Hen is extremely pale, lethargic; not eating or leaving coop

[jonezjollyfarm]

Without a test or worms present in her stool there is no way to tell. It's a good idea to deworm them 2x a year as a preventative measure. Most do it in the spring and fall when egg production is down because most deworming products require a withdrawal period. That way you're throwing away less eggs. You want to be careful using a deworming product on a chicken that's not well because it could be too much for her frail body to handle. I would say if you've ruled out other problems like reproductive issues or intestinal blockages or crop issues (sour crop or crop impaction) deworm her but prepared yourself for it to go either way.

 

[SniperGoose]

Thank you for the advice! I'll be sure to do that from now on to prevent issues in the future. Sadly Ruby didn't make it through the night. I just finished burying her. I'm gonna keep a close eye on the rest of my flock to make sure they aren't getting sick either, as I don't know what exactly happened with Ruby.

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

Sorry for your loss. hope you dont have any issues going forward.

 

[coach723]

I'm very sorry for your loss.
The absolute best way to know what happened is to necropsy the bird, either sent in for professional one, or do an informal one yourself. Sometimes that is the only way to find out a cause as many things that affect chickens can present with very similar symptoms. I would think about using that as an option in the future if you have an unexplained illness and loss. So sorry.

 

[SniperGoose]

Thank you both!
I'm just glad she doesn't have to suffer anymore, and that my other chickens all seem to be healthy. Though I'll definitely be watching closely for a good while. If I would happen to lose another, I'll definitely be sending the body in for a necropsy. I googled and found a lab that is 2 hours from me that does avian necropsies for $30. I have that bookmarked if this ever would happen again. Thanks for your advice, I really appreciate it.