Hen not laying, diarrhea

[survivorchick]

I need help! My 4-year old Brahma has diarrhea (sometimes watery), a messy vent and hasn’t laid an egg in over a month. She also prefers sleeping in one of the laying boxes and not on the roost. At first, I thought it might be the layer pellets because the feed store ran out of the Bar Ale non-gmo that I normally buy. I know they all disliked the brand I brought home, because they scattered it all over the ground. Now back on Bar Ale, she still has diarrhea but my other two 4-year old hens and five 8-week old chicks are fine. She will stand or lay in a shady spot a good portion of the day. Although, when I let them out in the morning and evening to free range, she comes running out with no problem. She seems to be eating and drinking fine although I do see her drinking often. She doesn’t appear sickly, but something seams off.
I bathed her and checked her for mites etc. I’m thinking possibly a bacterial infection due to her drinking water that puddled in their run after all the rain we had this winter? Or worms, even though I haven’t visibly seen any. I called several animal hospitals, but only a couple would do a fecal test. Of course, you have to pay for a $55 exam fee first. I have one other vet I can call on Monday. I thought maybe some of the experts here my be able to help?

 

[sourland]

Have you wormed your flock or run a fecal check on them ?

 

[survivorchick]

Have you wormed your flock or run a fecal check on them ?

The vets around here won’t do a fecal test with out a $55 exam. I have not wormed them yet. What wormer do you recommend and should I worm all of them including the chicks?

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

If your hen is four years old, she may be having reproductive problems. Chickens can only lay eggs for three years, more or less and start declining.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Also, switching feed brands like that could've caused the diarrhea. Try giving her some apple cider vinegar.

 

[survivorchick]

If your hen is four years old, she may be having reproductive problems. Chickens can only lay eggs for three years, more or less and start declining.

That thought crossed my mind. Would that cause diarrhea though?

 

[survivorchick]

Also, switching feed brands like that could've caused the diarrhea. Try giving her some apple cider vinegar.

I have been putting Apple cider vinegar in their water, but I wonder if probiotics would be better?

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

I'm not really a chicken expert. Try Googling 'chicken diarrhea' and 'reproductive problems in chickens' to see. If your hen hasn't been often like she was, that could be it. Apple Cider Vinegar is supposed to help with diarrhea.