hen spitting up fluid

[hennotrooster]

I have a 3 year old hen (Floppy) that is bottom of the pecking order and the others have not been allowing her to eat. The hens are fed lay pellets and lots of veggies, organic breads with lots of seeds and grains. They have done this to her in the past. I would take her and get her fattened back up and looking beautiful then she would want back in with the others and it would start all over again. I would take her aside and feed her alone or she would not be allowed to feed. Floppy is light as a feather and her eyes are not bright. We separated her from the flock but she would not eat for my husband, tonight I took her a bowl of uncooked oatmeal, carrot, tomato, cucumber, and a bit of a mashed up vitamin and flax seed. This is what concerns me. She ate while I sat there with her but I noticed that a couple of times when she bent to feed fluid came out of her mouth. Please give me suggestions on how I can nurse her back to health.

 

[Pork Pie]

I really don't know, but personally i would give her the pellets only and put vitamin supplements / electrolytes in her water.
If she is at the bottom of the pecking order, removing her repeatedly (i totally understand why you have done this) only reinforces her status in the flock.

If you know who the main bullying culprits are, you may wish to consider isolating them from the flock for a couple of weeks and see how she manages with the remaining flock. By the time the bullies are re-introduced to the flock, their status should have fallen so they may not be so hell bent on bullying her again. Just a thought.

I'm sure other more experienced members will have further suggestions, but if not i guess you will have to decide whether to keep her. It must be a miserable quality of life for her.

Good luck

CT

 

[hennotrooster]

Thank you, I didn't think about the electrolytes, will supplement that for her. We have separated the bullies and they do not for some reason lose status they come back as if they never left. This flock as dropped down to 1 roo and the three hens thanks to neighbors dogs but she remains bottom. Floppy was always a very mild mannered hen she likes to be picked up and will come when called (little bit of dog in her). Im going to the feed store to get her some liquid vitamins today. Cooking her some oatmeal for breakfast, only because she will not eat, but I will add some pellets to it. Again thank you and have a wonderful day.

 

[Pork Pie]

You are very welcome! One rooster to 3 hens is not an ideal ratio. Maybe if you get a few more chickens (to replace the ones eaten by Fido) it may elevate your lowest ranking hen and solve the problem of her being constantly picked on? Its always great to have a solid rationale for getting more chickens rather than the perpetual problem of "chicken maths"!

 

[hennotrooster]

I'm sorry, he had a harem of 16 hens, he is confined to his yard with the other two bullies. We are down to ten hens 7 on one side and 3 in his yard. He was allowed to wander back and forth as the gates to each yard were kept open, our chickens are allowed to roam all three acres. She seems better today but she still drips fluid.