Barred Rock is lethargic & sick

brownlowgals

Hatching
Oct 11, 2015
6
0
7
Portland, Or
My 8 mo. Hen appeared seriously ill yesterday morning. She was lethargic, moving slowly if at all. Laid an egg with a very thin shell that I found randomly out in the yard.
Last night I brought her in and got her to eat a scrambled egg and some yogurt.
Put her back out and she was voluntarily drinking water and moving around the yard a little bit more.
This morning, she was slow to come out of the coop, but eventually did, walked around the yard, drank a lot of water, refused food - any and all kinds.
She made her way back to the coop and I found her in the nesting box and she laid a shell less egg.
She came out of the coop and made her way around the yard again. Her energy is till so low, but is a slight improvement from yesterday.
Obviously, I don't think she's egg bound. But there is something very wrong.
Up till yesterday, she was the head of our flock, and a consistent egg layer with no issues of egg laying. I do offer oyster shells and give an organic layer feed.
Her poop was white, clear and runny yesterday and is green today.
Any ideas?
 
My 8 mo. Hen appeared seriously ill yesterday morning. She was lethargic, moving slowly if at all. Laid an egg with a very thin shell that I found randomly out in the yard.
Last night I brought her in and got her to eat a scrambled egg and some yogurt.
Put her back out and she was voluntarily drinking water and moving around the yard a little bit more.
This morning, she was slow to come out of the coop, but eventually did, walked around the yard, drank a lot of water, refused food - any and all kinds.
She made her way back to the coop and I found her in the nesting box and she laid a shell less egg.
She came out of the coop and made her way around the yard again. Her energy is till so low, but is a slight improvement from yesterday.
Obviously, I don't think she's egg bound. But there is something very wrong.
Up till yesterday, she was the head of our flock, and a consistent egg layer with no issues of egg laying. I do offer oyster shells and give an organic layer feed.
Her poop was white, clear and runny yesterday and is green today.
Any ideas?


Welcome to BYC! Can you take her to a vet?

-Kathy
@brownlowgals
 
Thank you, Kathy!
No, unfortunately, I cannot. But, since I posted the original concern, I gave her Sulmet and kept her inside in a dog kennel. She drank and drank and drank. Then, yesterday, she did eat bread and olive oil and that seemed to perk her up. She went outside and had more energy. This morning, after sleeping indoors again, she was standing and pacing inside the kennel, wanting to be out. So, I let her outside. She walked over to our other hen and greeted her and has spent much of this morning scratching, grooming and sleeping. By chance, are we over this?
Thank you, again.
 
I had a very similar thing happen Saturday. My 5 month old roo, who is normally very active and a super sweet bird, was lethargic in the morning. We watched him troughout the day, and by 3 pm, brought him into the chicken infirmary. When I picked him up, he just layd his head in my arms and feet were hot. We checked him all over, nosign of injury. He was dead the next morning. Have no idea what happened. The night before, he was just fine.
 
Thank you, Kathy!
No, unfortunately, I cannot. But, since I posted the original concern, I gave her Sulmet and kept her inside in a dog kennel. She drank and drank and drank. Then, yesterday, she did eat bread and olive oil and that seemed to perk her up. She went outside and had more energy. This morning, after sleeping indoors again, she was standing and pacing inside the kennel, wanting to be out. So, I let her outside. She walked over to our other hen and greeted her and has spent much of this morning scratching, grooming and sleeping. By chance, are we over this?
Thank you, again.
Maybe... but I'd keep medicated per the instructions on the Sulmet bottle.

-Kathy
 
I had a very similar thing happen Saturday. My 5 month old roo, who is normally very active and a super sweet bird, was lethargic in the morning. We watched him troughout the day, and by 3 pm, brought him into the chicken infirmary. When I picked him up, he just layd his head in my arms and feet were hot. We checked him all over, nosign of injury. He was dead the next morning. Have no idea what happened. The night before, he was just fine.
Welcome to BYC and sorry for your loss.

-Kathy
 
My 8 mo. Hen appeared seriously ill yesterday morning. She was lethargic, moving slowly if at all. Laid an egg with a very thin shell that I found randomly out in the yard.
Last night I brought her in and got her to eat a scrambled egg and some yogurt.
Put her back out and she was voluntarily drinking water and moving around the yard a little bit more.
This morning, she was slow to come out of the coop, but eventually did, walked around the yard, drank a lot of water, refused food - any and all kinds.
She made her way back to the coop and I found her in the nesting box and she laid a shell less egg.
She came out of the coop and made her way around the yard again. Her energy is till so low, but is a slight improvement from yesterday.
Obviously, I don't think she's egg bound. But there is something very wrong.
Up till yesterday, she was the head of our flock, and a consistent egg layer with no issues of egg laying. I do offer oyster shells and give an organic layer feed.
Her poop was white, clear and runny yesterday and is green today.
Any ideas?

Does she eat the oyster shell? Could she be having calcium lows? They draw all their calcium from their bodies if they are not supplementing it elsewhere. This can lead to paralysis and death.
Thirst is a symptom of what is wrong with her, but the question is what. Like Kathy said, I would continue with the Sulmet according to directions. I would also give her a calcium supplement. I've given some of my hens a calcium pill or half of one and I get a shelled egg a day or two later, when before I was getting a rubber or thin shelled egg. Just poke it in the back of their throat. These are likely hens that don't eat the layer feed, avoid the oyster shell and prefer to free range. You would think they would use the oyster shell, but obviously they don't.
 
Wonderful! Thank you very much for the helpful advice. I'm going to purchase calcium pills tonight.
FaunaMama, I'm so sorry about your loss. These are my first two hens and I didn't realize how above and beyond I was willing to go in order to keep them alive. I am truly sorry.
 

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