AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

hi all,

I was just wondering if you could provide me with some guidance here.
I was given a broody RIR 2 days ago, I have her in my quarantine house, poultry dusted her with Greys and wormed her with bigL, too.
She looks perky, is interested in the other chooks and is eating and drinking well. She has a bold chest, presumably from sitting on eggs at her previous owner, feathers are a bit rough, so really could do with a bit of tlc and general looking after.
I have noticed that she has yellow/greenish soft poo, and she has not laid.
I am reluctant to join her with the flock, unless i know she is definitely not sick.
so my question is, having uprooted her, is t normal that her poo is off colour an that she is nnot laying? should i be worried about anything else? presumably she is no longer broody, and i now have to wait till she is again, before i can slip her some eggs?
so really just some guidance as to next steps, would be great. many thanks.
I would attach picture of my homemade 'quarantine facilities' and of Lucille but the board attachment quota has been reached, whatever that means

Hello sbkdownunder,

It a good start to have quarantined, dusted and wormed her. I am no eggspert but she may be suffering from stress with being moved from her cosy home. Chooks are creatures of habit and if their routine and surroundings are altered they can become distressed.

I would give her some vitamins in her water and some good quality fruit and veg especially the greens. If she seems to lacking a little weight then a can of cat food is a good protein pick me up. I would also give her some natural yoghurt this could also be of assistance if her digestive system needs probiotics.

As a precaution I would not integrate her with your flock for at least 3 weeks.

oh, thanks, chickababe, i have given her some applecider vinegar in her water, and she is on good quality layers mash, and will start her on greens and some yoghurt tomorrow,
I hope it is only stress and nothing else.
thanks for your advice, i shall follow it :-)

I recommend a quarantine of at least 8 weeks

note that broodies rarely if ever lay during sitting on eggs = she may be just finishing a sit cycle or just starting in which case the move will have stopped her
she may be getting ready to moult = they rarely lay during the moult as well