Hello, As a newbie hen keeper (2 weeks), all was going well untill a few days ago. When I first got the hens I was feeding mixed poultry corn and upon the advice from one or two on our site I put them on layers pellets and at the same time started them on a course of Flubenvet. I noticed yesterday that not a lot of pellets had been eaten (I dosed 10.5lb of pellets with 12g of flubenvet) and as they were into day 5 of the course expected a lot more to be consumed) They had no treats in this time (maybe a few maggots).
One of the hens was very very lethargic and sleeping and looked isolated from the flock seemed happy enough scratting , preeming etc. But they seemed to be going off lay before the change in diet and the worming I was getting 4 eggs a day, this has gone down to 3 eggs in the last two days.
I picked one of my hens up and felt that the breast bone didnt have much on the bone and picked a few more up and they seemed to be the same. It concerned me enough to think that they were not eating the pellets, and I gave them some of the original mixed corn that they really did gobble down, I also gave them some maggots. I decided there and then to put them back on Mixed corn. this was yesterday.
The sleepy hen wouldnt even feed herself (although she was drinking water, even when maggots were offered. She did a poo and it was basically liquid with very little food content unlike the others. I decided to force feed her some maggots as her crop was completly empty I mashed some of the layers pellets and force fed her a few. We brought her home were we fed her again last night with some more mashed layer pellets untill I felt she had a full crop. This morning when we got up and she was stood up. We were quite amazed that she got through the night, I inspected her poo and discovered it had quite an amount of worms in it. I offered her some more mashed pellets which she wouldnt eat on her own, again I force fed a a little bit and also some scrambled egg which we managed to get 3/4 of an egg down her, she even pecked at it a little and I could tell she was a lot stronger then yesterday, but she is still sleeping.
I,m at a bit of a loss what to do next Her wattle is a nice color and her eyes are bright, the others did not peck at her when she was in the run. Any thought what my next move maybe would be welcome. at the minute she is laid down and seems a little more alert then yesterday. Sorry for the long post
Were they on layers pellets when you got them ? Some are fed layers mash and don't recognise pellets as food. if so, it maybe worth getting some mash and slowing introducing pellets. But if she had a lot of worms that maybe making her skinny and weak. I give mine pellets [mash when the first come home] all the time and give corn later in the day. Plus any veggies ect. But they always have corn daily. I have critical care formula on hand, for when they are unwell, it really is good stuff. Hard to say when the hen is at a distance. I hope she perks up
Thanks for the quick reply , I think that,s part of the problem Wendy I dont know what their original diet was as I bought hem from a poultry auction (was I being silly ). I think you are maybe right regards they may of been fed on mash, as I mashed some of the pellets up and the did eat it, so maybe that will be the next move regards the flock in the run. I will continue feeding the hen untill she can hope fully feed her self. but I really dont want her to be away from the flock for too long, so she can smoothly fit back in etc. Thank you again for your time Wendy.
Could you please tell me what critical care formula is Please Wendy.
If they were on mash before you could just pop some pellets in a blender and make them into mash add the wormer and try her/them with it. Also to try to get her energy levels up a bit give her some sugary water. Sounds like she might have quite a worm load which will bring her down so the quicker you can get her to take the wormer the better. Dom
Totally Scrambled wrote:If they were on mash before you could just pop some pellets in a blender and make them into mash add the wormer and try her/them with it. Also to try to get her energy levels up a bit give her some sugary water. Sounds like she might have quite a worm load which will bring her down so the quicker you can get her to take the wormer the better. Dom
Thanks Dom, The mash I,m feeding her at the minute is the dosed Flubenvet pellets, I was wondering if its possible to give her like something like a chopped grape dipped in Flubenvet for like a "get it in her system quick " but I do realize that Flub is quite powerfull and not sure if I,d overdose her and do her harm.
If you mix the pellets with warm water and make it into a "porridge" sometimes you find they will gobble it down more. I only tend to give corn as a treat later in the day just because the pellets are nutritionally balanced.
Sounds like you're doing the right thing - if you've seen evidence of worms I guess they will feel better when they're gone.
Julie
“cockerels may crow but it's the hen that lays the egg."
The grape idea could work to get some in her quickly. I'm not sure they can overdose on flub that easily as with medicated feed the greediest chook in our flock doesn't have any problems when we're worming our lot. Dom
A lot of us use the grape method for flub dosing our chooks. Cut a grape in half and dip the wet, cut side into the flub - feed half a grape like this to each chook, every day for 7 consecutive days
Lucy x
Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut - Ernest Hemingway
julie62 wrote:If you mix the pellets with warm water and make it into a "porridge" sometimes you find they will gobble it down more. I only tend to give corn as a treat later in the day just because the pellets are nutritionally balanced.
Sounds like you're doing the right thing - if you've seen evidence of worms I guess they will feel better when they're gone.
Thanks Julie62, Thats how I have been making the mash out of pellets using hot water then letting it cool. The other hens seem fine just a little thin since using pellets. Looks like the best thing to do is use the pellets as a mash and slowly introduce the pellet as Wendy suggested.
Mad Chick wrote:Sorry to hear you're having worries Bob.
A lot of us use the grape method for flub dosing our chooks. Cut a grape in half and dip the wet, cut side into the flub - feed half a grape like this to each chook, every day for 7 consecutive days
Thanks Lucy for validating the grape method, I,ll restart the rest of the flock on Flub/grape course for the next seven days.
Update on the poorly hen, We are still having to hand feed her although she feels stronger. I,ve just let her stretch her legs outside and her poo is now worm free and she was walking around exploring etc which was quite amazing considering where she was yesterday even her tail feathers were not pointed down. but after awhile she closes her eyes again and adopts the crouch position till we encourage her to walk and she is the alert etc for another 5- 10 mins . What I have noticed now is that she seems not to be able to judge distance ie she was trying to peck at some weeds and grass but was falling short of them with her beak, also she,s trying to preen herself and again not quite managing it which is now very worrying as if she is unable to feed her self then her future dosent look very good.
Aww she is probably exhausted, needs nourishment which she is now getting slowly but surely, the worms will have effected her, I had a lady with a heavy worm burden once, it takes it out of them, hope she improves soon
happy bob I have just got Isabella through a tough time and it was along slow process hand feeding etc I would continue with the grape flub mix its great I worm like this often feed her a little scrambled egg and some tinned tomato it works a treat ,skeksis gave me a great diet when my Isabella was poorly and it was only that ,that got her some weight on if you pm her im sure she will be happy to share her knowledge with you ,Isabella is still a bit weak just as you described your hen but other days she is great
good luck happy bob keep checking when the 7 day worming is finished I found live worms 2 days later and I wormed again and it worked I was horrified the live worms turned my stomach
[center]HELPING THE LITTLE BROWN GIRLS OF THIS WORLD FIND FOREVER HOMES Humble chicken maid to a happy little flock Frankii Whippers leading the way with Dorey,Prila(aka Mrs Brown),Ann-a-Lou Greta, Delphine my adorable silkie,my twin girls Lana and Boudica (aka The Jedward Twins ) ,Augustine Eizabeth(aka Pippy), Rheima, Marnie and Fleur aka little miss chatterbox[/center]
Still loving and missing Skinnie Minnie and Queenie xx
Marlene you taught me how to live and laugh again xx
Isabella my darling top hen ,you stole my heart xx
Porscha my sweet little girl ,you left so suddenly xx
, I think that,s part of the problem Wendy I dont know what their original diet was as I bought hem from a poultry auction (was I being silly 
the live worms turned my stomach
