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one of our hens is poorly... she has been sitting in the hen box, but I thought she was going broody ..and do see her outside too... then she stopped laying last 2 days (had an egg a day from her up to then) and today i noticed black patches on a slightly floppy comb.
she retired to the next box, and we consulted the vet who gave her antibiotics, and said respiritory virus.. but ,,, hmmm dunno... anyone any other ideas? obviously we are going by his advice .. and have her isolated, and will have to see .. jsut that 'resp virus' thing smacks the same as the Dr saying it when he means 'no idea'....

Antibiotics dont work on viruses, it does sound like the 'I have no idea' kind of diagnosis, hope you see some improvement. What are the lesions like on her comb-nothing like blackhead are they? I'm sure your vet would have seen that.....

kind thoughts
Deb

you would think the vet would recognise black head.. but then they cannot know all things to all animals i spose.

looking it up i cant find any pics of black head, but classic symptom is yellow watery poos, and she is still doing perfectly normal white and brown numbers... so i dont think its that.
there are not lesions per se, more like black gudge. cant make out any mites. she was out of her box in 'sick bay' and giving the 'I just laid an egg' crow this morning.. though no egg.. so thats a tad better...
We only went the vet way as we phoned for advice.. given the current news etc and a disease we could not identify.. seems they are keen to check everything up at the mo.

Hi there Devon Neighbourino.

Sorry to hear about your chook. To me it sounds fungal because of the black spores on the comb. It's been rather damp and not too cold of late (in Devon anyway) and the tree pollen is starting to shift.

I would recommend giving her some live yoghurt and a dose of diatom in the food (completely natural acts as a wormer and conditioner, good for organic bods). You may also try some poultry spice to perk her up.

I'm not an expert, but do keep my chooks organically and well. I feel we all get out of condition some times and as your vet hasn't been able to pinpoint anything certain, you have nothing to harm her with in my "prescription".

Let us know how she goes. It's never nice when they're ill.

hmm yes that would make sense and i spose a laying hen is using more energy etc which might be why its hit her and not the others?
she seems perkier now.. actually roosting in the sick bay rather than sitting in box.