Sick Chicken!

[happyhippy]

Hi all,
We keep 3 chickens,and they are kept in an open run with a coop.One of the hens does'nt look too well,She has lost most of feathers surrounding her rear end,and the skin thats showing looks pink.She does not seem interested in food at the moment and I'm wondering how we can help her?Unfortunately there are no vets around here that deal with chickens!We clean out the coop and run each week,change their water daily,in all take good care of them.Any idea's please?Thankyou.

[Thomzo]

Sounds like she's moulting. Keep an eye on her. If the others start on at her then take her out and keep her separate. Otherwise she'll get through it.

Otherwise, it could be mite, so you could try dusting with diatomaceous earth.

Zoe

[happyhippy]

Thanks Thomzo,since I wrote the post,another chicken has lost some neck feathers,down to bare skin???Its not a big area,only about the size of a 10p piece,but noticeable.I think what I might do is buy some of the D/Earth you recommended just to ensure its not red mite.Thanks for the advice.xx

[diggernotdreamer]

Hi I just joined this forum. Read the post about the sick chicken. I would be quite concerned if a chicken was not eating, have you felt her crop to see if there is food in there? I have had chickens stop eating for one reason or another and they can go downhill quite fast if you don't do something. Also check round the vent for lice, have you found red mites in your house, they do not live on the chickens, they only feed on their blood when they perch at night, so check in nest boxes and on perches. I have been using DE for several years now and it is really good. Dust in your nest box and rub into the perch. Sometimes if I find lice, I do give them a spray with some natural pyrethrum (the sort of thing you are meant to spray aphids with), I buy the sort you dilute with water. If your hen has an empty crop,try some worms from the worm bin, they usually do the trick. If she just looks at them without interest, I would then open the beak and pop a worm in. You could also try a little minced beef. I had a cockerel that I brought back from the brink of death by feeding and a funny little bantam that just seemed to go into a dream world and forgot to eat, she is fine now.