lethargic 4 yr old sex-a-link hen

[Chicken Love]

I have this 4 yr old sex a link hen (at least 4 yrs, could be a year or 2 older, she was laying when I got her) who is seemingly unable to stand. She won't eat or drink, even when food/water is right under her nose, yet seems alert, bright-eyed, and not in pain. This particular bird has gone thru some kind of illness the last 2 times she was mounted by our roo; I isolated her both times and she recovered just fine, though if she survives this, I won't put her anywhere near a roo again. She hasn't laid in well over 1 year. Is she just old? None of my other birds are displaying any symptoms other being generally uncomfortable with their first moult. (The rest of my flock are EE's going thru their 1st moult, other than 1 other "old lady", sister to this one sick hen; sister is fine.)

 

[mbfarms]

I got three young pullets from a friend and they all successively had a similar lethargy with no other symptoms. The first two were taken by predators, so sad. In the intervening time I had done a bunch of reading here and talked to other friends so when the third presented with the same symptoms, I treated her with a wormer and by the next day she was noticably improved.

I'm realizing that there are so many things that can go wrong with chickens. But wormer is cheap and easy and in my case really seemed to help.

 

[Chicken Love]

OK... anyone else??