Lethargic Hen - why?

[Year of the Rooster]

Just today I noticed that one of my Sebright hens was acting very "depressed" and not moving around much. She would sit in the corner of the run, feathers slightly poofed out, and looked like she was dozing off. I didn't allow her in the coop yesterday and the day before as there were newborn chicks. Could she need to lay? I felt around her vent and I don't feel anything hard stuck in there. Her poop is white and runny. Crop is full. Eyes clear, and no nasal discharge. I didn't see any worms in her poop either. I gave her a warm bath to see if that helped but all it did was make her smell and look clean

Right now, I locked her in the coop by herself and she is sitting in the nest box. Is there anything I can do or should I wait and see how she is in the morning?

 

[Year of the Rooster]

As of this evening she seems to be moving around more. I found two eggs in the nest which means she has layed today so she can't be egg bound.... I hope this passes. I don't want to lose her especially since I am taking her to the County Fair next week

 

[purpletree23]

She might need vitamins or just a few of her favorite treats to make her feel better. Time alone (day or 2) so she can rest and recouperate is good too. It will give you a chance to watch her and see if any other symptoms appear. Does she feel like she is loosing weight? Are her eyes clear and comb bright? Has she been wormed? Worms don't always show up in the poop.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Quote:
She did feel a little lighter than normal. Eyes and comb are normal colors. I have never wormed my chickens, but I did feed them hauled pumpkin seeds this past spring as a precaution. Could it be.. Coccidiosis?

 

[threehorses]

How old is the bird again? And what is her diet?

By the way, pumkpin seeds a year ago will not prevent worms. Pumpkin seeds a week ago might not prevent worms, either. Generally it's a good idea to worm at least annually (I do it twice annually), and then use natural stuff inbetween. Cayenne and DE (only food grade - never garden or pool grade) are some options for that, and some people love VermX inbetween wormings. (They don't claim to treat infestations of worms - note.)

If you could answer the questions in the second sticky of the forum (but answer them here into this thread), that will give us a better idea of the flock history - including her diet, particularly if she's laying age. We also really need to know if she gets granite grit, any oyster shell, etc. Everything you can possibly thing of.

Answering without more information would be doing you a disservice so the more information you can provide, the better we can serve you.

I'm sorry she's sick - I dearly hope we can help and I look forward to your reply.

 

[geebs]

Is there any juveniles in her pen??? Do general bird inspection and let us know...

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Threehorses, I guess I worded that wrong. I gave them pumpkin seeds THIS spring.

She is about 10 1/2 months old. She was laying yesterday but I haven't found an egg from her today. She is on Dumor Layer Feed. All my birds are on Dumor. They do get grit every so often, same with oyster shell (I only give it to them if I find a soft shelled egg).

She and another Sebright hen are in the same pen together along with my 3 broodies that are raising 9 chicks together. These babies just hatched on Monday/Tuesday. I was thinking they would be ok with each other as I didn't want the rooster to mess up their feathers for the fair. She is a little more active today, her crop is full, but not as full as yesterday. She seems to just want to lay around a lot. No other birds are acting this way, just her.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

I just checked on her and she's sitting in the run, kind of relaxed but her head is up and alert. The day before this happened, it rained all day. Not pouring, just a drizzle. I'm wondering if the cold and wet had anything to do with it? I'm not sure how much of a problem this is actually turning out to be. Her lack of activity concerned me, but I will keep updates.

 

[threehorses]

I'd just go ahead and offer the oyster shell all the time as often enough they can have a shell-less egg, and because sometimes soft shelled eggs don't pass - they get stuck. It's a good insurance policy.

You know, I'm hearing of a lot of cases of hens just getting funky after a rain - quite a few people with some drastic weather changes including rain, and then their hens are sick. There definitely is a relationship, but whether or not it's because of the weather primarily - or more likely because something was already going on and the changes just didn't help - who knows which case?

How is her weight then - if you feel her. Is she in show condition - nice keel going on? Or do you find her to be a bit light?

And I'd definitely offer the oyster shell today, and would be about half tempted to give her the crushed portion (tiny) of a Tums tablet OR some yogurt at least. That I would do. That way at least if it's going to be digestive, you're getting a head start on it. If it's D3 or calcium, she'll get a boost. I'd do that at least daily until more symptoms present, and watch her egg laying.

Poor little girl.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

well fair or no fair she could use some wet mash probiotic with Vit E and Vit B complex

ADDED NOTE
if they have not been wormed maybe buy some wazine and wom them also for round worms

then this treatment after worming them

MAY I SUGGEST THIS TREATMENT

well maybe do this for all the birds at once
I would start with the Vit E and Vit B complex with wet mash

A)
chickens do get some upset in the gut with E.coli and then it goes toa nervous disorder
natural probiotic wet mash with Vit E and Vit B complex added immediately
basically the chicken has some nerve damage from the E.coli do this immediately
need neurolodigal vit E and Vit B complex for E.coli and the nervous disorder Also the apple cider vineager in water

(1) 2 tbsp per gallon of water till chickens are well and then 2 times a week for life
for one chicken use 1 tbsp of ACV
1 pint of water

(2 immediately give the chicken 1000 mg capsule of liquid Vit E by cutting the end of the capsule and taking the vit E liquid and mix in wet mash probiotic

(2-B) total amt of capsules equals the total amt of chickens fed vit's multiply amt of recipe times amt of chickens fed it and the amt of vit's times amt of chickens given them

(3 also need to crush a vit B complex pill in tabsp and add tsp of water to it
put it in the chickens wet mash after it is disolved

(3-C) then give this to the chickens twice a week for two weeks should see much improvement

(4 Do both Vit's twice today then for 7 days till you see some improvement in the chicken

(5 today I would see if the chicken will eat a wet mash with the Vitamins E and B complex
JUST MAKE 1/2 OF THE WET MASH GIVEN HERE FIRST TIME WITH THE VIT'S

(-B) THIS IS FOR ONE CHICKEN
natural probiotic wet mash
2 tbp of dry crumbles
3 tbp of milk sweet, sour or buttermilk
1 tbsp of non flavored yogurt
2 tbsp of apple sauce
put it on top so the chicken can smell and see it
mix good and put the
vit E liquid as directed in the wet mash
and crumble the Vit B complex tablet in a tabsp and add to the wet mash
**BESURE AND MIX VIT'S VERY GOOD IN WET MASH***

(6 Do this twice a day for 7 days to see if the chicken is better
then do this once a day for another week then once a week for a while
this should give the nervous system some stability and cure the bad E.coli in the gut

(6-A) they should clean it up in 20-30 minutes

(7 you can email by PM for more information and include this info so I remember what
also if you go to the top of your PC you will see the first line and that is the URL for your post
just copy it and email it back to me so I can read it for a update



this will help them get good gut flora
also put 2 tbsp of ACV in gallon of water and keep giving them this water for a week straight
then give it 3-5 times a week for life

this will get them ready for the fair

any questions email me