- Jan 5, 2009
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For any hen on antibiotics I always start a half of a pill of acidophilus. I've never had any of my hens have an interest in yogurt when they are sick, but I sure can pop in a pill easily enough. Plus I'm just not convinced that any form of dairy is easy on their guts (since I am pretty sure they are lactose intolerant) regardless of what I have always read on forums. I do think it can cause diarrhea and I'm just stubborn so I can't be convinced otherwise LOL.
Also, I am a big proponent of eggs. Excellent protein source. If you have a hen not drinking or eating, go to your grocery store or look up egg powder online (use plain egg powder whites only to start for two days found in the baking area in a grocery store and then progress to whole egg powder). This stuff rocks. You can mix it up and suck it into a syringe like a dream. Makes taking care of a critically ill hen a dream for that period of time when you can't make them eat or drink. Also popping cat (good protein) or dog food (good for weight gain) into their mouths just to get their guts going is helpful after they are stable but only if they aren't eating on their own. Otherwise it's next to impossible to get protein into a sick hen. I also highly recommend pet store crickets but not too much as they are fed a high calcium diet.
This will also be helpful with your hen walking close to the ground. That sounds like transient paralysis from mareks. I have it in my flock. It can come with intense protein loss like with a severe moult. I've never seen it in a mild moult, just a brittle moult where the hen goes nearly bald all at once. Protein is their immunity and when the body has such an intense need for protein to replace the feathers, it brings the mareks out of dormancy. This same strain can also cause a permanent type of mareks that doesn't go away so just watch for that in any age range of your girls in the future. I have lost two to it in the past and just recently had another take to it but thankfully prayed about it and discovered the powder I mentioned.
I think if they just walk sideways a bit with moulting that they are generally able to eat enough protein to ward off becoming completely crippled, but if they get mareks from some other form of stress and stop eating, you have got to get some serious amounts of protein in them ASAP as soon as you notice symptoms (even if you think it may not be mareks, or are hoping it isn't, always err on the side of caution) or else it can set in permanently and that hen will die in about 9-10 weeks from wasting. But it sounds like your little gal just needs a boost if she is still getting around but walking close to the ground. Lasts for as long as the moult does, generally about 2-3 weeks.
Now, the only time I have seen the lifting of the leg (w/o any other abnormality present) and holding it up is when they are cold and trying to pull their foot into their bodies. Sometimes they'll just sit on a cold ground to warm up their feet too.
Also one of the first things I do when I notice that "off" look with them is to check their crops first thing in the morning. Sometimes it can be a small hard golfball size mass where their crops aren't emptying enough, or there can be the opposite with a saggy mushy feel. It just makes them feel awful. I've dealt with both. LMK if you experience that and I can just share what works for me.
Good luck and I hope your girls feel better soon. I have two chronically ill hens I am working with right now too so my heart bleeds for others in the same situation. Gotta run my 14 month old has taken over the keyboard lol. Keep us posted!
Also, I am a big proponent of eggs. Excellent protein source. If you have a hen not drinking or eating, go to your grocery store or look up egg powder online (use plain egg powder whites only to start for two days found in the baking area in a grocery store and then progress to whole egg powder). This stuff rocks. You can mix it up and suck it into a syringe like a dream. Makes taking care of a critically ill hen a dream for that period of time when you can't make them eat or drink. Also popping cat (good protein) or dog food (good for weight gain) into their mouths just to get their guts going is helpful after they are stable but only if they aren't eating on their own. Otherwise it's next to impossible to get protein into a sick hen. I also highly recommend pet store crickets but not too much as they are fed a high calcium diet.
This will also be helpful with your hen walking close to the ground. That sounds like transient paralysis from mareks. I have it in my flock. It can come with intense protein loss like with a severe moult. I've never seen it in a mild moult, just a brittle moult where the hen goes nearly bald all at once. Protein is their immunity and when the body has such an intense need for protein to replace the feathers, it brings the mareks out of dormancy. This same strain can also cause a permanent type of mareks that doesn't go away so just watch for that in any age range of your girls in the future. I have lost two to it in the past and just recently had another take to it but thankfully prayed about it and discovered the powder I mentioned.
I think if they just walk sideways a bit with moulting that they are generally able to eat enough protein to ward off becoming completely crippled, but if they get mareks from some other form of stress and stop eating, you have got to get some serious amounts of protein in them ASAP as soon as you notice symptoms (even if you think it may not be mareks, or are hoping it isn't, always err on the side of caution) or else it can set in permanently and that hen will die in about 9-10 weeks from wasting. But it sounds like your little gal just needs a boost if she is still getting around but walking close to the ground. Lasts for as long as the moult does, generally about 2-3 weeks.
Now, the only time I have seen the lifting of the leg (w/o any other abnormality present) and holding it up is when they are cold and trying to pull their foot into their bodies. Sometimes they'll just sit on a cold ground to warm up their feet too.
Also one of the first things I do when I notice that "off" look with them is to check their crops first thing in the morning. Sometimes it can be a small hard golfball size mass where their crops aren't emptying enough, or there can be the opposite with a saggy mushy feel. It just makes them feel awful. I've dealt with both. LMK if you experience that and I can just share what works for me.
Good luck and I hope your girls feel better soon. I have two chronically ill hens I am working with right now too so my heart bleeds for others in the same situation. Gotta run my 14 month old has taken over the keyboard lol. Keep us posted!
