Ailing hen.

[lengel]

One of my the older hens that I got a few months ago started lying down a lot and separating herself from the rest of the group a couple of days ago. Today I saw her straining a bit so today I gave her a couple of warm water baths and put her in a box in a cool corner of the basement.

I'm assuming that she's egg bound but I really have no idea. Even though she looks good now, the fact is that she was pecked bare and underweight when I got her. She had probably been handled twice in her life - once to be put in the culling pen and the second time to be put in a box to come home with me. She seems anxious about the baths so I don't know that they're relaxing enough for her to pass an egg, if she is egg bound that is.

I'm clueless and I don't know enough about how she would behave as a healthy hen to know what's wrong with her now. It could be the heat but I can't be sure.

I was thinking about leaving her in the basement overnight with plenty of food and water and see how she is tomorrow. What would you do?

 

[steffpeck]

It's sounds like you are doing everything right!! The only other thing I could suggest would be to maybe give her some live cultured yougurt and some poultry vitamins. Keep us updated and let us know how she is doing.

Steff

 

[steffpeck]

How is your hen doing today?

 

[lengel]

Thanks for asking.

She's still in the basement, hasn't left her box. She's perky and alert but not terribly active. It cooled off radically this evening so I may take her back to the enclosure tomorrow. As far as I can tell, she hasn't eaten much but the other older hens aren't really eating too much either. She's defecated several times so that part of her is working fine. Her comb is still a bit floppy though.

I'm confused and feel painfully ignorant but glad I brought her in. It gave me a chance to really check her over and make sure she's sparkling clean before she goes back outside.

 

[lengel]

She's fine now. She was fussing in the basement so I put her back outside. Her comb straightened right up and she rejoined the flock. Weird.

 

[justusnak]

You said she had a few good poo's....could be she was a little constipated, and the warm baths helped move it through. Glad she is better!