2 year old New Hampshire Red hen not eating

catfalls

In the Brooder
5 Years
Sep 30, 2018
6
0
47
She and the rest of our other 12 hens and 3 roosters have been healthy.....I feed them fermented organic grain mix every morning and they have soy-free pellets available continually. She may be eating pellets when I'm not watching, but her craw is empty, her rump is clean (no poop), she's losing weight, and I don't feel much "meat" on her bones.
We first noticed her not interested in food last week. She occasionally goes after a few grains of her choosing in the scratch that we throw out as treats, but otherwise I don't see her eat. I've tried scrambled eggs and table scraps (e.g. chopped apples and grapes) but she isn't responding.
Her coloring is comb coloring is good. I wondered if something had happened to her eyesight (although her eyes appear fine), as she tilts her head and looks at food and then turns and walks away. I'm in central Texas, so the weather is mild, nothing that could be affecting her. They free range during the day and I have seen her foraging a little, but again, something seems off with her eyesight, like she does a double-take when looking at something, not the typical sharp-eyesight of a chicken looking for food.
I'm opposed to giving any synthetic vitamins or supplements, so I'm looking for natural incentives to stimulate her appetite.
 
Have you ever wormed you birds? How's her crop feel? If she's laying, has she laid recently?
Cut back on the treats. The scratch mix should only be offered once or twice a week, maximum.
If it comes down to it, you may have to use vitamins, synthetic or otherwise since most organic feeds don't have an impression nutrition profile
 
Have you ever wormed you birds? How's her crop feel? If she's laying, has she laid recently?
Cut back on the treats. The scratch mix should only be offered once or twice a week, maximum.
If it comes down to it, you may have to use vitamins, synthetic or otherwise since most organic feeds don't have an impression nutrition profile
They are all healthy and have no signs of any parasitic infection. Red hasn't laid recently, but she is not egg bound and her crop is empty.
 
typically serious parasitic infections show up with a minimum of symptoms, including lethargy, anemia/pale comb/waddles, loss of appetite and diarrhea. We coexist in a world full of bacteria, viruses, fungi and various parasites, some of which are critical to our own health, chickens are no different. Good health is achieved by healthy diet and exercise, keeping the immune system healthy, which is how I manage my flock. As I said, she is not eating or pooping, so I'm not looking for advice on worming.
 

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