Skin and Bones

[julieseawel]

I found one of my hens sleeping in the run today. I picked her up and she's just skin and bones. She obviously hasn't eaten for a while. As I carried her in inside her eyes were closed, she is very weak. I've been syringe feeding her with water and mash....is there anything else I should be doing?

 

[nchls school]

I found one of my hens sleeping in the run today. I picked her up and she's just skin and bones. She obviously hasn't eaten for a while. As I carried her in inside her eyes were closed, she is very weak. I've been syringe feeding her with water and mash....is there anything else I should be doing?

Keep her in a warm location away from other birds. There are many diseases that plague chickens, but when I read "skin and bones" my first thought was worms. Has she been wormed? Consider taking her to a vet if possible. If not, possibly antibiotics might help. She sounds pretty well gone so anything you try is good. Does she have runny droppings? Raspy breathing? Nasal discharge? Posting any and every symptom will help find a possible solution. Examine all your birds closely looking for anything different or unusual.

 

[julieseawel]

Thanks for your response. No my birds have never been wormed. All the others seem normal apart from her. I have noticed she has a yellow runny poop and not much of it. I couldn't believe how light she was when I picked her up!
How do I know if she's got worms?

 

[speckledhen]

How old is she and what breed is she and is she hatchery stock? "Skin and bones" can indicate twenty different things and only one of them worms.

Internal laying in the final stages will make a hen lose copious amounts of weight. Liver disease or cancer can do it also. You can do nothing for internal laying because it's terminal, no prevention and no cure because it's hormone/genetic based. Hatchery production hens are quite prone to it (lost around 15 hens to that and/or egg yolk peritonitis before most all the hatchery stock was gone). Good quality breeder stock is less prone to reproductive malfunctions, though certainly not completely immune.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Thanks for your response. No my birds have never been wormed. All the others seem normal apart from her. I have noticed she has a yellow runny poop and not much of it. I couldn't believe how light she was when I picked her up!
How do I know if she's got worms?

The above question is academic.

Any chicken who is able to free range or who is in contact with dirt (the earth) or who eats any of the various earthworms, insects, slugs, snails, or other creepy crawlies, has been exposed to internal parasites whether they test positive for these parasites or not. A twice yearly or even quarterly regiment of de-worming is a must for free ranging chickens. It all comes down to the proverbial ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cures.

 

[julieseawel]

What do I use for deworming?

 

[julieseawel]

Also, how much should I feed her with the syringe? Her crop is currently golf ball size, soft and squishy with water/mash. Should it be any bigger than that?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

What do I use for deworming?

pour on Ivermectin is good. Other wise use the paste types of horse, goat, cattle, and swine dewormer.

Here is a link to dosages.

 

[casportpony]

Also, how much should I feed her with the syringe? Her crop is currently golf ball size, soft and squishy with water/mash. Should it be any bigger than that?

How much does she weigh?

I would not give her more food, I would concentrate on getting fluids (pedialtye or gatorade) into her. The amount of fluid I give is 2.5ml per 100 grams. I give that, then wait 60-90 minutes and repeat if the crop has mostly cleared.

Also important to keep her in a warm room or cage (80-85 degrees)

Can you post a picture of her?

Have you checked her for lice and mites?

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

What do I use for deworming?

I would not worm her until I got her stabilized, then I would give Safeguard liquid orally at the rate of 0.23ml per pound for 5 days in a row. You will find Safeguard in the goat/cattle section of Tractor Supply. One can also use Safeguard or Panacur paste for horses - dose is the same as the liquid.

-Kathy