Help! Droopy hen

[FluffyButtHut4]

Hello! New here! We recently decided to (FINALLY) get some chickens for our home. We have 24 young chicks still, not laying yet- and we were given 2 chickens (a rooster & black rock hen) that are a little over a year old. They have been through a stressful situation (they were part of a 30 bird flock, the previous owners dog got a hold of 27 of them & the 28th died a week before they were given to us. And kept in a VERY small coop & run for 30 chickens.) Well after cleaning them up, getting them settled, getting them on a good diet, & treating for really bad leg mites, the rooster started crowing & hen started laying eggs! (We don't know last time she laid). Well day 3 of laying she wasn't looking so bright. (She's a very sassy bird, the 2 stick together & she usually keeps all our other chickens away from her & the rooster, Clyde.She doesn't typically let them near her.) So day 3 she was standing under heat lamp & not really moving (they're normally the 1st out when we open the coop), i was really surprised she laid another egg that day. After she really wouldn't come out of the coop, her butt is drooped down & she wouldn't get up on top of the "perch"/higher section in the coop that her & Clyde typically lay in. She just stood under heat lamp. Not eating as much, not drinking well, just not looking well. Her poop looks fine. They've been dusted for mites. She had some fluid come from her beak the last day she laid but her crop wasn't full. And after I cleaned her & treated legs again, there wasn't anymore fluid coming out. Felt around & don't feel a stuck egg so we don't think she's egg bound. Has anyone dealt with this kind a thing before? A hen getting dumpy looking after laying for 3 days straight (after not laying for months)? We're just worried about her. We were so happy when she started laying. It felt like a huge accomplishment considering how these 2 showed up looking. Any advice appreciated!

 

[Ebony Rose]

Vitamin drops for chickens, lots of folks swear by 'nutri-drench', if you can't get that, then pedialyte solution WITHOUT IRON (found at your pharmacy) will provide her with some electrolytes. Yogurt for a couple days mixed with their normal feed to ensure good gut bacteria. You didn't say if you have a vet you can use with her (them), so I'm going to assume that's not affordable or likely. Also, it looks like she's been through A LOT in a very short time. She's been attacked by predators, watched all but her 'hubby' die of their injuries, been evicted from one home, moved into another, and had a lot of medical stuff done to her by people she doesn't know or have reason to trust. On top of it all, nature took over and she started laying eggs again... **groans** She's under A LOT of stress right now. Sounds like she had the symptoms of a respiratory illness coming on, but you may have nipped that in the bud. Does she have rales (rattling sound while breathing while NOT being held)? Is she sneezing or coughing? Does she shake her head? Have they been treated for worms & coccidiosis? (2 different medicines). Did they get a course of antibiotics? I hope the previous owners are short one DOG now too. A chicken killing dog is not tolerated in this country. I'm concerned about that butt drooping, possibly asceites? I'm sure that some more experienced folks will respond to your post soon, they'll want clear pictures of her head and face, vent, and a portrait (standing posture) from the side and back. You said her poop looks fine, but a photo of that would probably be appreciated too.

 

[FluffyButtHut4]

Vitamin drops for chickens, lots of folks swear by 'nutri-drench', if you can't get that, then pedialyte solution WITHOUT IRON (found at your pharmacy) will provide her with some electrolytes. Yogurt for a couple days mixed with their normal feed to ensure good gut bacteria. You didn't say if you have a vet you can use with her (them), so I'm going to assume that's not affordable or likely. Also, it looks like she's been through A LOT in a very short time. She's been attacked by predators, watched all but her 'hubby' die of their injuries, been evicted from one home, moved into another, and had a lot of medical stuff done to her by people she doesn't know or have reason to trust. On top of it all, nature took over and she started laying eggs again... **groans** She's under A LOT of stress right now. Sounds like she had the symptoms of a respiratory illness coming on, but you may have nipped that in the bud. Does she have rales (rattling sound while breathing while NOT being held)? Is she sneezing or coughing? Does she shake her head? Have they been treated for worms & coccidiosis? (2 different medicines). Did they get a course of antibiotics? I hope the previous owners are short one DOG now too. A chicken killing dog is not tolerated in this country. I'm concerned about that butt drooping, possibly asceites? I'm sure that some more experienced folks will respond to your post soon, they'll want clear pictures of her head and face, vent, and a portrait (standing posture) from the side and back. You said her poop looks fine, but a photo of that would probably be appreciated too.

