Sunday, February 13, 2011

Our First Loss

I just posted Thursday about how our chickens were doing so well. Yesterday I found on of my white Brahmas dead right outside the nesting box. I saw no signs that it was ill. Maybe I didn't pay close enough attention to her. This is my fist year with chickens so all the experiences with them are new. I removed the bird and checked each of the other birds and they all looked ok.

This morning I went out to check on them and let them into the run and one of the Plymouth Rocks looks ill. Her eyes a dull and her comb and waddle are light orange as opposed to blood red. I am very worried about her. I am going out to completely clean out the hen house and replace the bedding.

I am trying to figure out how to isolate this bird from the rest of the girls. I am not sure exactly what to do. I have been reading different forums and website about what to do but still getting mixed information. I am hoping she can recover and none of the other birds get affected.

If anyone has any advise I would appreciate it. Crossing my fingers everything turns out ok.

8 comments:

  1. Oh no! I love reading your chicken updates and this is so sad. i think cleaning the hen house and isolating the sick hen (possibly keeping her in the garage for a few days?) will help. Good luck!

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  2. Darn. I wish my aunt Sissy were alive. Having raised chickens in a small coop all her life, she would have known just what to do.

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  3. Aww, I am so sorry. :-( I hope that your sick hen rallies back quickly.

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  4. I found your blog via last weeks menue plan monday...My grandpa raises chickens and when he has to isolate a bird he uses an old dog crate, or something of that nature. Hopefully everything works out.

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  5. My husband used to raise poultry, and he suggested taking the sick one to a vet and/or contacting the ISU Extension office. Apparently they usually have good info on poultry.

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  6. Oh no! We used an old dog kennel to bring some roosters to the butcher. I'd use that to isolate the ill one. Did it happen to be the 2 that got stranded in the snow? We've only lost chickens to our dogs, so I'm no help with illness. I'm praying the rest will stay healthy!!

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  7. Thanks everyone. I was told to call the ISU extention by someone else too. I will try that. Thanks.

    These birds weren't the ones stuck in the snow I don't think. It is possible though.

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  8. Yes, please call a Vet!!

    Also ISU Extension (Poultry) http://vetmed.iastate.edu/vdpam/extension/poultry

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