Hen not walking

[jwescott68]

My hen, Forest, was given to me because she had a funny beak. Once I got her home she was able to file down her beak on rocks and bricks but she has never really gotten much better. The first few day we had her I would go to pick her up and she would fall to the side. I thought she was just under nourished because she had a hard time eating. We have had her about three months now and she has been steadily getting better, unfortunately we were gone last week and had someone watching everyone and when I got home yesterday she wasn't walking and this morning she laid her first egg. I'm thinking that with her starting to lay eggs she is just not getting enough to eat.... Any thoughts???

 

[farmgirlroots]

What does she eat currently? Or try to eat anyway? What if you tried to supplement whatever she's currently got access to with some scrambled egg chopped up in really small pieces? Perhaps make a soft mash out of her pellets or crumble and see if she takes to that? If she's starting to lay she's really going to need some extra protein for her little body to keep up.

 

[laceynoelle]

Also, check to see if she feels underweight, or if she has a physical injury. Usually a hen wont lay if it's not getting enough to eat.

 

[jwescott68]

She is eating & drinking. We feed a mixture of lay crumble, poultry crumble, and scratch. When we first picked her up I added a little water to the crumble so she would be able to eat it a little easier but after her beak was able to close I just gave her the crumble in a bowl. Should I put her by her self? She is with my 2 month old chicks & duck.