
I am new to chickens. I have a young hen that has not started laying yet. Last weekend she started acting odd, resting and not acting her normal self. On Tuesday morning I noticed that she didn't come out of the coop, so I took her out. I kept her separated from the other chickens, but she just kept getting more and more lethargic. I took her to the Vet on Thursday. Apparently, she had a bad case of lice. One eye was shut and she had crusty stuff on her neck. He did blood work and her blood looked fine, he also gave her fluids. I took her home, I bathed her in Salt, vinegar, and with soap, dried her and kept her in a crate with a heating pad. I have also been dusting her with DE. I have been giving her water with polyvisol, and yesterday I bathed her again, cut off all the crusty stuff, and blew her dry with a hair dryer for an hour. Her eye has opened but she is still lethargic. I don't see any lice, I see dead lice, but no alive lice. What I am wondering is how to force feed her? I don't think she is getting enough food. Or, really any other suggestions that might help me to help her. This has all been a huge learning experience, but I really don't want to lose this hen if possible. Thanks for any help.
Lyssa