At a loss....What could be wrong with my hen?

[waghmg]

Our hen Daisy had been a really good layer until a few weeks back when she stopped laying...we thought because of the winter. She seemed to stop eating her laying pellets much but weren't too alarmed because she still seemed to enjoy her scratch and ranging for bugs, eating grass, etc.

Her eyes are clear, don't hear any congestion...

Thought maybe she had mites, though I couldn't see any but don't have very much experience. She would scratch at herself some. Bought some diatomaceous earth and dusted her with that a couple of days ago, put some in her food just in case and dusted her coop with it.

She's been less active we've noticed but still seemed to respond. Yesterday she got out and did some scratching, seemed happier, but still not as active as our other 2 chickens. Today she's not even scratching w/the others.

She's almost seemed depressed. She is by herself in a coop because the other 2 have always picked at her.

Her comb, etc still red, although I think a little paler than she was. Not sure about her poop. Think she may have lost a little weight.

Yesterday put some ACV in her water and she seemed to be drinking that.

Honestly don't know where to go from here. All she does now is mostly stand around, not even that interested in scratching. I'm afraid she may be losing weight.

There's not a vet around here that would see chickens so that is not an option.

Any ideas from anyone what I could try to help her? I have Nutri Drench but she won't drink the water with it in it.

We've only had chickens for little less than 1 year so not much experience.

Thanks in advance!

 

[teach1rusl]

Have they been wormed recently? A bad case of worms might result in weightloss and lowered activity level. Roundworms generally show up in droppings, but not all worms do. Since she's not laying anyhow, I think I'd give that a go... Hopefully she'll recover for you and be her old self in a few weeks...

 

[waghmg]

Thanks so much for your quick reply. We love this chick so much! We've never wormed them.

What would you recommend I use that might be commonly available at a place like Tractor Supply?

 

[waghmg]

Actually I'd prefer an organic type wormer but if I need it right away to save my hen I'll use conventional.

If anyone has any suggestions about a good wormer, PLEASE let me know. Need all the advice I can get....

 

[SteveBaz]

I would separate her for just a couple of days to baby her. Like what you have done so far but would in addition to that add sugar to the water and add a water soluble vitamin to her water, I Vita-Sol" its worked well for but there are others available. The other thing is she low on the pecking order? Just asking bc some lower order girls do not get to the food well and do not like to scrape or get into it. I would feed her by hand eggs, scrambled or hard boiled, flax & linseed, other proteins listed on this sheet https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart it is a very detailed and complete list of veggies and proteins. Proteins and Proteins is the secret right now. I would dice up white meats for her to eat to get her back up and going. This will help I am sure, & best of luck.

 

[waghmg]

Thanks for your reply.

I remembered she had absolutely LOVED mealworms I had given her a while back. We were out so I decided to go get her some at feed store. Well, as I was hoping, that REALLY perked her up. Hope it will continue. Tried to give her apple, yogurt earlier... not interested. As long as she eats the mealworms I'll keep giving them. If she does not get back to normal self soon, may get some dewormer for her.

Always open to any more suggestions from anyone!!

 

[nurse_turtle]

'Tis the season for LICE. Look carefully around the bases of her vent feathers for lice and egg sacs.

 

[teach1rusl]

Sorry, just saw your follow-up question. I don't treat organically, but have heard of pumpkin seeds being used as organic wormer - don't know how well they work though. Safeguard (it's a goat wormer) is all around wormer that is often recommended. It's available at Tractor Supply if you decide to give it a go.
If you're set on organic, you might do a search here on BYC - type in "pumpkin seeds as a wormer?" or something like that...

 

[waghmg]

Thanks so much.

In doing research on this forum, I've been seeing sometimes got to go with the big guns in the way of wormers if wanting to save your hen. Think I did see that wormer at Tractor Supply but dismissed it because it's for goats. Right now she seems to have perked up, loving the meal worms I picked up for her. She seems to have her ups and downs.

Answer when convenient, but any idea what the dosage should be for the Safeguard?