HELP! Hen eyes closed, laying down, just moves head a bit.

[Phippy]

Just now our kids found out 1 year old hen Tigger in the garden laying down and not moving. We brought her in and she will open her eyes a bit and then close them again. She is only moving her head and neck, and kind of moving her head around in a slow lazy circle.

She was broody last week, and we took about four days to break her from it. She has since been eating and drinking, and spending her days with the flock but she has not layed an egg yet.

What could this be? What can we do?

 

[Phippy]

Ok. We got some nutridrench in her, some yogurt, and some water. I checked to see if she was egg bound, and I don't think so, but we're new at this so...hopefully I'm not wrong. Her crop is very full and squishy/gurgly- and the way she was moving her neck around matches some descriptions, so I think we've got sour crop. I'm following directions from this extremely helpful article for treatment.

She is already much improved after just the vitamins and water. She is perching now and eyes open, and talking to us a little when we sit with her. When we first found her she would barely respond to water dribbled on her beak. Now is eating some yogurt with gusto.

Still hasn't pooped since being put into "hospital" at about 10:40.

Fingers crossed that we have this figured out..

 

[EggDropper]

Ok. We got some nutridrench in her, some yogurt, and some water. I checked to see if she was egg bound, and I don't think so, but we're new at this so...hopefully I'm not wrong. Her crop is very full and squishy/gurgly- and the way she was moving her neck around matches some descriptions, so I think we've got sour crop. I'm following directions from this extremely helpful article for treatment.

She is already much improved after just the vitamins and water. She is perching now and eyes open, and talking to us a little when we sit with her. When we first found her she would barely respond to water dribbled on her beak. Now is eating some yogurt with gusto.

Still hasn't pooped since being put into "hospital" at about 10:40.

Fingers crossed that we have this figured out..

sounds like sour crop

 

[Phippy]

sounds like sour crop

Probably what it was. She is better now (it has been a week). She took treatment like a champ.

 

[Phippy]

Okay, so, Ms. Tigger started laying again (she was broody before this incident). She layed one tiny normal egg, then a shell less egg the next day, We gave her some extra calcium and the third day was a weird shaped chalky egg, and then today another shell less egg. Is her system just stressed/rebooting? What can we do?

 

[Swbertrand1]

It's worth putting intestinal parasites (worms) in your paradigm and/or arsenal of "what to look for" when you have lethargic birds. Worms will sap a hen's strength quickly and symptoms often look much like what you described in Post #1 above.

I'm so glad to hear she's doing better!

 

[EggDropper]

Probably what it was. She is better now (it has been a week). She took treatment like a champ.

keep going on calcium and put apple cider vinegar in her water

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her crop is very full and squishy/gurgly- and the way she was moving her neck around matches some descriptions, so I think we've got sour crop. I'm following directions from this extremely helpful article for treatment.

Okay, so, Ms. Tigger started laying again (she was broody before this incident). She layed one tiny normal egg, then a shell less egg the next day, We gave her some extra calcium and the third day was a weird shaped chalky egg, and then today another shell less egg. Is her system just stressed/rebooting? What can we do?

Did you treat her for a full 7 days for sour crop as described in the article?

I would give her 1 Caltrate daily for 3-5 days. See if that helps.
Coming out of broodiness, she may be having a hard time going back into lay.