Help something wrong with our hen

[mountainlover]

Yesterday she was fine, and she laid an egg yesterday. She just started laying 6 days ago. One every day except not today. But this morning when I went to let them out of the coop, she was laying on the ground and wouldn't get up. She just sort of waddled around. I thought she was laying though she doesn't lay until 11 and it was only 7am. But then the other chickens started picking on her. So I took her out and she won't stand up at all, or barely, and just sits there panting, closes her eyes a lot, and won't move around at all. I tried a warm soak and a warm towel, but she is still the same. I felt around on her underside for anything hard like an egg but there was nothing. I saw her poop once and it was just sort of milky. She won't eat or drink. Please help, she is our favorite hen, Philippa, and my son needs her right now, very much!

 

[mountainlover]

Someone please?

 

[anna mossette]

I only wanted to offer my sympathies. I understand about needing help and only finding silence. I am not an expert, hell not even a novice.
I would see about electrolytes in her water and offering her something other than feed, cottage cheese, scrambled egg.
There is a wealth of information on this site and some very knowledgeable people here, but bumping into them can be difficult. Keep searching and don't give up. Shift through as much of this site as yo can and don't hesitate to PM someone if you see they have been helpful to others, it could pay off.

Anna

 

[cafarmgirl]

I will be honest, it doesn't sound very good. It's possible she's just trying to pass a very large egg, I've had a few hens act just like that who then finally laid a big egg and were fine. It also could be something serious that has gone wrong and she may not make it so be prepared for that. Do you have an avian or exotics vet near you that would see her? I definitely feel for you in regards to your son, I hope she makes it.

 

[mountainlover]

I don't know what to do. We don't know any vet to take her to, nor could we afford one anyway. My son is going to be so heartbroken if his chicken dies. We are all going through such trauma right now and this would only make it worse. I gave her another warm soak and she is just laying in a box and not moving. We got some droppers of water in her but that is all. I wish I knew what it could even be! She was just fine yesterday and laid her egg and we played with her too! And she went to bed fine last night.

 

[gibsterl]

She definitely could be egg bound, I would try a warm bath again and gently massage her underside, because of the milky poop I also wonder if there may be a broken egg stuck. If you don't get anywhere with the bath I would recommend wearing a glove and lubricating your finger with vaseline or olive oil and then gently probed her vent. I had a hen act like this a bit back and I was able to remove a broken egg and within hours she was back to herself. You want to be careful though because if she is egg bound you dont want to break the egg if at all possible. I can lead to egg yolk peritonitis and she could die from that. I was worried about mine having that because of the broken egg but she did well. Good Luck! I hope she turns out ok

 

[mountainlover]

It's like a miracle!!! Somewhere I read that she might need calcium, although I do feed her layer feed which has calcium. But anyway, I got a spoon of yogurt and I had to force it in her mouth!! All she would do is lay there and not move, pant and close her eyes. But within 20 minutes of forcing the yogurt in her, she start to make soft clucking noises. Then she actually lifted her head up and looked around. Then she pecked at some yogurt herself, then she STOOD UP!! And now I have brought her outside and she walked!!! She even ate some grass!! I feel like she's back from the dead or something, it's like a miracle!! She's not totally herself, she stumbled a little but she's eating and pecking and walking around!!!

 

[foreverlearning]

If that worked so well I would keep giving it to her for another couple of days and keep an eye on her. Do not let her back into the coop or with the flock until she is completely back as they may pick on her. Good luck!

 

[anna mossette]

I am so happy to hear that.

 

[gibsterl]

me too!