HEN IS SICK! PLEASE HELP ASAP

[dodochick92]

I have a 7-8 year old red sex link battery hen named dodo. She has had no vent feathers for about six months where she originally did. Now she has stopped laying, she has bad diarrhea, she is not eating and drinking, she is lethargic, her rump is soft, red and dry. If someone could please help me it would be greatly appreciated

 

[chicmom]

That is pretty old for a hen. Have you wormed her?

 

[MillersFarm]

x2 7-8 is very old for a hen and I don't really think she'd be laying much. She sounds egg-bound. I'd look it up but what you want to do is soak her at least twice a day in warm water for 20 mins. You can take her inside and do this in a bucket and watch some tv or something that doesn't bore you. You also want to add some epsom salt to the water not such how much though... Heres a great thread for egg bound or bind chickens https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/egg-binding-symptoms-treatment-and-prevention.66978/

 

[dodochick92]

That is pretty old for a hen. Have you wormed her?

Not yet. I am working on getting some DE and wazine. I have brought her in the house and done the egg binding treatment. She did eat a few bites of food but hasn't drank any water yet. She is currently standing in the cage with her eyes shut. I felt her crop and it is hard.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Not yet. I am working on getting some DE and wazine. I have brought her in the house and done the egg binding treatment. She did eat a few bites of food but hasn't drank any water yet. She is currently standing in the cage with her eyes shut. I felt her crop and it is hard.

I'm sorry she is not doing well.

Having a hard crop and what looks like could be a swollen abdomen (rear end). She may be having some internal laying/reproductive problems.

Crop issues can be a symptom of worms, coccidiosis and reproductive disorders - essentially something is slowing the processing of the food - either inflammation from worms/coccidiosis or egg masses/matter/tumors, etc. in the abdomen. Offer her plenty of water and her normal feed. Wet feed may be even better - avoid treats that are harder to process like corn/scratch at this time. You can try massaging the crop in a downward motion to see if that will help break up what's in there - if she is not drinking, then water is more important than food. http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx
http://scoopfromthecoop.nutrenaworld.com/tag/laying-issues/

I agree with the others - she is quite old and she may be succumbing to illness and her body is just not functioning properly.
If you have a vet that can perform a fecal float to rule out worms that would be a good idea. Wazine will only treat roundworms. Imho - DE is not effective for worms, lice/mites and can irritate the respiratory system, so do some reading before using it.

http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/egg-laying-issues/index.aspx
http://scoopfromthecoop.nutrenaworld.com/tag/laying-issues/