Extremely Sick Hen. Please Help!!!!!

[Hardy Hen]

I have a hen that is almost 2 years old and since yesterday she's acted very sick. She seems very weak and can only walk a couple steps. She puffs up her feathers to keep warm. She hasn't gone outside all day and when I put her out she just stood there and closed her eyes. She hasn't eaten anything these past two days but she has drank water. I put oxytetracylin (not sure if I spelled that right) in the water and she drank that as well. I put her in the nesting boxes with a lot of clean hay. Does anyone have any advice??? I could use all the help I could get. Thank you!!

 

[Elite Silkies]

I would bring her in and give her dark warm place to stay. Have you checked her vent or crop? Scramble her some eggs and see if she will eat them. I would also make her a separate water dish with some Vitamins/Electrolytes in it. Since, I am not sure if they can be mixed with the Antibiotics.

I prefer Tylan as the antibiotic.

 

[fiberart57]

I would check her for being egg bound as well. Gently palpate (press with your fingers while moving around - gently) her abdomen. If you feel a hard lump, it's likely she has a stuck egg. You can give her a warm bath and lubricate her vent with olive oil.

You might go a do a search of egg bound threads if you think this is what she has.

Look for mites, lice or other pests.

Keep her warm and contained, bring her inside if you can. An old dog crate will do, but if nothing else a large cardboard box with ventilation and a screened front. (Okay, it's a duct tape and hammer solution.) If she won't drink, get an eyedropper and dribble some along the side of her beak until she gets some. Right now all you can do is treat symptoms and try to keep her nutritionally supported.

Mary

 

[Terri O]

In addition you can put a heating pad under her container turned to low or medium. Check it after a while and see how warm it is. When birds are sick they need to be kept warm and draft free to recuperate. Terri O

 

[tamelroy]

She might very well be egg bound, I just had one today that sounds like what your hen is doing. She poofed her feathers out and just closed her eyes.

I hope she feels better!
Good luck!