Early sign of crook chook

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

Doolan wrote:

Had a good look at the other chooks and her vent looks pretty much like theirs really but her egg was very thinly shelled.

One thing, i always feed them Red Hen Scratch mix which is more expensive but laced with extra protein and calcium...but on Wednesday i couldnt get it so bought Darling Downs which is choc a block with molasses and very little corn compared to red hen...not sure if that put her off but Daphne, my fave girl is looking like she may be showing same signs. Both their tail feathers are sort of missing or thinned out.

Bought Poly-Aid Plus which is a calcium,Vitamin, protein and probiotic for sick birds and poultry..it is very poorly written with regard to dose..says 10g in 5 ml of water but does not say if this is per bird or flock or what....i mixed it with wheat bran, creamed corn, shell grit and yogurt and they all ate it..will repeat tomorrow.

Thanks for your help PPxxx

Poly-Aid Plus description:
http://www.vetafarm.com.au/products/POL ... -PLUS.html

Instructions taken from the above site:
Directions: Add 5mL of water to 10g of Poly Aid Plus and make into a slurry. Make up mixture fresh and administer directly to the bird, discard leftover mixture after each use. Poly Aid Plus is not water soluble and is designed to be administered directly to the animal.

Hope this helps, as you mix 10g of Poly Aid Plus to 5ml of water and make sort of a paste and give it directly to the bird.

Soluvet Plus is the multi vitamin.
http://www.vetafarm.com.au/products/SOLUVET-PLUS.html

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

I guess soft shells can be like haemorrhoids and straining and trying to pass the soft shelled egg through [smilie=a_holycrap.gif]

Isa's seem to be predisposed to these problems after their first year.

A change in diet and or stresses can affect laying.

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

You can also wash out your used egg shells, slow bake them for 10-15 minutes and use a mortar and pestle to grind them up and make your own shell grit.

Also with the winter there is a lack of Vitamin D derived from sunlight which aids calcium absorption and egg production.

There are so many factors to take into consideration for many people out there...

The breed
Change of diet
Winter and lack of sunlight
Dusting for pest control
Spring cleaning of coops
Worming

Doolan · **Posted:** Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:52 pm

True..i am obsessed with them.....it is weird about the tail feathers though...if i didnt know better I would have said something chased and grabbed them both from behind but it has happened almost overnight. Strange....

parvo · **Joined:** Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:39 pm **Posts:** 735

Regarding Poly-Aid Plus:

Although it contains calcium, it is not intended as a calcium supplement. It is more of an energy supplement which also contains some calcium.

if you want to use a calcium supplement, use Calcivet or Calcium Sandoz syrup. Calcivet also contains vitamin D3 & magnesium, which calcium sandoz does not.

The directions on the Poly-Aid container refer to the proportions of Poly-aid to water that needs to be mixed up.
The volume given depends on the size of the bird.
In an Isa Brown you could easily get 40-60 mls in for starters.

If her abdomen seems swollen, she may have egg yolk peritonitis, which can be difficult to fix without veterinary intervention and sometimes even then they can't be cured- depending on the cause.

Doolan · **Posted:** Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:21 pm

Thanks Parvo..abdomen seems normal...just tail feathers lacking, bald patches on neck, moping around...do you think a change in the feed could cause this.....plus the poor egg quality? i didnt buy the poly aid for calcium suppliment more for vitamins....but i do wonder if the Darling Downs is perhaps too strong on the molasses. It wreaks with the stuff.

Would onset of moulting cause them to look sick.?

I will revert to Red Hen tomorrow as well. Can I offer shell grit daily? Thanks

Doolan · **Posted:** Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:32 pm

Parvo...the poly aid was $16 for a 40 ml bottle..that obviously isnt enough is it? I give masses or fresh veg, corn, kale and they free range I am surprised their diet is lacking but can always go online to buy suppliments in bulk I guess....isnt top quality scratch and layer mix supposed to have all they need?? What are your thoughts??

Cordelia · **Joined:** Tue Feb 18, 2003 12:45 pm **Posts:** 678538

Sometimes some hens can need more than the normal so the supplements are good for that. I to have had 1 or 2 hens lacking yet all the others are in perfect health

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

Isa's are just prone to health issues as mentioned they were bred to lay maximum eggs in their first year of laying, their bodies just get worn out.

I just have a small feeder in the coop with store bought shell grit so the girls can peck at it when they please.

When I have egg shells I make the additional grit and sprinkle it on their extras.

A tin of .69c of Savings brand sardines from Coles is a good treat.

Raf · **Posted:** Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:09 pm

Not surprizing they are bred to high yield then die :cry:

Raf

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