Hen segregating herself from flock?

[4theloveofhens]

Hey everyone - I have a question regarding one of my girls is acting weird (my red star, Fauna). She often segregates herself from the others and will just stand in a corner or under a bush like she's incredibly depressed. She looks fine, eats just fine, still forages, but she doesn't mind being by herself and doesn't seem to eager to be part of the flock. This has been going on now for a month or more. Any ideas? Not sure if she is slowly dying or?? She'll snap out of it and then be totally normal. But see pic below - she is puffed up a little weird towards her neck???? Anyway, her along with my other two, also haven't laid in almost a year but the other two don't have any other weird behaviors like she does.

Thank you so much for any help!!

Mak

 

[Haunted55]

Are these girls all of the birds you have? How old are they? Have they ever been wormed? Have you checked them for mites and lice? Any info you can give about their normal care will help paint the picture of their lives for the rest of us and maybe even point out the problem.

Beautiful girls by the way!

 

[4theloveofhens]

Hi haunted,

They are about 3 years old and they are the only birds we have. I have never wormed my chickens, and I haven't seen any lice. I was going to by that white powdery stuff (the name has slipped my mind) to spread on the coop that naturally kills mites etc? I used it when they were up in college with me... I do notice that the girls don't seem to dust bath at all since they've been here with my parents- when they were in college with me they would all the time. And we have a whole arena of sand and dirt at their current home! Not sure I that is related....

Thank you by the way

 

[Haunted55]

Ain't no thing. If it were me, I would worm them with Safeguard. It can't hurt them and it may do the trick. Was it Sevin Dust? That's what I use for mine. And yes, I do think that is something related. Chickens not dusting? The not laying doesn't seem right either. Even at this age they should still be laying every once in a while to every third day.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/419463/if-they-have-worms-what-is-the-treatment Post # 10. I trust Dawg53's medicine and dosage information, completely. I would start with this.

One other question...did these hens ever have a 'cold'?

 

[Jordi15]

Diatomaceous earth? And I agree they should be dust bathing... Its a daily thing with my chickens I'm not too sure about the no laying we don't keep our chickens passed 2 years...I just wormed mine with the same stuff cuz they were acting funny. Different symptoms tho...

 

[4theloveofhens]

Yes, DE!! Thank you! I think that is what I was thinking of...

 

[4theloveofhens]

Ain't no thing. If it were me, I would worm them with Safeguard. It can't hurt them and it may do the trick. Was it Sevin Dust? That's what I use for mine. And yes, I do think that is something related. Chickens not dusting? The not laying doesn't seem right either. Even at this age they should still be laying every once in a while to every third day.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/419463/if-they-have-worms-what-is-the-treatment Post # 10. I trust Dawg53's medicine and dosage information, completely. I would start with this.

One other question...did these hens ever have a 'cold'?

I don't think they ever have had a cold. HOWEVER, we have had one hen with a pasty butt and now I noticed my other hen (the one that is segregating herself from others) has a pasty butt too. I was planning on giving them some yogurt and, along with deworming, see if that helps since I'm sure the not laying, pasty butts, and segregation are all related.

I am getting stuck on the dewormer. I have a couple left over boxes of Equine Dewormer Ivermectin 1.87% (anthelmintic and boticide). Can i use a "pea size" amount of this dewormer? I hate to go out and buy a whole new box of equine dewormer when I have two perfectly new ones, but I also worry about killing them if I don't use Safegaurd. What is your recommendation?

 

[Haunted55]

I don't think they ever have had a cold. HOWEVER, we have had one hen with a pasty butt and now I noticed my other hen (the one that is segregating herself from others) has a pasty butt too. I was planning on giving them some yogurt and, along with deworming, see if that helps since I'm sure the not laying, pasty butts, and segregation are all related.

I am getting stuck on the dewormer. I have a couple left over boxes of Equine Dewormer Ivermectin 1.87% (anthelmintic and boticide). Can i use a "pea size" amount of this dewormer? I hate to go out and buy a whole new box of equine dewormer when I have two perfectly new ones, but I also worry about killing them if I don't use Safegaurd. What is your recommendation?

Again a quote from Dawg53...

"You saw a large roundworm in the chicken poop. Humans and dogs cannot get chicken worms. I highly recommend that you purchase Safeguard liquid goat wormer or Valbazen cattle/sheep wormer and dose your chickens 1/2cc orally undiluted with one or the other wormer. Then redose them again in 10 days.
Organics will not treat worm infestations. Verm-X is useless as a wormer and ivermectin has lost its effectiveness as a wormer in chickens due to its overuse as a miteacide in chickens.
Flubenvet is a good wormer if you can get ahold of it."

I can't make this choice for you. I know what it's like to have the wrong thing and need something else, but the Safeguard is what I use here. The Ivermectin is something I have never tried so can't advise with my own experiences.

 

[4theloveofhens]

Again a quote from Dawg53...
"You saw a large roundworm in the chicken poop. Humans and dogs cannot get chicken worms. I highly recommend that you purchase Safeguard liquid goat wormer or Valbazen cattle/sheep wormer and dose your chickens 1/2cc orally undiluted with one or the other wormer. Then redose them again in 10 days.
Organics will not treat worm infestations. Verm-X is useless as a wormer and ivermectin has lost its effectiveness as a wormer in chickens due to its overuse as a miteacide in chickens.
Flubenvet is a good wormer if you can get ahold of it."

I can't make this choice for you. I know what it's like to have the wrong thing and need something else, but the Safeguard is what I use here. The Ivermectin is something I have never tried so can't advise with my own experiences.

Thanks haunted! I did end up purchasing safeguard and have them each a pea size amount mixed with yogurt and berries just now. I hope this gets them laying, getting rid of their pasty butts, and cures all! I did also purchase DE to use. Feels good to hopefully get my girls back on track! Thanks again!

 

[Haunted55]

The DE will work as a preventative, like in a dusting box but if they are infested with mites or lice now...not so much or it will take so long as to be almost useless. If you have found anything on them that looks like mites and such, use a Sevin dust and get them gone, then use the DE in a dusting box and you shouldn't have the problem again. Regular wood ash works as well. I use both in mine.