Aloof chicken

[chicken_lickin]

For about two weeks now my chicken has been stand offish and puffs herself out. We caught her drinking a couple of times but she barely eats. I took her to the vet and they said her respiratory looks great and they told us she wasn't egg bound. we brought two stool samples in and it came back negative for worms. I also tried bringing her in the house to see if she perked up and she acted the same. One thing the vet did say though, was that she is very skinny and dehydrated. Her breed is sussex. What could be wrong with her?

 

[dawg53]

Feel her crop if it's hard or if it's squishy. If it's hard, it's impacted. It's also possible she could have an impacted gizzard.

 

[chicken_lickin]

Feel her crop if it's hard or if it's squishy. If it's hard, it's impacted. It's also possible she could have an impacted gizzard.

Hi, When I took her to the vet she felt around and said all she could feel are bones. She is severely underweight and dehydrated. The vet gave her saline and did a worm test. We got the results Monday and it came back negative. She barely eats. She does love cucumbers but she will hardly eat the crumbles. She also stands on the roost instead of lays. How would you fix an impacted gizzard? I know she is the lowest in the pecking order. This summer she was pecked so bad the blood was drawn and I had to keep her separate for almost a month. I took her in the house today because it was snowing and I was worried about she being so thin. I don't think she liked it she mostly slept. How do I get her to eat so she will gain weight? Thank you for your suggestions. Michelle

 

[dawg53]

Since she loves eating cucumbers, I doubt her gizzard is impacted. Try adding water to her crumbles to make a wet mash for her to eat, sometimes it works.
If she still doesnt eat, you're going to have to tube feed her.
Here is a long thread that you should consider reading all the way through regarding tube feeding (with pics.)
Personally, I've never tube fed a bird.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...uals-very-detailed-post.805615/#post-11652991

 

[micstrachan]

Can you offer her some s rambled egg?

 

[WindingRoad]

For about two weeks now my chicken has been stand offish and puffs herself out. We caught her drinking a couple of times but she barely eats. I took her to the vet and they said her respiratory looks great and they told us she wasn't egg bound. we brought two stool samples in and it came back negative for worms. I also tried bringing her in the house to see if she perked up and she acted the same. One thing the vet did say though, was that she is very skinny and dehydrated. Her breed is sussex. What could be wrong with her?

Have you checked for lice? Mites? What are you feeding her. Does she like meal worms?

 

[chicken_lickin]

Can you offer her some s rambled egg?

I can't seem to get her to eat eggs. I offer scrambled eggs every few days and she will only pick at them and walk away.

 

[chicken_lickin]

Have you checked for lice? Mites? What are you feeding her. Does she like meal worms?

she does eat meal worms when she can get them. How do you find mites or lice?

 

[chicken_lickin]

she does eat meal worms when she can get them. How do you find mites or lice?

She does eat meal worms and how do you find mites or lice? Under her wings?

 

[WindingRoad]

She does eat meal worms and how do you find mites or lice? Under her wings?

Around her vent. You can also take a white sheet of paper and run it on the wall of a nest box. If you see red you've killed some that have been sucking blood from your chickens. Are their combs and wattles paler or even less red than usual.