hen not acting right

[shannon84]

Hello I'm new with chickens as of (Easter week) I just got a young adult hen off my dad and she's not anywhere near as spunky as my other hen. She's eating and drinking but she moves so slow with her tail down seems very lethargic to me, also has no feathers around her vent? I just gave her olive oil and Epsom salt by the way to see if it helps? Any ideas on what this could be? Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post any photos of her?
How does her abdomen feel, hard, soft, normal, squishy, fluid filled?
Is she laying any eggs?
What type of food/treats do you feed?

Standing with the tail down and moving slow could be a sign of having an egg stuck (egg bound) or internal laying like Peritonitis.
Take a gloved, lubricated finger and insert about an inch inside her vent and see if you feel an egg.

If you feel that she may be egg bound, follow the instructions in the links below:
http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2012/06/egg-bound-hens-how-to-recognize-treat.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/chicken-egg-binding-causes-symptoms.html

 

[shannon84]

Hi thanks for the reply! She hasn't laid any egg since I've had her and I got her last Monday, tail is down and she is moving very slow, I haven't felt her abdomen yet all I've done is epsom soak and she would only tolerate ten minutes of that. I'm pretty sure she is egg bound. I will feel around now... Thanks for the link! I've been so worried I'm soooo new to this stuff and learning. Is this a common issue with hens?

 

[babybird2003]

Is it possible she could have mites or lice? Sometimes chickens will pick out feather around their vent when they have those critters on them.

 

[shannon84]

The feather loss is probably due to that I think. I don't think she had access to a dust bath. Is DE good for mites and lice? She is in a crate Trying to pass an egg

 

[babybird2003]

Is she egg bound? There are ways you can help her pass an egg. I had a hen with this issue and I brought inside and ran a warm bath that was deep enough to cover her belly and they say it relaxes the muscle. My hen did lay her egg and she even liked the bath. She had a rubber egg so it was hard for to pass the egg due to it being like a water balloon.
DE is good for those but there are sprays/bath and other options to get ride of them as well. Also if one has it chances are all your chickens have it. I would go to the chicken chick website. She has lots of good ideas and information.

 

[shannon84]

OK thank you so much! She didn't pass it I just got done giving her a warm epsom salt bath. She seems more perky though! Do I need to rub vaseline around her vent on the inside or outside the vent? I'm going to put her in a large dog create again in the dark barn so hopefully she'll pass it! This is very stressful, I'm so worried.

 

[babybird2003]

I've heard of the Vaseline helping but with my hen it stressed her out really bad so I wasn't able to do it. I've also heard of sticking your vas lined finger up her vent to verify if a egg is in there. Sometimes eggs break inside of hens as well. And discharge coming from her vent?

 

[shannon84]

No her vent looks good not swollen or red, but her abdomen is rock hard? I just did the vaseline. I have her caged up now. Has to be egg bound right? She walks with a waddle and sets down alot! I'll see her tail move up and down like she's straining

 

[babybird2003]

Have you seen her poop at all?