Help! What’s wrong with this hen?!

[Tevian]

Found my Brahma hen face down in the nest box this morning. She’s been broody and has been lively and happy until this morning. She’s pale, won’t stand, and won’t drink. I’ve separated her with some food and water so the others can’t harass her. Young hen, about 1 year old.
Photos from when I got her out to try and give her a drink



She was able to lift her head after I got her out and manipulated her around a bit. What could have happened to her?! It’s cold here so I don’t expect anything like a snake bite or bad bug bites. No one else is sick.

 

[sourland]

How long has she been broody? Have you checked to make sure that she does not have a mite infestation?

 

[CoopBoots]

You'll get more experienced replies in a bit, but in the meantime, can you get some sugar water into her? Don't just squirt it down, I'd try dribbling it on the side of her beak first. You can force fluids but you have to do it correctly and to the side of the mouth and throat so she doesn't aspirate and get it in her lungs. Agree with Sourland, absolutely check for mites/lice/bloodsuckers that could have weakened her as a possible cause you can treat.

 

[Tevian]

How long has she been broody? Have you checked to make sure that she does not have a mite infestation?

she has tiny brown bugs in her feathers, are they mites? What can I do to treat the nest boxes? I’m fairly sure I have treatment for the birds so I will do them asap. I can’t wait to have a roofed run, she probably got them from the wild birds that come in

 

[CoopBoots]

she has tiny brown bugs in her feathers, are they mites? What can I do to treat the nest boxes? I’m fairly sure I have treatment for the birds so I will do them asap. I can’t wait to have a roofed run, she probably got them from the wild birds that come in

I think there are multiple products you can use. I got liquid permethrin from my local TSC and treated the girls plus coop/nest boxes. There are lots of good threads around that cover dosage and application.

 

[sourland]

Treat her with permethrin, and do not allow her in the nest box. I would add protein to her diet as she appears to be anemic because of the mites feeding on her.

 

[Tevian]

Thanks everyone. The Brahma hen has unfortunately passed away. I will miss her, she was a wonderful quiet bird that loved to follow me around, growling and grumbling. I have no idea how I missed her failing health.
All the others (bar one, who is completely feral) got a good dousing with a lice dust I had. The nest boxes too. I moved my other broody and her eggs into a cage and will keep a close eye on her to make sure the same doesn’t happen to her. Luckily, none of my chicks seemed to have any on them. I only saw a few on some of the laying hens and the rooster. The Brahma had the most by far. Poor girl.
I will be washing them all with a solution when it warms up to make double sure, and getting more powder to treat the nests with regularly

 

[SmiYa0126]

I'm so sorry for your loss

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. What is your location? Can you get permethrin spray or garden dust or Elector PSP? It is not available in Canada or some other countries. Those are the best immediate treatments for lice and mites. What is in the lice powder you have? Not only do you have to treat your birds, but also empty the bedding in the coop and nest boxes, along with treating the whole coop, nests, and roosts with permethrin. Try to look at the bugs with a magnifier to see if the bugs have 6 or 8 legs. Mites will have 8 legs. Here is a good link to read:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[CoopBoots]

I'm so sorry. Broodies are, well, busy brooding, and I think most of us try not to disturb them much so it's harder to catch issues like this. Plus they don't go dust bathing like usual, so it probably gives the mites an additional chance to go all out. I know it's hard, but now you can get rid of the mites and I'm sure your flock will continue to grow in numbers and health.