Lethargic Hen, please respond!!!

[AkMartine]

So the person who posted just before me had a rooster with the same exact symptoms my poor little Australorp hen has (not moving around, head hanging, feathers fluffed), but I wanted to say that the only change in her day was that yesterday it snowed for the first time. Normally she is the dominant chicken and she is so smart, she knows how to escape the run and eat our tomatoes, but she hasn't escaped at all today, which is very unusual.
Will she get over this on her own? Is there anything we can give her that won't break the bank? The vet here is so expensive and doesn't have much chicken experience...

 

[Nike]

Hmmm... have you wormed them before?

I would also check for mites. You can look around the vent for little bugs. Like at night time use a flash light and just peek there. Or around in her feathers for any little bugs you see. If you want some pictures, you can see some good ones on google. How are her scales? Are they raised at all?

Sorry to hear you have a sick bird! That's no fun! Hopefully you can get to the bottom of this!

 

[AkMartine]

Yeah, they're a bit raised up. Another chicken got sick this morning too, and hers a little raised as well. What can we do that isn't too expensive to get rid of the mites?

 

[Nike]

You can rub vasseline on her their legs. That will suffocate the mites. You do that for two weeks I believe because it will kill the adults first but the eggs they laid will hatch in two weeks. So that way it will get them all.

When my chickens had it I dipped their feet in vegetable oil. It got rid of them but there feathers have been dirty since spring and still are. It makes all the dirt stick to them.

First though, I would wash their feet before you put the vasseline on. Then do so every night. It's easiest to do it at night and just grab them off the roost and then put them back on. Sorry you have to go through this!
Also keep the coop nice and clean and sprinkle some DE if you have any. That will keep mites down that might be in the bedding. Good luck!

 

[Nike]

Oh I would also treat the whole flock. That way any that don't have raised scales but might carry a few, can get rid of those right away. It's a pain the in butt, I know!

But maybe you want to post pictures first so we can see if it is indeed mites.

 

[delisha]

Look all over your chickens. Do an exam. Look under the feathers the vent area and by the wings. The least expensive thing you can do is what the OT's do. Start a wood fire. Cool the coals and dust the chickens. Try hard to keep the face clear and not let them breath in the dust. I use a dish that just the body fits in. Use neem oil on roosts. Start putting ACV/M in drinking water (1 tbs per gallon). Feed fermented feeds. It should jump start the system and allow nature to absorb nutrients. It will also help with the immune system.