bee_pipes
09-09-2007, 04:07 PM
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/sick_chicken1.jpg
We noticed the first chicken on Friday. Each evening we call the chickens in and lock them in their pen. One was hanging out under a car and acting mopey. On closer inspection we could see that it was all but dragging it's beak on the ground. It could lift it's head, but seemed too weak in the neck to keep it up. We isolated the chicken in a cage and gave it food and water. Poor thing - it rained that night and I didn't think to put a cover over the cage. The next morning it was collapsed in the bottom of the cage. Was debating putting it out of it's misery. It was conscious, and could stand if prodded, but pretty much laid in a heap on the floor of the cage.
Saturday, during the day, another chicken started behaving the same way. We isolated that one. Both were just hatched this spring, had been on medicated starter, and were turned loose with the adults at the beginning of August.
Saturday night when we were herding the chickens into their pen, an older hen started behaving the same way. She was a year old at the beginning of July. That made three chickens in isolation. Had the presence of mind to cover them last night.
This morning I woke up and saw one of the cages turned over. The sick chicken inside was out scratching the ground and seemed her perky self. The first chicken to fall ill was also up and around. Turned them loose and they seemed to have made a full recovery. Thought I was going to lose them.
The older hen, the last to fall ill, was still acting funny, so she's in the isolation cage.
We have been experiencing a drought lately. The chickens have the run of the property, so droppings are all over the place. With no measurable rain for July and August, the droppings are sitting on the ground and have not broken down. Lots of flies out there too. No change in feed (that I'm aware of), buying the same stuff from the co op. Glad I didn't put down the first chicken.
Have any of you seen this?
Regards,
Pat
We noticed the first chicken on Friday. Each evening we call the chickens in and lock them in their pen. One was hanging out under a car and acting mopey. On closer inspection we could see that it was all but dragging it's beak on the ground. It could lift it's head, but seemed too weak in the neck to keep it up. We isolated the chicken in a cage and gave it food and water. Poor thing - it rained that night and I didn't think to put a cover over the cage. The next morning it was collapsed in the bottom of the cage. Was debating putting it out of it's misery. It was conscious, and could stand if prodded, but pretty much laid in a heap on the floor of the cage.
Saturday, during the day, another chicken started behaving the same way. We isolated that one. Both were just hatched this spring, had been on medicated starter, and were turned loose with the adults at the beginning of August.
Saturday night when we were herding the chickens into their pen, an older hen started behaving the same way. She was a year old at the beginning of July. That made three chickens in isolation. Had the presence of mind to cover them last night.
This morning I woke up and saw one of the cages turned over. The sick chicken inside was out scratching the ground and seemed her perky self. The first chicken to fall ill was also up and around. Turned them loose and they seemed to have made a full recovery. Thought I was going to lose them.
The older hen, the last to fall ill, was still acting funny, so she's in the isolation cage.
We have been experiencing a drought lately. The chickens have the run of the property, so droppings are all over the place. With no measurable rain for July and August, the droppings are sitting on the ground and have not broken down. Lots of flies out there too. No change in feed (that I'm aware of), buying the same stuff from the co op. Glad I didn't put down the first chicken.
Have any of you seen this?
Regards,
Pat