Hi all, I also have lost a few hens recently to a mysterious ailment. Well, mysterious to me anyway. As another poster noted, they seem to just lose interest, tend to sit still for long periods of time, then stop eating and drinking. It's almost like they go into a zen state, or coma and eventually die. I have a little Serama hen heading that way today, have had a few more over the last few weeks. It isn't heat, we don't get anywhere near needing to worry about that here. I took a few pics of her just a few minutes ago, she is all hunched up, with her beak pointing pretty well straight up. I have felt her belly, nothing, no mites that I can see. She keeps her eyes mostly closed, except when I was pushing at her belly, I have tried giving her water and vitamins with a dropper, she may have taken a drop or too, not sure. Sure wish I knew what to do for her, am upset because she is the only one of her colour I have and never did get any eggs hatched from her. Not to mention, that she is a sweet little girl. Any one have any ideas??
aw that's sad. Perhaps Marek's disease is a possibility, there is a link on the learning center on this site where you could learn more. In the states some have mentioned that necropsies are available free of charge, but I don't know if such a service is available in Canada.
The only way to know is to send one in to your state lab for a full necropsy. It is free to backyard flock owners for most states. Sorry about your birds. The hen is beautiful.
Thanks everyone, the hen died after a few days. I was managing to get a bit of vitamins and water into her but really, was just prolonging the inevitable. I wish I had gotten some chicks from her, she was gorgeous.