Hen Lethargic, won't stand

[jbird68]

One of my hens, Rosie 7 months old, is lethargic and not moving. Seemed to start 2 days ago. Normally she is the first one out to greet me, very friendly and vocal. Today when I went out, she is laying in the run and won't move. She opens her eyes but just barely. She seems to just want to sleep. I tried to get her to stand up and she just sort of falls to the side and lays down. I tried to feed her some scratch (which she loves and will normally eat out my hand) and she has no interest. Her poop may be runny but I can't say for sure. I palpated her belly and couldn't feel any retained eggs. She had started laying about 2 months ago and layed for a couple of weeks and then stopped. I thought it was insufficient light so I increased the time the light was on but she never started laying again. I have 3 other hens that are about the same age and they are behaving normally. I am new to raising chickens and I don't know what to do. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Terri O]

That is sad! Maybe she became an internal layer and the build up inside is hurting her? Maybe a little more information would help? Terri O

 

[fifelakelooper]

Any other symptoms?? Head shaking?? Wheezing? Sneezing?? Limping??? You may want to type in diseases of chickens and do a search. So sorry...hope she improves.

 

[jbird68]

Thanks for the replies. I haven't seen any other symptoms, but I sure will watch closely for anything else. I will search on Backyard chickens and see if I can find any diseases that sound like how she is behaving. It is so sad and I really hope she gets better.

 

[sherylreno]

This sounds like she may have an egg stuck in there, lube a very clean finger and insert it into her vent and see if you can feel an egg. Is her stomach area enlarged?

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

If you are concerned about her being Eggbound, use the Search for Eggbound and you will get info on the Eggbound "warm bath" and vent stimulation, etc.

New layers often stop and start... in itself that is not a big concern if there were no other symptoms.

Have you ever wormed your flock? How old is the rest of the flock? When did you worm last, with what, how many treatments, etc.?

You can get antibiotics from the feed store, usually open on Sundays (today), you an even get some Tylan 50, syringes and needles and give her an injection into the breast muscle of .5 -- 1/2 CC /ML per day for three days... -- see how she is. That might give her a reprieve while you try to identify what the problem is. (Alternate sides if injecting) -- that would be your emergency treatment for her. See if she will eat some scrambled eggs and yogurt... if you give her some water with Electrolytes and Vitamins in it... if she won't drink, try a dropper.. be careful to avoid the windpipe, but, you can dribble some water down her throat ( to the back, down, to the side... not up top and center, that is where you will see her windpipe behind the tongue, avoid that ).

I had "sick" chickens until I wormed.. I never saw worms in the poop, but I am sure they must have had them, as they all got well and stayed well after worming (w/ Valbazen).

Good luck. Hope she makes it.

 

[Tiramisu]

Have you checked for lice/mites? We had that happen in our flock, just suddenly one would be like that and couldn't walk, took almost a month to figure it out because we figured we would really be able to tell they had it. Might not be that, wouldn't hurt to really check it over though and make sure. Some laying started to drop too, some got it and others didn't though, it was odd.

 

[jbird68]

Thanks to all of you for your help and suggestions. Rosie died yesterday, just a few hours after I posted the first message on BYC. So sad.

She was still in the nesting box where I had put her and there was an egg there that I am assuming she layed (since it wasn't there previously). I don't know if it was an egg that was stuck that made her sick or not.

The flock is about 7 months old. I have never wormed them but maybe I should. I will keep a close eye on the other 3 hens but as of now, they are behaving normally.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

So sorry about poor Rosie.