Chicken won’t eat or drink?

[Spekai]

My dad went outside today to check on the chickens and noticed that one of the hens wasn’t looking so good. She was laying down a lot and wouldn’t eat or drink. We tried giving her mealworms (her favorite treat) but she just looked at them and stood still. My dad gave her antibiotics, a dewormer, and some pediatric electrolyte solution but she still seems a little lethargic. We put her on a blanket by herself so she can rest but I’m really worried. I felt her crop and I think it’s normal? There are bits of it that are a little hard and it’s not very full but I’m not sure. She also had some labored breathing but it stopped. I’m super worried, we just lost another chicken to gapeworms (we think) and it was horrible. How do I get her to eat and drink? I’m pretty sure that’s the first step to making her feel better.
Thank you, Nora.
P.S. Two other hens are beginning to act like this, is it something contagious?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

My dad gave her antibiotics, a dewormer, and some pediatric electrolyte solution but she still seems a little lethargic.

Hi welcome to BYC!

Sorry your hen isn't feeling well.

Holy cow, stop throwing unknown fixes at the hen and try to access the situation. The first step to getting her to feel better is NOT getting her to eat and drink! If she is having crop problems that may simply increase the issue. Antibiotics and wormer are in sense poison. You should NEVER worm an already ill birds without conformation that IS the issue.

Please if she is calm enough, put her in a location where you can monitor her droppings... though I expect with wormer and antibiotics both administered, they won't be "normal". No judgement here, we all do our best until we learn something different. I see now that you did bring her in already. Sorry so many questions, all are just looking for clues to help you and your flock out.

Please, what is the age and breed of your hen? When was the last time she laid? How many birds in how much space? Recent weather patterns? What do you feed on a regular basis, including treats and supplements?

What was the antibiotic and wormer used and dosages please?

You say you think you lost one recently to gapeworm? A very uncommon condition, how long ago was that and what did you do with the bird? How long have you had these birds? Any recent additions?

What is your general location? (adding it to your profile can help peeps make the best suggestion possible at a glance)

I would leave water and grit available, remove food... and feel crop in the morning. She won't starve to death and hydration is key. Also maybe smell the beak for any sour scent.

Hang in there.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My dad went outside today to check on the chickens and noticed that one of the hens wasn’t looking so good. She was laying down a lot and wouldn’t eat or drink. We tried giving her mealworms (her favorite treat) but she just looked at them and stood still. My dad gave her antibiotics, a dewormer, and some pediatric electrolyte solution but she still seems a little lethargic. We put her on a blanket by herself so she can rest but I’m really worried. I felt her crop and I think it’s normal? There are bits of it that are a little hard and it’s not very full but I’m not sure. She also had some labored breathing but it stopped. I’m super worried, we just lost another chicken to gapeworms (we think) and it was horrible. How do I get her to eat and drink? I’m pretty sure that’s the first step to making her feel better.
Thank you, Nora.
P.S. Two other hens are beginning to act like this, is it something contagious?

You have 2 more in addition to this one that's acting the same way?
Can you post photos of the hens, their poop and housing?
How old are they?
How long have you had them?
Have they had access to a compost pile, anything rotten or moldy?

You mention that she had labored breathing, but it stopped - do you see any mucous from the nostrils, watery/bubbly eyes or facial swelling?
What do you feed including treats?

I'm very sorry to hear your chicken is ill, but it will help us help you if you provide more information and photos.

 

[Spekai]

