Hen not eating and losing weight...

[NewChickbreeder]

hey guys..I have an old game cross pullet about 5 months old which i got about a month ago.In the beginning she used to do fine eat and drink and scratch around.But a couple of weeks ago she used to eat well but was loosing some weight.But yesterday she was not eating properly and her weight is at the very end.I thought maybe it was worms so i gave her zentil syrup (albendazole) and in the morning she was in very bad stage.Was not eating puffed up.The problem is that she has a normal poop no sign of any disease no respiratory problem.I gave her scrambled egg today along with some vitamin c solution.I have a rooster who is always trying to mount her.And she struggles very badly to get him off.I think maybe this is because of the stress.Kindle help me out.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sorry you face this.

Separate your rooster or your ill hen in sight of the flock... they have been known to mate a hen to death. Is this an actual rooster or a cockerel? How many other ladies are available for him?

It's NEVER ideal to worm an already ill bird, UNLESS you KNOW that is the issue... it's a poison that is taxing on their system.. and without a fecal float you might be treating something you don't have or not treating what you do.

The puffed up and off food could be an indication of coccidiosis. Not all will present with bloody or abnormal stools as not every bird will show every symptom.

Please add you general location to your profile as it will help others to make more relevant suggestions. Some meds and such aren't available or are different.

Have you already checked her crop for fullness, hard, squishy, or empty? Any smell coming from the mouth?

What is you feed on a regular basis, including supplements and treats? Has she laid any eggs yet, if so when was the last?

Hope she feels better soon!

 

[NewChickbreeder]

Sorry you face this.

Separate your rooster or your ill hen in sight of the flock... they have been known to mate a hen to death. Is this an actual rooster or a cockerel? How many other ladies are available for him?

It's NEVER ideal to worm an already ill bird, UNLESS you KNOW that is the issue... it's a poison that is taxing on their system.. and without a fecal float you might be treating something you don't have or not treating what you do.

The puffed up and off food could be an indication of coccidiosis. Not all will present with bloody or abnormal stools as not every bird will show every symptom.

Please add you general location to your profile as it will help others to make more relevant suggestions. Some meds and such aren't available or are different.

Have you already checked her crop for fullness, hard, squishy, or empty? Any smell coming from the mouth?

What is you feed on a regular basis, including supplements and treats? Has she laid any eggs yet, if so when was the last?

Hope she feels better soon!

am in pakistan.The weather here is a bit cold where i live its currently 9 degrees out and it reaches 2 degrees midnight.I seperated her today and placed her under a lamp.Her mouth is not smelly at all.I fed her forcefully some scrambled egg some vitamin.Her crop was almost full at the time i checked her.She is not laying yet.I have been giving her high protein feed and nothing special as treats.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

OK, don't force feed her any more... she might have a blocked crop or gizzard. She won't starve... but hydration is key.

Is the high protein feed formulated for poultry? Sorry for asking, but I try to assume nothing.

Coccidiosis wouldn't be standard in cold weather... but it is possible if they had gotten droppings in the water.

I would not feed anymore and check the crop again in the morning. I probably would leave water available. Some of our really good advisers might be busy with their Christmas activities but I will go ahead and tag them so they will glance at your thread when they do log on... @Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @rebrascora @ChickenCanoe, thanks for your thoughts, time and energy helping this community!

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your pullet. Albendazole is a very good and safe wormer to use. It sounds like she may have something going on in her intestines or reproductive system. Has she started getting a red comb yet or is it pale or dark? Is your temperature in celsius there? If so that would be 32-48 degrees in farenheit. Chickens need to be kept warm when they are sick, so the heat lamp is good, but do not overheat.

I would mix some chicken feed and a lot of water and hold some up to her beak often. Do you have chicken grower feed available there in Pakistan? It is good that she is eating some egg. Check her crop early morning to make sure that it is emptying overnight.

She sounds very weak and and if you can get amprollium or sulfa antibiotic to treat her for possible coccidiosis, a protozoan intestinal infection, that might help. Sometimes it is hard to know the reason a young pullet is not thriving. Let us know how her condition gets along. Good luck.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry about your pullet. Albendazole is a very good and safe wormer to use. It sounds like she may have something going on in her intestines or reproductive system. Has she started getting a red comb yet or is it pale or dark? Is your temperature in celsius there? If so that would be 32-48 degrees in farenheit. Chickens need to be kept warm when they are sick, so the heat lamp is good, but do not overheat.

I would mix some chicken feed and a lot of water and hold some up to her beak often. Do you have chicken grower feed available there in Pakistan? It is good that she is eating some egg. Check her crop early morning to make sure that it is emptying overnight.

She sounds very weak and and if you can get amprollium or sulfa antibiotic to treat her for possible coccidiosis, a protozoan intestinal infection, that might help. Sometimes it is hard to know the reason a young pullet is not thriving. Let us know how her condition gets along. Good luck.

X2

 

[rebrascora]

My gut feeling is that she may have Marek's Disease. She is at a very vulnerable age for it and the stress of the male repeatedly mating her is one of the common triggers. The disease causes muscle wastage (weight loss) even when they are eating well and producing normal looking droppings, although that will likely change and go green and runny now that she has lost her appetite. She is also relatively new to your flock which is another circumstance that would make Marek's more likely. The best that you can do is offer a vitamin supplement but usually, once they lose interest in food it is a steady decline and I believe signifies that they have internal tumours developing.
If the worst happens, would you feel able to open her up and look at her internal organs for tumours? If so, and you are able to take photos of her organs, we would be happy to look at them and help you figure out what the problem may have been. It is surprising how often the cause can be established even without medical training or testing.

 

[NewChickbreeder]

My gut feeling is that she may have Marek's Disease. She is at a very vulnerable age for it and the stress of the male repeatedly mating her is one of the common triggers. The disease causes muscle wastage (weight loss) even when they are eating well and producing normal looking droppings, although that will likely change and go green and runny now that she has lost her appetite. She is also relatively new to your flock which is another circumstance that would make Marek's more likely. The best that you can do is offer a vitamin supplement but usually, once they lose interest in food it is a steady decline and I believe signifies that they have internal tumours developing.
If the worst happens, would you feel able to open her up and look at her internal organs for tumours? If so, and you are able to take photos of her organs, we would be happy to look at them and help you figure out what the problem may have been. It is surprising how often the cause can be established even without medical training or testing.

now today morning she started eating and still is looking weak but much better than yesterday.Her poop was runny and thick cream colored and afterwards she pooped light greenish.Now its 7:00 pm and she is drinking and eating much better.I also gave her scrambled egg in the evening.And i butchered the rooster today as he again tried to mount the pullet when i took her out with the rest of the flock.It seems that she is recovering.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

now today morning she started eating and still is looking weak but much better than yesterday.Her poop was runny and thick cream colored and afterwards she pooped light greenish.Now its 7:00 pm and she is drinking and eating much better.I also gave her scrambled egg in the evening.And i butchered the rooster today as he again tried to mount the pullet when i took her out with the rest of the flock.It seems that she is recovering.

That is a completely normal behavior for a cockerel.

Good for you for having the guts and skill to manage your flock dynamics as you see fit!

Glad she appears to be improving.

 

[NewChickbreeder]

That is a completely normal behavior for a cockerel.

Good for you for having the guts and skill to manage your flock dynamics as you see fit!

Glad she appears to be improving.

well i haven't butchered him for this sole reason but for other reasons too.I have 2 roosters so letting one of them BarBQued isn't a bad decision.