Very poorly Henny Penny - Mareks??

Hi. I'm still very very new to keeping chickens. This website seems very helpful so I am putting out a cry for advice.

I rescued 5 battery hens in September from the cull. So they were 72 weeks old. I had nurtured the girls back to a really good level of health and all their personalities are shinning through. I love them all dearly. So it is breaking my heart to see Henny Penny has deteriorated over the last couple of days.

Her tail is hanging down, which I know is a sure sign theres something wrong. She is constantly falling asleep. One wing is being held out slightly. Her comb has flopped and taken on a slight purple hue to the back (the bit furthest away from her beak) she was pooping a yellowy poop and not much of it, I haven't seen her poop today yet. I noticed she wasn't eating or drinking so bought her inside away from the other 4. I have managed to get her to drink quite a bit form a cup, but every time she goes in for the first sip, her head wobbles strangely until she finds the water, then she drinks plenty. I have managed to get her to eat some cucumber pulp, she is not interested in anything else! As I am watching her now, her right wing is twitching as though in an involuntary muscle spasm.

I gave her a warm bath yesterday to remove the copious amounts of poop from her butt and kept her warm and inside.

The only other clue I have, that I'm scared to put, is I noticed she has developed a defiant pupil. I'm sure she didn't have a misshaped pupil when we got her. I'm confused as the research Ive done is sadly leading towards Mareks, but she was a battery hen and so should have been inoculated against it.

Any advice would be very gratefully received. I've become incredibly attached to my 5 girls and am embarrassed to say I am in tears. Its very hard to find a chicken vet where I am. I have found one I can call but I'm sure they'll want me to bring her in and I am concerned about distressing her as its around a 15 - 20 minute drive. She doesn't appear to be in any discomfort or distress at the present time. As I look over to her she is still slowly eating the cucumber pulp.

Thank you in advance

She may have coccidiosis. The poop and the sleeping are signs of it. You should get some Corid from your feed supply store and put it in all of your chicken's watererers. My chick passed away from coccidiosis last night. So as soon as you can, give her some Corid. Also, Gatorade helps give her electrolytes. Dip her beak in it for awhile ( it's a tedious process, it took me an hour last night ) and she will hopefully be able to drink on her own. Best of luck to you!

Dosage is 1 1/2 tsp of powder Corid, or 2 tsp of the liquid per gallon of water (the only source of water) for 7 days. Treat all of the chickens at the same time. Afterward, give them a small amount of plain unsweetened yogurt for probiotics.( this is advice that another user gave me last night. Unfortunately it was already late so I was unable to get my chick any Corid at the time )

Thank you ever so much for replying. I spoke with a local chicken farmer, as mine are ex bat hens I felt he may be the best bet. In the UK we are not allowed to move our poultry as we are under strict rules against the avian flu. But over the phone we chatted and he ruled out coccidiosis saying it mainly shows in younger hens. Mine are just under 2 years old. He also ruled out Mareks as he said as a battery hen she wouldn't have survived this long.

He thinks it is egg peritonitis. He said if I were to take her to the vet it would be to have her put down. I am now nursing her through and hoping we can flush the toxins out whilst keeping her healthy.

THANK YOU THANK YOU for the Gatorade suggestion. I have been giving her a solution called dyoralyte which is replacement electrolytes, it really did pick her up so many thanks, I would never have thought of that. She was interested and kept eating mashed up cucumber pulp, so this morning I have made her a fruit smoothie.

Oh a bit of info I picked up which is useful, Henny P's comb had drooped and taken on a purple tinge; that's a sign your hen is running a temperature.

Many thanks again. I will let you know how it goes.

JadeStandeven said:

Thank you ever so much for replying.   I spoke with a local chicken farmer,  as mine are ex bat hens I felt he may be the best bet.  In the UK we are not allowed to move our poultry as we are under strict rules against the avian flu.  But over the phone we chatted and he ruled out coccidiosis saying it mainly shows in younger hens.  Mine are just under 2 years old.  He also ruled out Mareks as he said as a battery hen she wouldn't have survived this long.  

He thinks it is egg peritonitis.  He said if I were to take her to the vet it would be to have her put down.   I am now nursing her through and hoping we can flush the toxins out whilst keeping her healthy.

THANK YOU THANK YOU for the Gatorade suggestion. I have been giving her a solution called dyoralyte which is replacement electrolytes,  it really did pick her up so many thanks, I would never have thought of that.   She was interested and kept eating mashed up cucumber pulp, so this morning I have made her a fruit smoothie.

Oh a bit of info I picked up which is useful,   Henny P's comb had drooped and taken on a purple tinge;  that's a sign your hen is running a temperature.

Many thanks again.  I will let you know how it goes.

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You're very welcome! I'm glad it is not coccidiosis, because it is very painful. Best of wishes to your hen. Please keep me updated !

Hi. Sad to tell you Henny Penny passed away quietly and without showing pain or discomfort on Saturday. The four girls I have left have taken it to heart, they were visibly upset when Henny P died and have more or less stopped laying and are going to bed early as a result. I guess because Henny Penny was top chook, they have to work out the pecking order all over again. Sad times. Thanks again for chatting.