Hen not well

[3 sisters farm]

I have a red sex link hen that hasn't been herself for about 1 1/2 days....I did move her from another pen as she was outgowing her roomates which were much younger. I built a new pen and all the birds were mine but in different pens then I added this one. I did have to struggle to chase/catch her Wed night. She seemed fine Thurs, Friday quieter than normal....but she is the smallest in this pen and was the next to largest in previous pen. She is in with her best friend as everyone but one got to keep a friend. Tail is down feather fluffed, head to right she look when sitting that he head is back and tilted to right of normal. Crop is NOT large...if impacted very small impaction, I certainly don't feel an egg....but she is about 24 weeks. No one has given me an egg since the pen change... I had had a soft shell the day before pen change likely from her friend (but possibly her). Her comb and whattles are beautiful red, she is warm not cold, but not feverish, will drink but not really eat. She does seem a bit thin....roo did pick her twice....but now good to her. I did put her in my garage for tonight....any suggestions.

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

I have an Ameraucana that did the same thing when intro'd to new cage. Watch for wing droop. If you can keep her isolated for a couple days, give her a dose of Sulmet (available at feed stores. 1 small bottle cap full per half gallon water) in her water. Let her eat to get strength and then try to re-intro her to the cage. They do get depressed and can be intimidated enough to stop eating and be affraid. As for the not laying, they will stop laying for a number of reasons, one being a mix up of pecking order and surroundings. Also it is getting to be that time of year when the hens naturally will slow down.

 

[sammi]

please give some more detail of symptoms..
what all do you feed?

her head is tilted?
is she walking normally? or does she seem drunk?
is her neck crooked?
does she have any peck marks?
is she thin?
is she wheezing?
is she panting, or breathing with open beak?

describe the droppings...color and consistency
any drainage from vent?

in case she's egg bound..
try making up a mix of layer feed, water cooked oatmeal, yogurt, cooked egg yolk.
make crumbly, not soupy..
crush up 1/2 TUMS into it the first feed...ASAP

put electrolytes in water..if you don't have commercial mix..diluted Pedialyte will do..

try putting her in a dim warm place on a heated towel..(microwave works well..not too hot!)
if she's egg bound, it might help her relax.

some people set the hen in a sink of warm water.

then give the mix 3 times a day for 3 days..

there is a liquid calcium you can get at a pharmacy..
sorry..can't remember the name of it..might work better than TUMS..

 

[3 sisters farm]

She is fed Purina Layer Pellets, occassional yogurt, fruits some greens....recently would have had more grass as I had decided that my pens/coops would be crowded so I took some from different coops and built a new one...so new grass. I have only had chickens since about may...but have not had crop problems...unless she does. I have examined closely...possible but if so early and mild. She is still strong and can walk/run when given a reason. She carries he head way back and slightly to her right...makes her look like she has a big poof on her left chest...this poof disapears visually when neck in aline. No discomfort from her neck....she did get a good peck from the roo, but no real marks...only one small feather of hers in pen...he lost a few. She does seem tender on her lower abd, but no mass. I did not see any abnormal poops.

 

[dlhunicorn]

In addition to sammis excellent suggestion (cook that oatmeal by the way in water and add just enough to make all the feed clump together) which will help just in case an egg is stuck somewhere (you dont always feel it)
I would give her three drops of POLYVISOL Enfamil in beak once a day for a week.

 

[3 sisters farm]

I had actually started vitamins yesterday. This morning she is standing able to walk, but carries her head 90 degrees pointing to the right and the left side of her neck is higher than her head....the oddest thing. Now this is definately her neck, she will let me do a good exam....If I pull her neck around, I can make her look normal....I am thinking impacted crop, egg bound or broken egg inside. When I moved her I had to catch her as she got away from me. It is totally out of her character to allow someone to touch her, but I have notice each of my pullets as they started to lay became friendlier and allowed more handling. She has not laid an egg yet or may have laid a soft shell (had 3 girls that might have in that coop/run) other were too young. I'm going to make the mash right now....poor kids will be stuck with oatmeal for breakfast! Biggest problem is I can't get her to eat. I have also tried the olive oil, but inspite of everything, I don't find anything swollen, she is just definately thiner than she was Wed night when I moved her.

 

[dlhunicorn]

put a couple wriggly mealworms (the farmed ones you buy at bait shops not from outdoors in the yard) on top of her feed... with crook neck they often lose control and it is hard for them... make a "circle" with your thumb and finger around her neck and gently guide/coax it to so she looks down at the feed and help support it in this way (but allow her to peck and eat it... (be patient)
When this doesnt work, you can try making the oatmeal a bit thicker (be sure to add the avia charge to the feed too if you have it ) and make little pellets of it... put that in beak and gentlyly stroke underneath her beak along neck to initiate the swallowing)... see if that helps.

 

[3 sisters farm]

She still is not doing well. I have a bulb syringe and have forced her some olive oil and water and gotten about 1/2 tsp of feed in her all day. She still has her head way back and twisted to the right, but can straighten. She has the strength to fight real hard...I have the scratches to prove it. She will only walk slowly, but can fly....to avoid getting forced fed. Poops dark green with some white but are formed, some urine too, clear urine, uric acid and formed dark green stool. Her cluck is off. No respiratory distress, no panting, but comb is lighter and drier than normal,

 

[dlhunicorn]

hydration is crucial... you must be vigilent she gets enough fluids. (I doubt that oil is going to do anything useful) Put electrolytes in the waterer!

 

[3 sisters farm]

Yes I have vitamins and electrolytes. I can get her to drink some, got 1/2 an egg yolk, with olive oil, oats and some yogurt down her....she has real good strength, She just seems uncomfortable....she is spending the night in the kitchen as it is very wet outside....even my covered porch is wet! She does not have diarhea fortunately. She will walk around following one of the cats some when she feels better.