Our hen has layed her first egg,,,, but now she's acting strange she's unusually quiet and seems unstable in her feet sometimes... she wobbles her head as well.... any advise would be much appreciated.... not sure if something is wrong with her or is this normal when laying eggs....
Also we have only just noticed she is eating the poops on the bottom of the cage.
need an opinion on my hen
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3 eggs now
our hen has layed three eggs now....
she is still doing the poop eating thing but im cleaning poop off as soon as i spot them.
she is still acting strange she seems to have a head shake thing happening
the worry for me is i dont think she will be well enough to care for her chicks when they hatch......
i have been feeding her all the good fruits and vegies every day she has a perfect diet apart from the poops......
guess i have to take it as it comes as not sure what else to do.
she is still doing the poop eating thing but im cleaning poop off as soon as i spot them.
she is still acting strange she seems to have a head shake thing happening
the worry for me is i dont think she will be well enough to care for her chicks when they hatch......
i have been feeding her all the good fruits and vegies every day she has a perfect diet apart from the poops......
guess i have to take it as it comes as not sure what else to do.
my hen
My hen is in a shaded area no sun gets near the cage.... She was at the pet shop for 2 months and they only feed seed.... since we bought her home.
on a daily basis her diet is dried fruit and nuts as well as fresh fruit and veg as well as boiled egg once a week.... cuttlebone is always in her caage also....
I'm thinking that maybe the pet shop only feeding her a seed diet could have taken it's toll on her... she does seem to be getting slightly better each day....
I just hope that she would be up to raising her chicks when they hatch she now has 4 eggs the fourth egg was only layed today...
on a daily basis her diet is dried fruit and nuts as well as fresh fruit and veg as well as boiled egg once a week.... cuttlebone is always in her caage also....
I'm thinking that maybe the pet shop only feeding her a seed diet could have taken it's toll on her... she does seem to be getting slightly better each day....
I just hope that she would be up to raising her chicks when they hatch she now has 4 eggs the fourth egg was only layed today...
Birds NEED sunlight, not alot, but its just a fact of life for a healthy lifestyle, and its a certain requirement of birds in breeding situations (not just for the parents, but can cause issues with young).
I would make sure the dried fruit you are giving them is free of sulphites (common in many dried foods). ie; you need quality dehydrated fruit, not the store bought human dried fruits.
http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/ ... phites.htm
It can have strong side effects on birds.
Just to play safe, it might be worthwhile especially before breeding seasons to add a calcium suppliment to their water.
Birds eating their own poop is natural, but avoidable when they are getting all the dietary requirements... and alot of birds dont actually consume the cuttle, instead many use it as a toy, if they use it at all, breaking it up etc.
Sounds like she is on the road to recovery, and breeding while recovering wouldnt be helping but im sure things will continue to get better.
I would make sure the dried fruit you are giving them is free of sulphites (common in many dried foods). ie; you need quality dehydrated fruit, not the store bought human dried fruits.
http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/ ... phites.htm
It can have strong side effects on birds.
Just to play safe, it might be worthwhile especially before breeding seasons to add a calcium suppliment to their water.
Birds eating their own poop is natural, but avoidable when they are getting all the dietary requirements... and alot of birds dont actually consume the cuttle, instead many use it as a toy, if they use it at all, breaking it up etc.
Sounds like she is on the road to recovery, and breeding while recovering wouldnt be helping but im sure things will continue to get better.
Hi again, Jamckee,
Hypocalcemie could explain the symptoms of your hen. Hypocalcemia is always possible in birds not exposed at sun light even if they have calcium supplements in drinking water, cuttlebone, ... since vitamin D (which is produced throug exposition at sun light) is needed for absortion of calcium. Indeed, during egg lying the hen will expoil her bones to increase calcium levels. If the bones have not accumulate enough calcium it can result in hypocalcemia.
Your hen was noy exposed at natural sun light in the pet shop, neither at your home. You should not disturb her now moving the cage to a sunny place, but you can give her some vitamin D supplementation. You can ask at the pharmacy for vitamin D in solution for human babys. Add two drops to a mixture of bread and milk and give it to your hen. She will take at the same time the calcium (from milk) and the vitamin D.
It should help her in recovering;
Let us know how she is doing
Hypocalcemie could explain the symptoms of your hen. Hypocalcemia is always possible in birds not exposed at sun light even if they have calcium supplements in drinking water, cuttlebone, ... since vitamin D (which is produced throug exposition at sun light) is needed for absortion of calcium. Indeed, during egg lying the hen will expoil her bones to increase calcium levels. If the bones have not accumulate enough calcium it can result in hypocalcemia.
Your hen was noy exposed at natural sun light in the pet shop, neither at your home. You should not disturb her now moving the cage to a sunny place, but you can give her some vitamin D supplementation. You can ask at the pharmacy for vitamin D in solution for human babys. Add two drops to a mixture of bread and milk and give it to your hen. She will take at the same time the calcium (from milk) and the vitamin D.
It should help her in recovering;
Let us know how she is doing
Thankyou
we were pulling our hair out so worried we may loose her.
a trip to the chemist will be a must for us asap..... vitamin will be added to her diet although she's not eating anything the cock is doing all the feeding and then he's feeding her...... i asume that him eating all this will be the same as she gets all her foods from him and he eats everything we offer only some fruits he dont like......
anyway she layed her 4th egg yesterday and she hasnt gotten any worse but she still has the shake come wobble thing happening..... we have our fingers crossed she keeps getting better...
my hubby and i will keep you posted on her progress...
thanks again you have been a wonderful help.
regards jamckee
we were pulling our hair out so worried we may loose her.
a trip to the chemist will be a must for us asap..... vitamin will be added to her diet although she's not eating anything the cock is doing all the feeding and then he's feeding her...... i asume that him eating all this will be the same as she gets all her foods from him and he eats everything we offer only some fruits he dont like......
anyway she layed her 4th egg yesterday and she hasnt gotten any worse but she still has the shake come wobble thing happening..... we have our fingers crossed she keeps getting better...
my hubby and i will keep you posted on her progress...
thanks again you have been a wonderful help.
regards jamckee
Something else jamckee,
You do not need to add vit D everyday. Just once now, if the male eat it and feeds regularly the female, and once again after all the chicks will be hatched. Two drops of vitamine D is a high dose and it will be accumulated in the liver of the birds. It will be released as it is need and will act for several weeks.
If the problem is a vitamine D deficiency your hen will go much better very quickly.
Of course, after weaning, you should expose your birds to sun light to correctly prepare the next breeding season.
Good luck
You do not need to add vit D everyday. Just once now, if the male eat it and feeds regularly the female, and once again after all the chicks will be hatched. Two drops of vitamine D is a high dose and it will be accumulated in the liver of the birds. It will be released as it is need and will act for several weeks.
If the problem is a vitamine D deficiency your hen will go much better very quickly.
Of course, after weaning, you should expose your birds to sun light to correctly prepare the next breeding season.
Good luck
Re: need an opinion on my hen
WoW she now has 6 eggs layed....
This hen seems to be getting better but she still is not fully herself yet!
I am worried thet she will be able to care for the chicks. will keep you posted.
This hen seems to be getting better but she still is not fully herself yet!
I am worried thet she will be able to care for the chicks. will keep you posted.
jamckee wrote:Our hen has layed her first egg,,,, but now she's acting strange she's unusually quiet and seems unstable in her feet sometimes... she wobbles her head as well.... any advise would be much appreciated.... not sure if something is wrong with her or is this normal when laying eggs....
Also we have only just noticed she is eating the poops on the bottom of the cage.