Hello eggsighted4life,
I guess we were panicking a little! Our chickens are like pets, we would never mean to harm them! No excuses though! Next time we will figure out what’s wrong and be sure before medicating them! We did see her poop and it was a little watery, a little bit like pee and very soft poop together.
She is about a year old and is a created cream legbar. My parents think she last laid yesterday, however the egg had no shell and they described it as jelly. We have 11 chickens free roaming in a big fenced in area. The weather is getting pretty hot so at first we though she was dehydrated and gave her water but she doesn’t seem to feel better. Usually we just give them chicken feed and occasionally give them oatmeal and/or mealworms as treats, however we are not giving her any supplements. We gave 4 cc of enrofloxacin and 1 cc of safeguard.
Our hen we though died from gapeworm was acting a little bit strange like the hen we have now around 1 week ago, it looked like she was suffocating. We took her the the vet and he said it was either gapeworm or pneumonia. We were thinking about putting her to sleep because she needed oxygen from the vet but he said to give her a chance. She died in the car not even a minute after we left. We have had these chickens (different breeds) for around 1 year, excluding one polish who we have had for around a year and a half. We do have some new additions, 3, but they were chicks and need a heat lamp.
We live in Texas in the suburbs, however our yard is quite big.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My parents think she last laid yesterday, however the egg had no shell and they described it as jelly.

We gave 4 cc of enrofloxacin and 1 cc of safeguard.

Our hen we though died from gapeworm was acting a little bit strange like the hen we have now around 1 week ago, it looked like she was suffocating. We took her the the vet and he said it was either gapeworm or pneumonia.

Your hen weighs about 4 pounds?
You mention that she laid a soft shell egg - was it intact or did you notice if there was contents of egg leaking from the vent?

To me, it sounds like your hen may be having troubles with another egg, but it's really hard to know - this can cause them great distress and they will have some panting.
Can you feel inside the vent about 1-2" to feel for an egg?

While your at it, tell us what her crop feels like. Again, photos of the hen, the way she stands/looks and her poop may be helpful.

 

[Spekai]

Hello wyorp rock,
Here are pictures of the coop. My parents are still fixing it up so it looks a little undone. My dad fed all of them an oatmeal mix and they seem a lot more lively! She doesn’t seem to have any fatial swelling, mucous, or bubbly eyes. We have had them for about a year (they are a year old too) and they have not had access to anything moldy or rotten. We give them chicken feed and for treats, oatmeal and mealworms.

 

[Spekai]

Hello wyorp rock,
She does weigh around 4 pounds. The egg was broken and the yolk was coming out. Unfortunately, I do not know if there was anything coming out of her vent from the egg. I will try to feel inside her and let you know. She is starting to stand weird, here are some pictures. I do not have any pictures of her poop, but I will certainly post it once I do. Her crop feels squishy and a little deflated in a way.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello wyorp rock,
Here are pictures of the coop. My parents are still fixing it up so it looks a little undone. My dad fed all of them an oatmeal mix and they seem a lot more lively! She doesn’t seem to have any fatial swelling, mucous, or bubbly eyes. We have had them for about a year (they are a year old too) and they have not had access to anything moldy or rotten. We give them chicken feed and for treats, oatmeal and mealworms.

Hello wyorp rock,
She does weigh around 4 pounds. The egg was broken and the yolk was coming out. Unfortunately, I do not know if there was anything coming out of her vent from the egg. I will try to feel inside her and let you know. She is starting to stand weird, here are some pictures. I do not have any pictures of her poop, but I will certainly post it once I do. Her crop feels squishy and a little deflated in a way.

Her stance reminds me of a hen that's having some troubles laying an egg. I would feel inside the vent about 1-2" with a gloved, lubricated finger.

I would make sure she's got water and try to get some Calcium into her. You can crush a TUMS up or give her 1/2 tablet of Caltrate.
You can try soaking her in a warm epsom salts bath, but some hens don't tolerate that well and if they are in bad shape a bath can send them over the edge. An alternative would be to place her in a steamed up bathroom or on moist heat like a heating pad designed to be used with a moist towel.

I wouldn't worry about food right at this moment, but she does need to be hydrated.

 

[Rlmp817]

@Wyorp Rock how would you give her the tums? Crushed in water? Sprinkled over food? I have a hen looking much the same

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Wyorp Rock how would you give her the tums? Crushed in water? Sprinkled over food? I have a hen looking much the same

Yes you can crush the TUMS in some food.

But wait....you have another hen that is looking the same way? You sure they have not gotten into anything moldy, rotten or spoiled? Look at your feed, is there any mold in it?
Is the bag of feed fresh - what's the date on the bag?

How long have you had the hens?
Any changes to their environment, feed, water - anything you can think of?