Delaware not acting as usual.

[rancher hicks]

I have a Del hen who is about 2. I've had her for nearly a year and don't know how old she was when I got her.

Anyhow she is just laying in the coop and not running to eat when I come out. Not that I give them anything they just think I am.

Her crop is soft and her vent is not runny.

She looked like she was flexing to poop but nothing came out.

I tossed some scratch but she ignored it.

I did change all the waterers to cool water and she did drink.

She free ranges with the rest of the flock.

Grit is laying all around so it's there.

Don't know if she laid an egg today.

No runny nose and no smelly breath.

No discharges of any kind.

Could it just be the heat?

She doesn't have the fight she usually has. Let's me pick her up etc.

No mites, don't think there are worms as I DE in the food alittle and ACV in the water on occasion.

Any ideas?

 

[speckledhen]

She looked like she was flexing to poop but nothing came out.

I often see that when there is an egg broken inside or a soft shelled one that isn't ejecting as it should. She may have something going on with her oviduct. When I see things like that, I give emergency calcium. There are studies that suggest a Tums (not Rolaids) should be given at that time. If you or your wife have calcium tablets with vitamin D, you can dissolve one of those in some oatmeal and give it to her as well. Other than that, I'm not sure what you can really do, except maybe check for a stuck egg in the oviduct.​

 

[rancher hicks]

How would I check for a stuck egg? I palpatated her and she doesn't seem to have any hardness. No discharge from her, either end. She isnt roosting tonight. I haven't any Tums or calcium tablets or oatmeal tonight. She wasn't eating only drinking. Do you think some vitamins in the water would help.

They have a dish of oyster shell in the yard and the coop. I haven't seen any funny eggs lately. I really hate to lose one of the WNY girls.

 

[speckledhen]

You'd have to use a finger and check inside the oviduct. The oviduct is upward and the intestines are downward inside the vent. It could be that an egg broke inside and she feels like she has to expell it, hence, the pulsating vent. If there is no egg stuck, then I'm not sure what you can do or what exactly the problem is.

 

[rancher hicks]

Thanks I'll see what I can do.

 

[kathyinmo]

If you don't find anything in the vent causing the problem, I would go ahead and worm her. It wouldn't hurt. If she has a heavy load of worms I would imagine she would have the "urge," to push like when pooping.