Molly looking poorly

BrissieChick · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:58 pm **Posts:** 13

Hi all!

I'm a bit worried about my Molly, she's gone all droopy in the tail, and walking as if she's in pain - when she thinks no one's looking. She can run with the others when there's seed to be had!

Her appetite is unaffected, her poos are normal, her feathers are in excellent condition - but there's definitely something wrong. I'm taking her to the vet tomorrow afternoon... does anyone have any ideas? I've attached some photos.

I hope it's nothing serious, I've got quite attached. We've had our three chooks for 6 months now, they're about 9 months old.

:cry:

should I be worried?

The last photo shows her characteristically sitting down to eat. She's done that for ages... And I must say her tail hasn't always been that perky either, but it's gone seriously droopy in the last few days.

Rosie is the one standing up (love her feathers). It's a good shot of our coop, it's one of those mobile jobbies.

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Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

BrissieChick,

Molly does look rather sad in the second photo, she may be egg bound or have Peritonitis? Possible calcium deficiency? Do your girls have access to extra shell grit?

Here are a thread on a similar post.

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=17290&p=120925&hilit=Peritonitis#p12092

BrissieChick · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:58 pm **Posts:** 13

G'day Petite Poulet!

Thanks for your reply. Thanks for that link - yes it looks very similar, doesn't it? She hasn't laid an egg in a few days now...

I have a small container of shell grit for them permanently, she knows where it is and has some often. Her vent is clean. I wormed them last month with Avitrol Plus tablets. But the slightly odd thing is that her inclination to sit has been around for a long time - it's just becoming more frequent. I thought she was too fat and it was all too much of an effort

but when I felt her yesterday, under all those feathers she's actually quite underweight

that also suggests that something's been bothering her for a while? Gee I should really pick them up more often and give them a good inspection. I tend to watch closely but not touch.

Having said all of that - she's looking a little better today? Still sitting a bit, and her tail goes down once she's been standing still for a while. Nothing bizarre in the coop by way of poo. I just gave them some warm porridge for breakfast, rather chilly up here at the mo.

I'll let you know what the vet says.

BrissieChick · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:58 pm **Posts:** 13

Right - back from the vet.

He wasn't 100% sure, but he thought it likely that she has a calcium deficiency. Most probably because I stopped giving them the feed with the seeds and pellets together - they always seemed to waste the pellets. Then I started just giving the seeds by themselves.

Not enough calcium apparently. Shell grit alone isn't enough. Plus I wasn't feeding them enough generally - I would lock them up in the evening with a big bowl of seed, but during the day the seed was in the house because of all the scrub turkeys we get in the yard. Thus - big bowl of seed both morning and night.

He didn't think it was anything more serious (like tumours etc) because of the good condition of her comb, wattles and eyes.

...so far so good! I had also undermedicated when I wormed them. She wasn't underweight! She's 2.3 kg. woohoo4

Phew this husbandry thing! Well, we'll get it a lot closer from now on.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

That's good news! Calcium deficient diets are somethings that an be improved upon. That's why her legs were weak. Tumors, egg binding and peritonitis can be fatal.

My chooks like natural yoghurt, grated cheddar cheese, a occasional tin of cheap sardines; they are good sources of extra calcium.

Vitamin D and sunlight are also essential for calcium absorption; as without sufficient doses they can also develop Rickets.

search.php?keywords=rickets&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search
viewtopic.php?f=43&t=10781&p=95873&hilit=rickets+diet#p95873

Chicka-Dee · **Joined:** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:12 am **Posts:** 1194

Hi BrissieChick [smilie=welcome.gif]

Glad to hear Molly doesn't have anything deadly serious wrong with her.

You know my girls didn't like the pellets either, so I ended up buying the Barastock Top Layer Mash & they love it.

With the left over bag of pellets & grain I had bought, i separated the pellets from the grain and gave them the pellets as a wet mash (pour hot water on them and they swell up) along with other veggie scraps in with the mix and then gave it to the girls as a special treat each afternoon, until that was all gone. They really enjoyed that as a special treat. Plus the pellets apparently have a lot of the required calcium & vitamins the need.

If you do put them on the Top Layer Mash it really does boost the egg production & they get all the vitamins, calcium & nutrients they need, but I always give my girls veggie scraps & allow them to free range so they get their Vitamin D. As PP said the Vitamin D is essential for Calcium absorbtion so the free ranging is the bet for that.

Keep us posted with Molly's progress & don't forget to post a picy or two to let us see how she is going.

Cheers
Chica-Dee

BrissieChick · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:58 pm **Posts:** 13

Update!

Thanks for those great suggestions, with all that I think she's slowly on the mend - she laid another egg yesterday! Her general condition is still very good, but she definitely hobbles around like an old lady at times. Apart from that, though, she seems less inclined to sit down all the time.

I suspect this may take a while though - we were unavoidably late home on Monday night, about 5:30, and they'd already put themselves to bed. I put their dinner in, but they didn't eat it - and the next morning poor Molly looked like she'd had a rough night. She certainly needs extra looking after at the moment.

I'll keep you posted

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Glad that Molly is slowly on the mend :-D

The fact that Molly still managing to lay an egg is a very positive sign indeed

Try not to feel guilty coming home a wee bit late on Monday night; it is counter productive for Molly and YOU!!!

As previously mentioned her condition is CURABLE and NOT TERMINAL!

BrissieChick · **Joined:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:58 pm **Posts:** 13

Hi all! Thought I would post an update.

I wish it was all good news - Molly seemed to pick up after putting her diet back to 50% seeds / 50% HiPro, given morning and night in addition to her free ranging.

But in the last week she seems to have gone down again. Interestingly, the poos in the coop seem normal (the overnight poos), but someone - and I suspect Molly - is doing treacly looking ones during the day. The other thing that's changed lately is the weather's really got chilly this last week, down to 2-5 at night.

She's also gone off the lay again - after that behemoth egg she laid last week! (still don't have any way to weight it)

So we're off back to the vet tomorrow. I will let you know what he says. Last time he did note one or two coccidiocis cysts in her poo, but wasn't overly concerned. Wonder if that's what's flared up? Baycox is on my shopping list for tomorrow at any rate.

Poor Molly

Really loving this forum, great to read other's stories and check out the lovely photos in the other sections!

Hens and Hobbits · **Posted:** Thu May 17, 2012 11:42 am

After laying that gigantic egg, poor Molly

Is she a bantam or a standard Austalorp? OUCH! If she is a bantam!!! Do your girls get much exercise free ranging out of their mobile coop?

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