.. (whisper) hard boiled egg?

[jessmorris]

How old is she Kathyd? I just ask because she reminds of a chick I raised. She always looked like that, was slow to put on weight, smaller than her siblings and eventually got more and more hunched and fluffed up, and then died. The vet did an autopsy and said it was ascites. The heart is small and the body cavity fills with fluid (I think basically from circulatory problems). I think it can be hereditary or brought on by feeding too much protein too young (broilers birds get it). Anyway without handling her its so hard to tell. Just thought I'd share that as I was puzzled for ages.
Good luck with her anyway. They look more araucana in shape to me...
JM

[chris]

Last year I did the grape worming method.. I found it a pain in the bum to each day split the initial dose into 3, and then cut a grape and split that daily dose further into three. Last month I just mixed enough feed for 7 consecutive days (though this ran over to 10/11 days or something) and put it in their feeder.. much, much easier. I mixed a small amount of pellets with sunflower oil first of all, then mixed in the worming powder, then gradually topped up with more pellets making sure they were all coated well. Only took 10mins and it was done!

[kathyd]

How old is she Kathyd? I just ask because she reminds of a chick I raised. She always looked like that, was slow to put on weight, smaller than her siblings and eventually got more and more hunched and fluffed up, and then died. The vet did an autopsy and said it was ascites. The heart is small and the body cavity fills with fluid (I think basically from circulatory problems). I think it can be hereditary or brought on by feeding too much protein too young (broilers birds get it). Anyway without handling her its so hard to tell. Just thought I'd share that as I was puzzled for ages.
Good luck with her anyway. They look more araucana in shape to me...
JM

Hi JM

I think she was around 15 or 16 weeks when I got her, and I've had her probably about 4 weeks (got no sense of time at all, soz). So around 18-20 weeks-ish. Don't know what she was fed before I got her, but since then she's had the same as the others - layers pellets, mixed grain and scraps of pasta, rice, potato, bread etc. Although today I did give her grated cheese while she was on her own to get some more protein down her as per advice! But her brother's also deformed (twisted toes), so my guess would be inbreeding or some other kind of genetic problem. They do look like araucanas don't they? But I was definitely told the araucanas weren't for sale but I could have the shetland hens which would definitely lay blue eggs! We'll have to wait and see! At the moment I quite often find eggs without shells in the coop in the morning, is this something that can happen as a chicken starts trying to lay for the first time? Or do I have something else weird going on??

[kathyd]

Last year I did the grape worming method.. I found it a pain in the bum to each day split the initial dose into 3, and then cut a grape and split that daily dose further into three. Last month I just mixed enough feed for 7 consecutive days (though this ran over to 10/11 days or something) and put it in their feeder.. much, much easier. I mixed a small amount of pellets with sunflower oil first of all, then mixed in the worming powder, then gradually topped up with more pellets making sure they were all coated well. Only took 10mins and it was done!

That does sound much easier, I'll grant you that! However, my lot don't really much of their pellets, so I'd never be sure who'd had what, if any, of anything I mixed with it. They do however love their mixed grain at bedtime, although I tend to hand feed that so it could become quite messy! lol . But maybe worth a shot. I'll get it down them one way or another anyway

[polo]

That does sound much easier, I'll grant you that! However, my lot don't really much of their pellets, so I'd never be sure who'd had what, if any, of anything I mixed with it. They do however love their mixed grain at bedtime, although I tend to hand feed that so it could become quite messy! lol . But maybe worth a shot. I'll get it down them one way or another anyway

Flubenvert is designed to be fed over the 7 days so that each bird will be dosed as per its bodyweight - bigger birds eating more and smaller less. They will take the right amount - you will have to cut out all of the scraps and treats though as per the instructions to ensure they eat the right amount of pellets. Don't worry about them being hungry - they will eat the pellets if there is nothing else!!

I also do the same as Chris - very straightforward.

[VirginVegGrower]

I tried mixing it in the pellets a pain and I couldn't guarantee they'd had enough of the wormer. Sultanas/grapes work IMO and don't leave you wondering have they/haven't they. But you've got to find what works for you and for them. Good luck with her KathyD - she's getting love and care from you and I guess that's something she's happy about at least. It sounds to me as though she's got a good home and God knows there's enough cruelty in this world.

[kathyd]

Thanks for the advice Polo, and the comments VVG. I think that one of the things which would worry me slightly with the pellets route is that Bums-down isn't the only bird with deformities - her brother has twisted toes, but I've also noticed recently that he seems to have trouble picking things up. I watched him trying to peck at grain on the floor, and his beak consistently ends up to one side of it rather than on top of it - which is probably why he's agony to hand feed, because he flings his head around and pecks really viciously -I thought it was just a cock thing, but now I'm thinking he may have something wrong with his beak or something - or do birds use their eyes when they're homing in on stuff on the ground? Maybe he needs little chicken glasses! *should've gone to pecksavers* maybe!? Anyway, the point I was making before I got sidetracked into my own little world for a minute there, was that he's always famished and has just started to go and empty what's left in the pellet bowl before he goes to bed (last couple of days anyway). Now I mix it with water to soften it, it must be easier for him to eat or something. So despite the fact that he's not all that big yet, he could end up with too much wormer? I'm probably worrying about nothing.

However, I do veer more towards the idea of adding it to treats to be honest, time consuming as it may be. These are the times we sit together and get to know each other, and I'm loathe to take them away even for a few days. I'll try it the treats way first, and if it doesn't work for any reason I'll try again using pellets.

[polo]

You have to do what you find best/easiest I agree. They do fill their crops to full before bed and this is normal behaviour so I dont think your boy would overdose.

Good luck with whatever you decide. x

[Hilary B]

Sounds like inbreeding, but if there is a 'lump' where her tail fails to stand up, that might indeed be an injury. On the whole, simply don't even consider breeding from them, and be prepared for the drastic solution becoming necessary (it almost certainly will sooner or later, but you may have them for up to a year or so).