- Apr 23, 2012
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I have a 2 year old, red sex link hen (Stripey) who has been lethargic for 6 days. I think she was stressed from the heat. It has been in the 90s here, though it hasn't been as hot as earlier in the summer. Her comb was very pale, and she was spending nearly the whole day sitting/sleeping under a little bush or in another shady spot. She would eat and drink some (especially treats like mealworms and yogurt), but not much. Her abdomen is soft. She has had a change in poo. It has been dark green and yellowish, white. I don't know the last time she has laid. She hasn't been up in the hen house for several days. There are 4 others in the flock, same age and breed, and they are fine. Another hen in the flock died 2 months ago from ovarian cancer/yolk toxicity. Her necropsy showed that beyond the cancer, she was in good condition, no worms or anything.
I took Stripey to the vet yesterday. While we were there, her condition seemed to improve some. She ate and drank a little, not much, and she was still very calm. But her comb got more red. She was alert, and she was speaking a little. The vet didn't have much to say. We are running a fecal test for worms (I don't think this is the problem). But beyond that she suggested it could be heat stress, a virus, or organ disease.
Yesterday, I moved her into the basement mud room, where it is cool. This morning she did drink quite a bit. She hasn't eaten very much, but when I offered her a cooked egg yolk, she scarfed it down. I let her out with the other chickens while it was still cool, but she just went back to sitting under her bush. Her comb is not as pale as it was when she was in the heat, but it still isn't red like normal. She is also very sleepy still. I have offered her water, chicken food, yogurt, chard, watermelon and egg yolk. I have read that the dark green poo can be a signal that she isn't eating much.
Do you have any suggestions for what might be going on with her? Also, I'd appreciate advice for what else I could do for her.
Thanks.
I took Stripey to the vet yesterday. While we were there, her condition seemed to improve some. She ate and drank a little, not much, and she was still very calm. But her comb got more red. She was alert, and she was speaking a little. The vet didn't have much to say. We are running a fecal test for worms (I don't think this is the problem). But beyond that she suggested it could be heat stress, a virus, or organ disease.
Yesterday, I moved her into the basement mud room, where it is cool. This morning she did drink quite a bit. She hasn't eaten very much, but when I offered her a cooked egg yolk, she scarfed it down. I let her out with the other chickens while it was still cool, but she just went back to sitting under her bush. Her comb is not as pale as it was when she was in the heat, but it still isn't red like normal. She is also very sleepy still. I have offered her water, chicken food, yogurt, chard, watermelon and egg yolk. I have read that the dark green poo can be a signal that she isn't eating much.
Do you have any suggestions for what might be going on with her? Also, I'd appreciate advice for what else I could do for her.
Thanks.
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