I have a hen that is about 18 months old (golden comet). She has gone through a hard & long molt which started in the spring and she still hasn't grown all her feathers back. About 3 weeks ago I noticed that she was acting sick - puffed up, walking slow, she kept her tail feathers down, and her comb was paler than it had been. No breathing issues and no discharge. I isolated her and treated her with Tylan 50 for 5 days. While in isolation she drank lots of water and ate some food, her poop was a bit watery and green. I kept her in isolation for 2 more days and she seemed fine - she wasn't puffy anymore, walked some, but still slow. She never laid an egg - I wasn't worried since she still seems to be on this long molt. I did feel for an egg and her bottom is soft, almost feels like liquid. I thought egg peritontis - but I couldn't get any liquid out of her. I put her back in with the rest of my flock and she seemed to perk up for a few days... out and about with the girls, but still slow. No one is picking on her.
Today I went to check on her since she didn't come out in the morning and she's laying in the nest box. She's still there this afternoon. She still isn't her old self and her comb & wattles have shrunken to almost nothing and are pale. She won't move, but isn't 'growling' at me. She allows me to pick her up and ate some food when I gave her some. She's seems to be sitting on 3 eggs and I left them under her when I collected today. They aren't her eggs, but are from some of my other hens. I don't know if they are fertilized or not - I do have a rooster, but not all hens are allowing this rooster to do what roosters do.
I have no idea what is going on with my hen - I can't tell if she's broody, egg bound, has egg peritontis, sick, or if it is her time. Looking at her I'm thinking she isn't going to last a week, but I thought that 3 weeks ago and here she is.
I've never had a broody hen and don't know what to look for and/or if this is perfectly normal.
Any insight??? Secretly, I hope she's just broody because she is one of my nicest hens and I don't want to lose her. Having some baby chicks would be a plus and I think she'd make a great momma.
Today I went to check on her since she didn't come out in the morning and she's laying in the nest box. She's still there this afternoon. She still isn't her old self and her comb & wattles have shrunken to almost nothing and are pale. She won't move, but isn't 'growling' at me. She allows me to pick her up and ate some food when I gave her some. She's seems to be sitting on 3 eggs and I left them under her when I collected today. They aren't her eggs, but are from some of my other hens. I don't know if they are fertilized or not - I do have a rooster, but not all hens are allowing this rooster to do what roosters do.
I have no idea what is going on with my hen - I can't tell if she's broody, egg bound, has egg peritontis, sick, or if it is her time. Looking at her I'm thinking she isn't going to last a week, but I thought that 3 weeks ago and here she is.
I've never had a broody hen and don't know what to look for and/or if this is perfectly normal.
Any insight??? Secretly, I hope she's just broody because she is one of my nicest hens and I don't want to lose her. Having some baby chicks would be a plus and I think she'd make a great momma.