 

[FluffyButtHut4]

Thank you! She does not have rales- but she has been twitching her head on & off. No sneezing or coughing. She has been under a lot of stress. We gave her time to adjust a little before I started diving into the medical issue, (their legs) just because they were SO stressed out when they arrived. Also gave me time to observe them & their personalities. (Her butt was down (but not droopy) & was up after a couple weeks here. I didn't want her to be petrified of me. And no- they kept the dog & got rid of the chickens. I don't know that they've been treated for anything. Coccidiosis is my biggest concern. And I've been giving them electrolytes & probiotics in their water since I already give it in our birds water. We have 2 waterers, 1 plain, 1 w solutions. We do not have an avian vet anywhere near us, which is a shock because we're surrounded by farm land! I quarantined her (as I am concerned for our other birds) but mainly for a day- I worry her separated from Clyde may cause more stress. They are inseparable, always w each other. So I've let them out to free range. So they're not all in close quarters. Her butt has gone up some since, but she still kind of hunkered down & wasn't too keen on walking around after a bit. The run is open & she went back in to the heat lamp we have in there (nights have still been chilly here) . He has also jumped on her back a couple times recently. But I don't think that caused whatever is going on with her. I will get some pics in a bit.

 

[Norcal527]

I would treat for coccidiosis to be safe. Her immune system could be compromised from all the stress.

 

[FluffyButtHut4]

I would treat for coccidiosis to be safe. Her immune system could be compromised from all the stress.

 

[FluffyButtHut4]

That was my concern also. Thank you!

 

[Ebony Rose]

I'd also put him in with her, that's her only family left and frankly, if she's got cocci, then so does he.

 

[Ebony Rose]

@Texas Kiki

Hello! New here! We recently decided to (FINALLY) get some chickens for our home. We have 24 young chicks still, not laying yet- and we were given 2 chickens (a rooster & black rock hen) that are a little over a year old. They have been through a stressful situation (they were part of a 30 bird flock, the previous owners dog got a hold of 27 of them & the 28th died a week before they were given to us. And kept in a VERY small coop & run for 30 chickens.) Well after cleaning them up, getting them settled, getting them on a good diet, & treating for really bad leg mites, the rooster started crowing & hen started laying eggs! (We don't know last time she laid). Well day 3 of laying she wasn't looking so bright. (She's a very sassy bird, the 2 stick together & she usually keeps all our other chickens away from her & the rooster, Clyde.She doesn't typically let them near her.) So day 3 she was standing under heat lamp & not really moving (they're normally the 1st out when we open the coop), i was really surprised she laid another egg that day. After she really wouldn't come out of the coop, her butt is drooped down & she wouldn't get up on top of the "perch"/higher section in the coop that her & Clyde typically lay in. She just stood under heat lamp. Not eating as much, not drinking well, just not looking well. Her poop looks fine. They've been dusted for mites. She had some fluid come from her beak the last day she laid but her crop wasn't full. And after I cleaned her & treated legs again, there wasn't anymore fluid coming out. Felt around & don't feel a stuck egg so we don't think she's egg bound. Has anyone dealt with this kind a thing before? A hen getting dumpy looking after laying for 3 days straight (after not laying for months)? We're just worried about her. We were so happy when she started laying. It felt like a huge accomplishment considering how these 2 showed up looking. Any advice appreciated!

 

[Kiki]

Hello! New here! We recently decided to (FINALLY) get some chickens for our home. We have 24 young chicks still, not laying yet- and we were given 2 chickens (a rooster & black rock hen) that are a little over a year old. They have been through a stressful situation (they were part of a 30 bird flock, the previous owners dog got a hold of 27 of them & the 28th died a week before they were given to us. And kept in a VERY small coop & run for 30 chickens.) Well after cleaning them up, getting them settled, getting them on a good diet, & treating for really bad leg mites, the rooster started crowing & hen started laying eggs! (We don't know last time she laid). Well day 3 of laying she wasn't looking so bright. (She's a very sassy bird, the 2 stick together & she usually keeps all our other chickens away from her & the rooster, Clyde.She doesn't typically let them near her.) So day 3 she was standing under heat lamp & not really moving (they're normally the 1st out when we open the coop), i was really surprised she laid another egg that day. After she really wouldn't come out of the coop, her butt is drooped down & she wouldn't get up on top of the "perch"/higher section in the coop that her & Clyde typically lay in. She just stood under heat lamp. Not eating as much, not drinking well, just not looking well. Her poop looks fine. They've been dusted for mites. She had some fluid come from her beak the last day she laid but her crop wasn't full. And after I cleaned her & treated legs again, there wasn't anymore fluid coming out. Felt around & don't feel a stuck egg so we don't think she's egg bound. Has anyone dealt with this kind a thing before? A hen getting dumpy looking after laying for 3 days straight (after not laying for months)? We're just worried about her. We were so happy when she started laying. It felt like a huge accomplishment considering how these 2 showed up looking. Any advice appreciated!

How long have you had these two new birds?