Calcium deficiency?

[bluegiantsc]

My hen hatched out chicks 6 weeks ago, so I was feeding her the chick starter. I read that its easier to have them eat the same food for a while, so the chicks get what they need and they don't eat layer mash. So I gave them chick starter.

So 2 weeks ago, the hen laid an egg, right on schedule for starting to lay again. Anyway, after she laid that egg she didn't act the same. She just seemed drained and so lethargic. There was only the one egg, and she's been really down since then.
Her chicks aren't with her anymore because she started attacking the darker colored ones.

Anyway, I just thought about it the other day that maybe she was suffering from a calcium deficiency. So last night I got some calcium tablets for people. This morning I crushed 4 of them up in water and mixed some layer mash in with them along with a banana to make her want to eat it. She hasn't. I'm going to get some oyster shell tomorrow.
She's still eating and drinking, but she isn't scratching around or pecking around. She isn't doing much but sitting in the sun or on the roosting bar.
She went from being a completely free range chicken to being a cooped up chicken after she had the chicks. Could that have something to do with it?

I should also say that her face, around her eyes looks a little puffy. But that could be any number of things.
Oh and the rooster is in there with her and he isn't sick or anything. He's acting strange or lethargic like the hen is. He seems perfectly fine, thats why I think its something to do with just her.

She is a 2 year old jersey giant. Could it be a calcium deficiency or something else or is she just getting old? The puffy face its something to be concerned with though, its a little scary.

Any help would be appreciated. Unfortunately I'm going out of town at the end of the week, so someone else who isn't chicken savvy will be watching them and I hope she doesn't die on them! haha. I know there isn't a quick fix, but maybe something to put her on the mend before we leave.

Thanks so much!

 

[Megan Amber]

Hmm, that is a little strange. Is she back to free range? I had a hen that after I took her chicks away she stopped laying and lost a lot of her feathers,the ones she didn't lose went from black to white! She returned to her normal bright shiny self after she hatched out more chicks. Not sure about the puffy face, depression leads to illness. Is she recieving vitamins in her water?

 

[bluegiantsc]

No I haven't been putting vitamins in her water. They've been healthy and I've never had this issue until now.
Should I give her chicks back? I'm scared to because I don't know if she's sick and they need to stay separated. BUT the rooster isn't showing signs of anything so I don't think its communicable. I think its just her. They're 6 weeks old so they aren't really chicks they're just small scale chickens now.

What kind of vitamins should I put in their water? Poly-vi-sol without iron? Would Save-a-Chick work? I have that. I have vitamin D drops, I have calcium tablets.

Should I separate her completely? I was thinking of putting her in a smaller dog kennel with some food and water and to get her away from the rooster. He tried to mate her and she wants nothing to do with him. I'm really not sure whats going on.

I'm so confused! I almost think I should send her to the state vets office to have her euthanized and see if there is something wrong with her. But that seems like a waste of a hen if she just needs some calcium.

 

[Megan Amber]

I would give her the Vitamin D for sure. That helps with the absorbtion of calcium and other vitamins and will ultimately help her begin laying eggs again. You could see what happens if you give her chicks back. You mentioned that she was fighting them but if she takes them back then I would do so and see if that helps as well. If you have any green leafy vegetables you could give her that would also greatly improve her health. I hope some of this is helpful.

 

[bluegiantsc]

Thanks. I gave her some feed earlier that had calcium tabs mashed into it and some vitamin d drops. She didn't eat it though.
I think I will try to give the chicks back and see if that helps. She has an issue with some of them. The black and blue ones she doesn't like and she pecks them and tries to kill them. Well, at least she did a few weeks ago, thats why I separated them. I'm going to dose her up with some vitamins and see if she'll eat some greens.
She's laying in the sun right now, puffed up with her eyes closed. I hope she's okay.
I actually don't care about her laying, I'm just worried she might die! haha. I hope she gets better though, because if not, she'll be coming on vacation with us! LOL

 

[Megan Amber]

I hope she gets better to!! I thought of another thing it might be...worms. Not sure if she has been wormed but you should look at the color of her eyelids, if they are pale and colorless then it might be worms.

 

[bluegiantsc]

Well I just saw her poop at it was liquid, sort of yellow and liquid. I think she may have some kind of internal productive issues going on.
I also picked her up, she weighs about 6 lbs when she should weigh 10. Her vent looks clean and isn't caked with anything. I just mixed up some baby food with vitamin d, some calcium tabs and some clavomox. I don't know if they can have that, but thats all I have and she's not doing well anyway.

To be honest, I might just take her to the state vets office and get them to put her down and they can tell me what it is and if its contagious. I have the NPIP inspector coming next week and if she's infected then I need to know! I'm kind of thankful the babies have been separated for the last 2 weeks or so, so maybe they didn't get anything from her.

Any other thoughts?

 

[Megan Amber]

No the worms were my last big idea. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. If you do decide to take her to the vet let us know what happens. Sorry again!

 

[applegal]

Here's a website that discusses common poultry diseases, she may have caught something from the chicks or wild birds.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

I would definitely take the roo out. Sav-a-chick may help, or any electroyte solution. Nutri-drench would be good as well. Apple cider vinegar in the water might help with her digestive tract ph.
A scrambled egg or yogurt might help give her some energy.

Do you have a vet you can take a fecal sample to? They may be able to tell you if it is parasites or cocci. An antibiotic might be something to look into.

Good luck!

 

[bluegiantsc]

The chicks are hers. She laid them and hatched them. I have a closed flock. I just emailed the state vet and hopefully she'll be able to help me, if not then I'm going to take her down there and have them check her out.
I think when they start pooping liquid thats probably not a good thing.

I just put her in the "hospital ward"

I'm pretty familiar with the diseases they get, but thank you for the link. The unfortunate thing is most of the time you have to kill to find out what they had and go from there. But I guess one apposed to the whole flock is okay. And most of the time, most of the diseases that chickens and other birds get all look the same until you get inside or test for it. So her symptoms are the symptoms of most of the diseases that they carry!