Barnie hen is weak..What could be wrong? UPDATE - still need help

verlaj

Songster
10 Years
Jan 31, 2009
790
17
159
Micanopy, Florida
I know these are vague signs, but this is all I have at the moment. I came home from an out of town trip late last night and when I went to let the chickens out this a.m. noticed one of my Barnies didn't go out with the others. She just stayed sitting down in the coop and didn't scramble away as usual when I went to pick her up to see what might be wrong. Other than damaged feathers on her back typical from rooster attention, I didn't find anything abnormal except she is weak and a bit underweight. Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

1) What type of bird , age and weight. 1 year old Barnevelder hen; vaccinated for Marek's at hatchery and for fowl pox last fall. Seems thin. Don't have a weight.

2) What is the behavior, exactly. Staying by herself. Inactive. Seems weak, but can walk. Alert, holding head up, eyes open. Comb is red.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? Just noticed today, but I have been out of town for 5 days. Caretakers didn't notice any problems.

4) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. No.

5) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. Don't know of anything.

6) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Normally fed layer crumbles (Blue Seal) and free ranges during the day. Ate a little scratch this a.m. when it was placed right by her, but not as enthusiastically as a normal chicken would. Haven't observed her drinking yet.

7) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. Haven't seen any poop. Vent looks clean.

8) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Separated from the flock; confined indoors with food and water. Haven't been able to check on her since I left for work this a.m.

9 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? Treat myself.

10) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. Nothing to show - would look normal in a still photo, except she stays sitting down instead of circulating with the flock.

11) Describe the housing/bedding in use. Open air coop. Sand floor. Free range all day and fed layer crumbles free choice. Mixed layer flock with 1 rooster - total of 35 adult birds. A few old hens (6-8 years old), but most are 1 year old hens. 10 juveniles housed separately (still in house). Three 1 wk-old chicks in broody pen with mother hen in coop. An old hen in the flock died about 3 weeks ago of unknown causes. I again was out of town, so I don't know if she had signs of illness that were not observed. All other chickens seem healthy and acting normally.
 
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Update this evening.. The Barnie laid an egg - ate chopped fresh tomato, strawberry, and fresh corn kernels with enthusiasm. Seems alert and a little stronger. Resting quietly in a small enclosure in the house.

My plan is to create a private pen for her outdoors tomorrow - no contact with other chickens - feed layer crumbles and if she doesn't want that, then fresh food as above, scrambled egg, yogurt, and so on.

Any other suggestions? Wait and see?
 
I still would appreciate input if anyone has thoughts about what could be wrong with my hen. She ate chopped tomato and some corn from the cob today. I have her outside in a little pen by herself now. She stays sitting down most of the time - still weak in the legs it seems. Holds her head up and is alert. Pooped several times - what I saw from last night looked pretty normal - now a bit like diarrhea, but that could be from the tomato, berry, and corn she ate last night and this morning.

Any thoughts on what it could be? Toxin maybe? Thanks, if you can help.
 
Wow...No one has answered this thread and it's been about 2 months since the last post.
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And I know this is a slightly old thread, but I'm having almost the same exact problem.
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I have a rooster who is really light-weighted, and I just noticed it after being gone for a week (some family members checked up on the small flock everyday to feed and water them, etc. while I was gone). He seems active and overall healthy, except for being weaker and really thin...more than what a normal chicken should be.
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How is your hen now? Did she make a fast recovery? The reason why I'm bringing up a slightly expired thread is because I want to know if anyone can help because I still haven't figured out how to help my rooster.
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And if your hen is still not doing very good, this is a bump so maybe someone can help you as well.
 
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For me, no I haven't treated for worms but I also haven't seen any worms in any of the chicken's droppings (in the flock) whatsoever over a period of a couple days. Also no lice/mites have been noticed.
 
You might not see the worms in the poop, how old are your chickens? Sometimes if the worms are not to bad then you will not see the worms until the infestion is really bad.
 
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My rooster (who is showing the signs) is 156 days (about 5 1/2 months) old. But if he has worms, wouldn't the other chickens have them to and in return be showing similar symptoms?
 
Maybe or not, my rooster does not seem to eat as much as my girls so I wonder if it effects him more since the girls seem to eat way more then my rooster. I am not sure what is wrong with your rooster just wanted to let you know sometimes you don't see worms in the poop unless you have a heavy infestation of worms.
 

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