8 Week Old Hen NOT EATING - PLEASE HELP

[nekasneka1]

I recently hatched out some chicks and one of them has just stopped eating and acting really lame and is usually a very active and energetic little hen. Her crop is quite squishy... Any suggestions??

 

[aart]

Could be sour crop or impacted crop.

What and how exactly are you feeding?

FYI....female birds are called pullets before one year of age, and called hens after one year of age.

 

[rebrascora]

At that age my suspicion would be Marek's disease but it is worth trying a vitamin supplement in case it is a deficiency. Feeding higher protein moist food may help to tempt her to eat.... scrambled egg and pellets or crumble, mixed to a soft mash with active plain yoghurt.
Have you checked to make sure there is no foot infection like bumblefoot?

 

[aart]

At that age my suspicion would be Marek's disease but it is worth trying a vitamin supplement in case it is a deficiency. Feeding higher protein moist food may help to tempt her to eat.... scrambled egg and pellets or crumble, mixed to a soft mash with active plain yoghurt.
Have you checked to make sure there is no foot infection like bumblefoot?

Correct, prime age for Mareks to present....if 'lame' in the OP means inability to walk.

 

[rebrascora]

My birds that suffer Marek's have a wide range of paralysis from mild (intermittent even) lameness to total inability to walk and lie floundering on their side until picked up and put back into an upright position, as well as everything in between. The most common I've had though is hock walking. Interestingly, I recently had an older bird that sprained herself getting down from a high roost and it was incredibly obvious from her movement that hers was injury and pain related as oppose to the Marek's birds I see which is paralysis and means they are unable to coordinate the limb. I didn't realise how obvious the difference would be, as I am used to seeing only Marek's lameness, but it really was notably different with an injury.... a conscious effort not to put weight on the injured leg.
Of course, that doesn't help the OP who only has one lame bird and hopefully it will remain just one!

and of course I hope it gets better with time and treatment.

Marek's is a horrible disease, but it is extremely widespread, even though many people choose to ignore that it is one of the major causes of lameness in young birds.