Hen is Sick - Seems Very Thin

[newchck]

Hi all, I had a previous post (https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bumblefoot.1499529/#post-25058886) thinking my hen was not walking because of an injury. She has been isolated for a few days now and it is clear she is not well. She is not eating much (if at all) I have tried scrambled egg, cat food, and corn in addition to her feed but she is not interested. We did manage to get a bit of bene-bac into her yesterday. I felt her breast bone and she is practically skin and bones, so she must have been eating less for some time. She is drinking. She is also drinking water with added vitamins and minerals. Her crop feels normal, and her comb is not incredibly pale (though it has flopped.) SHe will stand and walk a foot or two, but for the most part she is just laying around. I love my chickens, but I am not willing to sink a ton of money into one hen. Any advice / ideas?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. How old is she? When she stands or walks, does she hold a leg up, put both legs down, limp on one, or use her wings to help her balance? Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease? Has she been laying eggs recently or has she molted this fall? I would mix up some wet chicken feed along with some bits of scrambled egg, and hold it up to her beak to eat.

How does her crop feel—empty and flat, full, hard, doughy, or puffy? With hens over 2, some common problems are cancer, reproductive disorders, and crop problems (impacted or sour crop.) Be sure to recheck her crop in the early morning before she has eaten or drunk anything.

 

[newchck]

Sorry about your hen. How old is she? When she stands or walks, does she hold a leg up, put both legs down, limp on one, or use her wings to help her balance? Was she vaccinated for Mareks disease? Has she been laying eggs recently or has she molted this fall? I would mix up some wet chicken feed along with some bits of scrambled egg, and hold it up to her beak to eat.

How does her crop feel—empty and flat, full, hard, doughy, or puffy? With hens over 2, some common problems are cancer, reproductive disorders, and crop problems (impacted or sour crop.) Be sure to recheck her crop in the early morning before she has eaten or drunk anything.

She is 18 months. She has not laid an egg for at least 3 days. She holds herself up on both legs and just seems to stumble after taking a few normal steps. She was not vaccinated to my knowledge. No molting. I will try to wet some chicken feed tonight. I was thinking plain yogurt as well? Her crop felt empty this morning. I will feel it again once I am home from work!

 

[Eggcessive]

Plain yogurt is good, about a spoonful and you can add it to the feed. Only mix enough wet feed for today.

 

[newchck]

Well, when I got home to check on her she hopped out of her isolation coop and started ranging. She is feeling better for sure, but still not the best. She went into the coop with the others but is in the nesting box, didn't jump onto the roost.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you can offer some fluids from a small cup or tuna can held up to her beak in the nest box, hopefully that will keep her hydrated through the night. Check her crop in the morning if you can. Hens will sometimes take to sleeping in a nest box at night when they are ill. Let us know how she is doing in the morning.