Henrietta needs your help

[DoodleDi]

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on our problem with Henrietta. She is about 6 years old and I believe, a Rhode Island Red. For about a month she has been limping a little (legs and feet look fine) and she squats in strange places around the yard or doesn't come out of her house at all. She started laying when warm weather started, but then stopped and hasn't layed for a couple of weeks now. Her comb color is very rich red, feathers are intact, and her eyes look clear. She is very alert and answers us when we talk to her. We tried holding her in a tub of warm water for 30 minutes in case she is egg bound, and nothing happened. Yesterday, she pooped a yellowish, slimy poo; two times, but not much of it. She doesn't have much appetite, but does drink water. There is one other hen and a roo in the yard. They all eat scratch, bread and other household leftovers, oyster shells, and whatever they find around the yard and that's been their diet from the start. Her craw feels soft. Please, can someone help? We love the little girl.

 

[spook]

Sorry to hear about a down hen, its tough on us. One thing I read somewhere is if your hen isn't eating, give her cheese as all chickens love cheese...mine do, but they will eat anything from my hands! Perhaps some warm mash would help her either by laying an egg or just nutrition. Recently I was told that a "hen while eating bread will poop white" - I dunno, mine have never had that much bread! Where as she is healthy, perhaps she ate something she is having issues passing- perhaps a vet? Good luck and hope all turns out right.

 

[Nichole77]

You didn't say they eat layer feed or flock raiser. Do you feed them any sort of actual chicken food. That could be your problem. Also if she is 6 years old she might not lay nearly as much as a younger chicken.

 

[DoodleDi]

She eats scratch feed. That's what I meant by scratch, crushed corn. She started out the season laying normally, but then quit.

 

[sBrickmanHouse]

I'm fairly new to chicken raising, but at least to my understanding, hens need not just scratch grains, but actual layer feed.

If all she's been eating is crushed corn, table scraps, and whatever she forages, could it be some type of nutrient deficiency?

 

[FLchook]

Maybe add some vitamins to the water? Just a thought. Hope she pulls through.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Quote:
That is not sufficient nutrition ... put her on a layer ration and offer oystershell freechoice. I would also give her live culture yogurt (free choice non-flavored) and if you can a good general nutritional supplement like Avia Charge 2000