ashcmt Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Just wondering if anyone knows a little bit about chicken health matters. Got two hens in the back garden, had them for about a year now, no problems what so ever. However the last few weeks one of them has been funny and they have both stopped laying. The problem hen, seemed to be having her malt, but she dropped loads and loads and loads of feathers, just the other day. The other hen however has dropped none and is in tip top condition. The problem hen doesnt seem to be gettin any feathers back, the feathers have thinned out mainly at the base of her neck, and just behind her head. They arnt weezing, gasping etc, and all the droppings are normal. none of the symptoms correspond to lice etc etc, i'm abit puzzled, mum is in the process of getting hold of her vet, but was just wondering if anybody had any experience with chickens and could help me out. Cheers fellas Ash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col s10 Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 i just eat um mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perchow Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 I used to give ours Cod Liver Oil during their moult, and sometimes if they are going broody they can loose feathers. To be honest if she is still eating and seems happy I would wait and see if she picks up in the spring. They do go off laying if there isnt sufficient light to stimulate them, you could try a light bulb in the coop. Is she clucking with a 'clock clock' sound and are her wings by her side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcmt Posted March 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 I used to give ours Cod Liver Oil during their moult, and sometimes if they are going broody they can loose feathers. To be honest if she is still eating and seems happy I would wait and see if she picks up in the spring. They do go off laying if there isnt sufficient light to stimulate them, you could try a light bulb in the coop. Is she clucking with a 'clock clock' sound and are her wings by her side? thanks for the reply. will get some cod liver oil for their water tomorow, her wings are by her side, and she is reluctant for me to go near her, she is usually the most friendly of the two. will sit outside for an hour with them tomoro and she how she's clucking. cheers bud, Ash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perchow Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 They get crotchety when they are broody - try and see if she will sit on some china eggs - if she is a pure breed there is a likelyhood of her going broody more than the cross breeds. If she hasnt got access to the nest during the day try and make a small dark area with the eggs for her to sit on -We have one that will always have to turned off the clutch of eggs at the end of the day - and she pecks at you whilst you try and move her - but shes not properly broody because she isnt consistent. Once the wings go down and the tail is low its likely that she is broody - but also there is a chance she isnt well. So good luck. Keeps us informed.Regards Al. I used to give ours Cod Liver Oil during their moult, and sometimes if they are going broody they can loose feathers. To be honest if she is still eating and seems happy I would wait and see if she picks up in the spring. They do go off laying if there isnt sufficient light to stimulate them, you could try a light bulb in the coop. Is she clucking with a 'clock clock' sound and are her wings by h er side? thanks for the reply. will get some cod liver oil for their water tomorow, her wings are by her side, and she is reluctant for me to go near her, she is usually the most friendly of the two. will sit outside for an hour with them tomoro and she how she's clucking. cheers bud, Ash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 One word of advice...... PAXO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPARKIE Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 stick some golf balls in the koop helps sometimes when broody they sit on them thinking there eggs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcmt Posted March 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 paxo u numpty lol :blink: thanks for the info bud, i'll sit out with them for a bit tomoro and get to grips with how she is with her wings and stuff. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROBLATCH Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 They get crotchety when they are broody - try and see if she will sit on some china eggs - if she is a pure breed there is a likelyhood of her going broody more than the cross breeds. If she hasnt got access to the nest during the day try and make a small dark area with the eggs for her to sit on -We have one that will always have to turned off the clutch of eggs at the end of the day - and she pecks at you whilst you try and move her - but shes not properly broody because she isnt consistent. Once the wings go down and the tail is low its likely that she is broody - but also there is a chance she isnt well. So good luck. Keeps us informed.Regards Al. I used to give ours Cod Liver Oil during their moult, and sometimes if they are going broody they can loose feathers. To be honest if she is still eating and seems happy I would wait and see if she picks up in the spring. They do go off laying if there isnt sufficient light to stimulate them, you could try a light bulb in the coop. Is she clucking with a 'clock clock' sound and are her wings by h er side? thanks for the reply. will get some cod liver oil for their water tomorow, her wings are by her side, and she is reluctant for me to go near her, she is usually the most friendly of the two. will sit outside