Hen sick, help me diagnose pls?

[marlene]

I have a 2 1/2 year old production red hen that is not acting right since this morning.
She has layed an egg almost every day since i got her at 23 weeks old, but she has not layed an egg for the last 4/5 days.
She appeared ok up until this morning when i went to let all the chooks out, she did not come out of the coop and was roosting on the ladder puffed out. I had to rush off to college so did not get a chance to watch her, i have since returned and found her outside with the others and seeming ok.
Still no egg from her today. What should i be checking for? i know there is a possibility that she might be egg bound as she has not layed for quite a few days, so how do i know if that is the problem and what else can i check her for?

 

[henryholub]

I have a sick hen right now, and the best information I've gathered on her has been by separating her and watching her intake and output. I took my wire dog crate and evicted my dogs for a few days.

 

[marlene]

Anyone else with any help pls ?

 

[klmclain1]

Start with the basics - keep in mind egg production can be slowed or halted due to stress/illness. Go through the basics:

First, separate her from the flock.

Then check her over thoroughly for lice/mites. Look especially around he vent area. Look for little (tiny) eggs attached to the base of each feather.

Have you wormed her lately? If so, when and with what? Keep an eye on her and see if she continues to not lay, and starts showing more signs of being lethargic, watch to see if her comb to see if it becomes less red...anything that might indicate she has parasites - they will make her anemic.

Is she squatting alot? Like she's trying to push but nothing is coming out? Feel her abdomen close to her vent...is there something hard like an egg? If so, you'll want to give her a warm soak, lube up her vent with olive oil, and massage her abdomen from front to back very gently to see if she can pass the egg.

Report back!