just not thriving

[QChickieMama]

One 4yo hen of mine keeps having trouble. She's the one who mounts the other hens in her pen, so the rooster has been picking on her. She ended up with a wound on her wing so I put her in her own pen for safety. Now she roosts all day, is molting, her beak is too long, and her toenails are too long. She's pathetic. Even if I could fix her beak and nails, I'm not sure she'll integrate with any of the other pens nicely. If she's destined to just roost all day in the healing pen, should I cull her? She hasn't laid an egg since her wing injury a month ago.

 

[Mary Poopins Love]

Hmm. After you trim her nails and beak, could you give her treats and try to see if she is interested. My chickens will play football for popcorn, apples, bread, and pumpkin.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Trim her beak and nails it's not uncommon to have to do so. If her beak is too long it can interfere with her ability to eat properly. She doesn't sound pathetic? She sounds like a hen recovering from an injury then got hit with a hard molt. A hard molt can be hard on any chicken especially if their energy levels have already been going towards injury recovery. It's also not abnormal for a hard molting chicken to be somewhat lethargic especially at 4 years old. What % protein is her feed? Have you been giving her any vitamins? Cull her if you want, but she doesn't sound pathetic more so like she's had a very rough month.

 

[Mary Poopins Love]

Good point, cooked eggs, vitamin water and cooked eggs will help spunk them up sometimes.

10 Healthy, High-Protein Snacks for Molting Season​

https://www.communitychickens.com › ...

 

[QChickieMama]

I did trim her beak and nails--a first for me! She chose to sleep in the large pen with 13 others and seems to be improving. Gave her a protein-rich nut & seed mix. I think she'll pull through!

 

[Mary Poopins Love]

Horay!!!!