Hen is not well, but nothing obvious is wrong? would love some advice

[My1stChickens]

This morning let the hens out of the coop without mishap, or noticing anything off. Returned to clean coop around noon, and the Buff Orphington is hiding under the roost. She came out, and was talking a bit. I put her on the roost, checked a few basics-- she feels like she's lost weight, but crop felt empty (not squishy or water filled) Comb is red, and upright, eyes are bright. No discharges or injuries. She does have a very loose poop, pretty much liquid-- but normal color. At that point, my most timid hen, came into the coop and attacked the other hen. Knocked her off the roost, on top of her flapping and pecking. The Buff Orphington did not seem to offer any resistance, I had to get that other hen off her. She remained puffed up and threatening to attack again so I kicked her out of the coop.

I know chickens are pretty vicious when another hen is vulnerable but this suprised me, and of course confirmed Buffy is not well. I've put her in a hospital cage, with layer pellets, a bit of scrambled egg drizzled with pedialyte vitamins, and water laced with vitamins/electrolytes. With no clear "problem" I'm not sure what else to do but supportive care.

This hen has not laid in more than a year. Her comb is red, and she occasionally demonstrates the submissive squat like a layer will. But she doesn't lay. If memory serves, she's probably 4 years old. She laid well at 1 and reasonably well at 2 but no eggs last year or this year.

The timid hen that attacked her is not attacking the others, and has never demonstrated a hint of aggression before.

 

[Perris]

In my experience a flock member only faces an attack of the sort you described if s/he is perceived by others in the flock as a health hazard. Your BO should still be laying at 4 (more so at 3) so it's likely something is wrong with her reproductive tract, but that didn't bother the others; now she has a digestive issue too maybe they see her poop as a potential contaminant, putting the rest of them at risk of contracting whatever is causing it in Buffy.

In this case I'd do what you've done: separate and isolate (and clean up any of her poop from the coop). I'd offer her a range of real foods until you find something she wants to eat. My go-to foods in such circumstances are live mealworms or tinned sardines, and a bird that refuses them is really very poorly, and the prognosis is not good. If the bird will eat something, there is hope. Most will eat some banana, milk-soaked bread, peanut-butter, or currants (offered separately, just a little at a time), which will supply essential nutrients to help them through it.

 

[My1stChickens]

In my experience a flock member only faces an attack of the sort you described if s/he is perceived by others in the flock as a health hazard. Your BO should still be laying at 4 (more so at 3) so it's likely something is wrong with her reproductive tract, but that didn't bother the others; now she has a digestive issue too maybe they see her poop as a potential contaminant, putting the rest of them at risk of contracting whatever is causing it in Buffy.

In this case I'd do what you've done: separate and isolate (and clean up any of her poop from the coop). I'd offer her a range of real foods until you find something she wants to eat. My go-to foods in such circumstances are live mealworms or tinned sardines, and a bird that refuses them is really very poorly, and the prognosis is not good. If the bird will eat something, there is hope. Most will eat some banana, milk-soaked bread, peanut-butter, or currants (offered separately, just a little at a time), which will supply essential nutrients to help them through it.

Thank you for your reply and advice. She's still bright and alert. She's resting quietly and talking a bit. She ate some mealworms, and a few blueberries. She's in the cage, but still in the coop, and the matriarch hen has been to check on her several times (without any signs of aggression). I'm encouraged that she's eating a bit. Will continue to offer a variety and refill water.

It's ironic-- the one who attacked her is the same age and has NEVER laid a single egg. I bought 6 pullets from a guy with a great reputation, but did not have very good luck with the group. Only two remain. The matriarch and her sidekick are 8 years old, and laying. (not a lot, but still)

 

[My1stChickens]

Update: I have raised the hospital cage up onto the roost, and ziptied it securely to the walls. So Buffy is on the roost, just in the cage. She can see the other hens, and hopefully that makes her feel more secure. She has eaten mealworms, bread, blueberries, and some gourmet mix of peanuts, sunflower seeds, as well as a little shrimp/fish mix. Her poop has solidified to normal ranges.

While I was working on raising the cage, the other 3 all came to observe. Interestingly, whenever the never-laid-an-egg-in-her-life attacker would attempt to approach (even though not showing aggressive behavior) the matriarch hen would ensure she did not come near Buffy. Goldie is such a good girl.

Feeling encouraged that she's eating, and appears to be in good spirits, despite some black spots on her comb from this morning's attack.

 

[Perris]

that sounds promising; so glad her appetite and poop are better. It is especially nice too that the matriarch is looking out for her; that sort of social support is priceless, and something that we humans cannot provide for them however much we might want to. And that any are still laying at 8 is wonderful!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Any chance you have a vet that will run a fecal float to check for internal parasites? Have you checked her over really well for lice and mites (best done well after dark using a headlamp)?

 

[My1stChickens]

This morning Buffy was bright and made it clear she wanted to come out with the others. I obliged, but it did not last long. It appeared there may be a little more bad behavior from the bad girl, and Buffy was keeping just a bit of distance. So I played it safe, topped off food and water, and put her back in the cage.

I do not have a headlamp to check for mites but I do have Elector TSP and will be spraying the coop and the chicken butts this evening.

 

[My1stChickens]

She's eating "some". I continue to be disappointed in how much food appears to be gone, but I see that she's pooped so she is eating some. I don't see much water consumption. On a hunch, this afternoon, I let her out of the cage for snacks, while the matriarch hen was also in the coop. The other two were locked out. When the matriarch was greedily pecking, Buffy came out of her cage, jumped off the roost and joined her. She ate pretty well-- including some scrambled egg mixed with milk soaked bread, then laced with Pedialyte vitamins. Then she went to to wood ashes, and dug herself a little place like she was going to dust bathe. The matriarch came to help her dig. Eventually she just hunkered down and laid (upright) in the hole she had dug. After a bit, I returned her to the cage, but I felt like having her eat with another chicken was a good idea. I'm a bit encouraged, and will do the same a couple times tomorrow.

 

[Perris]

great hunch! Human instincts still work too, despite all the challenges and alternatives of the modern world I'm so happy for you both that you listened to yours and it paid dividends. Several people on other threads have noticed that an invalid eats better in the company of another flock member that is a friend. The dustbath is another positive sign.

If she has a digestive issue or a fever it is natural for her to want to eat little or nothing; it's the body's way of starving the bugs in the gut, and we lose our appetites too in such circumstances. Typically the reduced intake starves the bugs before the body, and then the appetite returns.

 

[My1stChickens]

OK. So 9 days later.... Buffy is doing well. She's alert, she eats well, socializes well. I started just letting her socialize with Goldie, the matriarch. Then yesterday let her out with two hens, while the mean hen was caged. Everything is fine with the 3 of them. They wander around, scratch and peck, share food, etc. This evening, the mean girl entered the coop so all 4 were there.... and she attacked. This time Buffy did puff up and defend herself a bit, but the intensity of the mean girl's attack was more than Buffy's defense. I grabbed the mean girl by the tail (I'm sure she's traumatized) and caged her.

I will likely start another thread, since now I have a new issue. Normally docile timid hen has turned into a menace.