Injured Hen not getting better

[MyraE]

My barred rock hen Bebe got beat up on by the other girls when we had a really nasty cold snap. They ripped out a lot of feathers on her back and kept her from coming into the coop. I brought her in the house and have been giving her food and water (with apple cider vinegar in it), but she's not really interested in eating or drinking. I've cleaned up her back and made sure there weren't any puncture wounds. She's not wheezing or anything like that. She's just sleeping all the time. I'm concerned that she'll get dehydrated and weak from not eating. What can I do?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You might try feeding a scrambled egg to see if that tempts her into eating.

 

[K-12 Chickens]

I've found that scrambled eggs, yogurt, bread, etc can encourage a chicken to start eating and drinking.

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Try mixing some vitamins in her drinking water if she is refusing to eat. Good luck!

 

[MyraE]

She has refused everything in favor of sleeping earlier this morning and then again tonight. I syringe fed and watered her because I know she didn't eat or drink anything while I was at work today. I was able to get some food into her and then she just sat down and went to sleep. She's just perched on the basket and sleeping right now. I was told giving her apple cider vinegar in her water would supply the vitamins she might be deficient in. Is there something else at the feed stores that have more vitamins?

 

[missnu01]

They make actual powdered vitamins that you add to the water and/or sprinkle on the food. They sale some in little single use packets that I would say are the most convenient. I bought a small tub, and I will have it forever, and wish I had just gotten the single use packets.

 

[MyraE]

Ok I work at a ranch and home supply store and checked some stuff today but it seems like all we have are electrolytes and wormers. I have to check the other two feed stores in town tomorrow morning if she's still going.

 

[missnu01]

But you can't see anything wrong with her? No injuries? How is her coloring, and her eyes? How old is she?

 

[MyraE]

I checked her over for injuries when I brought her in and other than there being a couple of smooth scabs (which I checked to see if they were infected. They aren't.) she is just missing feathers. Her coloring has actually improved even though she's not eating or drinking on her own. She'll be two on March 6th. She doesn't have any weird smell or discharge from her eyes or beak. She just seems to be fading. I was told that chickens usually don't fight hard to survive. It doesn't really seem like she's fighting but given how lethargic she's been I figured she would have passed away by now. Right now she's got enough umph to perch and balance herself on the edge of the basket but if she's on flat ground she sprawls out sideways and won't get up.

 

[missnu01]

I guess try the vitamins and just keep taking good care of her. Ugh, chickens are hard if you like chickens.