Abruptly sick hen, feedback please!

[Farmgirl1878]

+1 on this. Also, you can mix some Yogurt in for a tasty treat (ours like "mixed berry" flavor), and if they like it, you could even slip some liquid vitamins in too (Poly-Vi-Sol or Nutri-Drench) to give them an extra boost. The cool mash will be welcome if they're hot, and it will get some nutrition in them.

I should have mentioned the Nutridrench! I do add that to the wet chow when I think the girls need it! Also, when it’s really hot out, I freeze the wet mash (along with a few treats -mealworms, veggies, or whatever) in a silicone cake mold. They peck at it like it’s a popsicle!

 

[Houdini56]

Lots of good info here and I appreciate it.

We actually have been quite cool for the last week in the 60s during the day, might get into the mid 70s this week; I don't think heat is the issue because none of the hens are giving their typical signs of heat stress at all.

I started a vitamin/electrolyte mix in her water two days ago; in fact, I'm giving it to all three now.

I just bought some de-wormer at the local farm store and will be putting that in her water this afternoon (and I guess removing the vitamin water until she finishes the de-wormer).

The food thing is odd....she turned her nose up at yogurt a few times in the last couple days which she loves, also turned up her nose at a few pieces of pasta, another huge favorite. I did soften some of her crumbles in water but after tasting it she walked away. One day she devoured cottage cheese, the next day wouldn't touch it. Same with scrambled egg. So it's a really up-and-down course at this point.

Thanks for the feedback, will keep you all updated.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Yep, Butterfly did the same thing. Now she’s eating normally again. She still doesn’t consistently fight for treats or run for tomatoes, but she’s eating more chow now. Who knows?

 

[Swbertrand1]

You can keep her/them on the vitamins with a de-wormer like Safeguard, Ivermectin, and Valbazen. It's Corid, the treatment for Coccidiosis, that is rendered ineffective by Vit B-1 (Thiamine) since you're feeding what the parasite, Coccidia, naturally feeds on. Corid imitates Thiamine; the parasite consumes it, and dies. If you're on a Corid treatment AND feeding Vit B-1 to your birds, you're feeding the parasite...

Useful article about Worms and Chickens including treatments:
https://cs-tf.com/chicken-dewormer/
Here's another:
https://www.knowyourchickens.com/chicken-wormer/

 

[Houdini56]

Patience seems to be making progress -- though still no egg in five days now.

Yesterday her primarily yellow-water poop turned more solid and normal appearing, and she began eating her poultry crumbles again. She seemed more alert and interested in her surroundings when ranging, with more giddy-up than she's had since this started.

The lack of egg production still has me worried, and I suppose she won't be "out of the woods" with this illness until I see eggs again. Am continuing her on the vitamins and de-wormer in her water.

Unfortunately, it appears I have an issue of bullying I have to sort out before I can put her back in with the others....

I will do some reading and start a new thread in the appropriate forum for that.

 

[Swbertrand1]

Patience seems to be making progress -- though still no egg in five days now.

Yesterday her primarily yellow-water poop turned more solid and normal appearing, and she began eating her poultry crumbles again. She seemed more alert and interested in her surroundings when ranging, with more giddy-up than she's had since this started.

The lack of egg production still has me worried, and I suppose she won't be "out of the woods" with this illness until I see eggs again. Am continuing her on the vitamins and de-wormer in her water.

Unfortunately, it appears I have an issue of bullying I have to sort out before I can put her back in with the others....

I will do some reading and start a new thread in the appropriate forum for that.

Glad to hear she's doing better!

Don't rush recovery and DEFINITELY don't worry about egg production during that recovery. Some hens never lay again after they've been sick; others will lay only sometimes, then there are those that go back to full production. So, try not to use egg-laying as your benchmark for recovery. If she fully recovers, that will take care of itself.

What dewormer are you using that's mixed with their water? I ask because it's very difficult to determine if they're getting a therapeutic dose. Most on this forum use a liquid de-wormer (some use a paste) and administer that to the chicken orally by hand.

Keep us updated!

 

[Houdini56]

Life got sooo busy...but the good news is Patience seems pretty much back to her normal self. And in an odd coincidence (?) she is now in the heaviest molt I have seen any of these three go through, and is looking rather ratty.

Maybe this is her first real molt, as all we've ever seen before was a slightly heavier amount of shed feathers now and again, but none of them ever became noticeably unkept from it. They are 2-1/2 years old now.

And possibly this has something to do with the lack of egg production. Time will tell, I guess.

The only issue we have right now is that we can't get Patience back into the flock. They are both bullying her mercilessly at any opportunity. We tried ranging them together to re-acclimate, but one or both of the others are ready for any opportunity to jump her, and now Patience is obviously afraid of them and avoiding them at all costs. So she is still in her isolation tractor which she seems content in, though I'm not thrilled about the extra work myself. We are strongly considering trying to find a new home for her. This makes me sad because she is the sweetest and friendliest of the three....but I'm starting to feel a bit worn out from the drama!

I have surely appreciated the information and feedback here from you all as I've trudged through this with Patience.