Hen down

[Teisha888]

Help! This morning when the sun came up I went to feed my chickens and I had a hen down on the ground in the run. It appears she never made it into the coop at dark last night. I was able to pick her right up and bring her inside (she normally won’t let me). She’s lethargic and weak. She’s standing but when she goes to walk she falls over. No signs of impacted crop or being egg bound. All the other chickens are fine… and she was fine yesterday. What could be wrong and how do I treat?!

 

[Perris]

have a look at this, by one of our most experienced members
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-supportive-care-updated-01-17-2021.1048620/

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? Can you get her drinking some water with a tsp of sugar per cupful or some electrolytes? Offer some bits of cooked egg, and wet chicken feed is also good once she is drinking. I have had a hen once stay out all night, when I did not check on them and closed the coop door. She was under the coop, and then she got out in the cold rain. Hens sometimes will become ill, separate themselves or become weak and not return for the roost.

Does she normally lay eggs on a regular basis? Has she molted this fall? Do you have a rooster or a bully hen who might have injured her? I would feel of her crop to see if it is empty, full, firm, doughy, or squishy. Has she lost weight when you pick her up? Is she able to walk normally? Is there any discharge from her eyes, beak or nostrils? Is her poop normal?

 

[Teisha888]

None of my hens have laid in about 3 weeks. I’ve got two molting but not this one. Eyes and nostrils look normal. She is resting inside the house now with head tucked under wing but she is standing. Crop felt normal. Her breastbone is very prominent.

 

[ChicNmom]

Since she is sleeping standing up I would check her undercarriage for any type of firm or watery swelling.

It sounds like she has not been eating. But that has happened to a few of my hens when they are about to and in mid molt.

 

[Teisha888]

This is what she looks like now.

 

[ChicNmom]

Did you give her the electrolyte water?
Try to get her eating something she might really like. scrambled egg, canned tuna etc.

Did you check her abdomen for swelling?

 

[Teisha888]

Did you give her the electrolyte water?
Try to get her eating something she might really like. scrambled egg, canned tuna etc.

Did you check her abdomen for swelling?

I have been giving poultry cell and water along with corrid.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? She has foam in her right eye. That can be a sign of mycoplasma (MG,) a respiratory disease. Does the eyelid look swollen? Her comb looks a bit grayish on the tips. Do you have any Tylosin, Denagard, or other antibiotics? You can get Tylosin online, but it can take up to a week for delivery from here:
https://jedds.com/products/tylosin-powder
Dosage is 1 tsp per gallon of water for 5 days.

Poultry Cell has thiamine (vitamin B 1) and should not be given with Corid. I would give one or the other. Mix some watery chicken feed and try to get her eating several times a day. She looks weak.

 

[Teisha888]

How old is she? She has foam in her right eye. That can be a sign of mycoplasma (MG,) a respiratory disease. Does the eyelid look swollen? Her comb looks a bit grayish on the tips. Do you have any Tylosin, Denagard, or other antibiotics? You can get Tylosin online, but it can take up to a week for delivery from here:
https://jedds.com/products/tylosin-powder
Dosage is 1 tsp per gallon of water for 5 days.

Poultry Cell has thiamine (vitamin B 1) and should not be given with Corid. I would give one or the other. Mix some watery chicken feed and try to get her eating several times a day. She looks weak.

She has passed. She was literally fine yesterday. I just dont understand.