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You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Domestic/Farm Animals > Poultry Farming > Follow-up to sick or molting
Poultry Farming - Follow-up to sick or molting
Expert: Abi - 11/4/2009
Question
ABI1891
Hi Abi,
this is a follow-up question to my original one "sick or molting" regarding my silky hen. You had mentionned that she might have been broody but said that the cold usually snaps them out of it. Right now our tempatures our around 5 to 10 celcius during the day.
Here is the current information;
She is still shaking and still staying in the coop all day, although I force her out in the mornings to have her run around and have a dust bath. I do try and feed her high protein foods in case she is molting but she will not eat in the coop unless I take her out.
I did notice this past weekend that she had lice, mostly in her face so I am trying to get that fixed right now.
She does eat and drink when she comes out of the coop but if I do not close the door, she wants to go right back in. She seems to be running away from the 4 other chickens and seems to be most scared of the big rooster.
Would her having lice make her react this way? Or would the rooster trying to mate with her make her react this way (I would think not but you never know).
I am worried about my little silky and I am trying to avoid taking her to the vet. at the moment but obvisously if I cannot find what is wrong with her, I will have no choice but to take her to a vet.
Any advice or ideas on what might be wrong?
Thanks so much.
Answer
Hello again,
The lice will make her uncomfortable, but shouldn't make her stay in the coop all day. There is definitely something else wrong with her if the weather isn't warm where you are- you need to treat her for mites and then take her to the vets. It's disgusting, but make sure you take some feces samples from her, and from the other hens with you (all separate) in case they all have something wrong with them.
Do you worm your hens regularly? Because having a heavy worm burden can make them uncomfortable. I worm mine monthly with Verm-X and twice a year with Ivermectin from the vets.
Thanks for your question and for using the question code.
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