for an hour with them tomoro and she how she's clucking. cheers bud, Ash YEP I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBS WITH A COUPLE OF MY HENS AND DONE THE ABOVE (CURED) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perchow Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 They get crotchety when they are broody - try and see if she will sit on some china eggs - if she is a pure breed there is a likelyhood of her going broody more than the cross breeds. If she hasnt got access to the nest during the day try and make a small dark area with the eggs for her to sit on -We have one that will always have to turned off the clutch of eggs at the end of the day - and she pecks at you whilst you try and move her - but shes not properly broody because she isnt consistent. Once the wings go down and the tail is low its likely that she is broody - but also there is a chance she isnt well. So good luck. Keeps us informed.Regards Al. I used to give ours Cod Liver Oil during their moult, and sometimes if they are going broody they can loose feathers. To be honest if she is still eating and seems happy I would wait and see if she picks up in the spring. They do go off laying if there isnt sufficient light to stimulate them, you could try a light bulb in the coop. Is she clucking with a 'clock clock' sound and are her wings by h er side? thanks for the reply. will get some cod liver oil for their water tomorow, her wings are by her side, and she is reluctant for me to go near her, she is usually the most friendly of the two. will sit outside for an hour with them tomoro and she how she's clucking. cheers bud, Ash YEP I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBS WITH A COUPLE OF MY HENS AND DONE THE ABOVE (CURED) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
currieboy Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 sounds like she need protein nd if ashe is brooding the other may be getting the whole protein supply. Throw in some old mince or a rabit sliced down the middle with its innards out, worth a try and wont do any harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 Just wondering if anyone knows a little bit about chicken health matters. Got two hens in the back garden, had them for about a year now, no problems what so ever. However the last few weeks one of them has been funny and they have both stopped laying. The problem hen, seemed to be having her malt, but she dropped loads and loads and loads of feathers, just the other day. The other hen however has dropped none and is in tip top condition. The problem hen doesnt seem to be gettin any feathers back, the feathers have thinned out mainly at the base of her neck, and just behind her head. They arnt weezing, gasping etc, and all the droppings are normal. none of the symptoms correspond to lice etc etc, i'm abit puzzled, mum is in the process of getting hold of her vet, but was just wondering if anybody had any experience with chickens and could help me out. Cheers fellas Ash Hi Ash have you looked at the lower breast area and between her legs, has she plucked out these feathers? If so she has just gone broody and nothing to worry about health wise, you could sit her on some hard boiled eggs? All the best D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcmt Posted March 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 she certainly isnt short of protein as i caught her stealing the cats food in the most ingenious way yesterday, will post pictures soon, little blighter lol put cod liver oil in their water, golf palls in the coop, she was sat on them this morning, other one was wondering what she was doing lol we sit and wait! thanks a lot for the adivce guys, Ash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 One word of advice...... PAXO :( Only you! Ashcmt sounds pretty normal to me. Leave her be and most likely she'll come good again. You can usually tell if chickens or for that matter any animal isn't well (even us humans), they just slow down and look sick! Mostly with birds they don't recover and simply keel over one night. Natures way and hey it beats the nursing home Oh and don't panic you're a long way from Bernard Matthews in Lowestoft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNAKEBITE Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 sounds like she need protein Does a nice bit of streaky bacon wrapped round it count as protein? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcmt Posted March 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 streaky bacon, i like that one! yep no where near bernard matthews lol thank god. this picture says it all.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trakker01 Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 i use dto keep em , when they stopped laying id just thow every thing in there, fish & chip scraps, bags of builders sand, fruit /veg from the grocers clean out, left over from the resterant...the lot dunno what it was but as sure as ...........they'd start laying again... the bald patches may come froma bossy hen, they beat the sh17 outa each other ..bit like dogs after 1 bowl of grub..& pluck each other... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickshot Posted March 6, 2007 Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 That looks like moult. They will go into moult every winter unless they are kept inside and kept warm with lots of light. And just a word of advice.... after about 10 months they start to get tough and unpleasant to eat. I would leave her to ge her feathers back, which will probably happen in the spring. Something else that could effect her may be bullying, by the other hen. QS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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