Lone hen sick?

LinnyP · Sep 4, 2014

Hello. We are returning to chicken keeping after 25+ years. We have 5 hens right now, and one Rooster. 3 Rhode Island Reds and 2 Barred Rocks. The Rooster is a Barred Rock. One of the RI reds has been hiding in the coop. They are 5 months old. When I picked up the lone hen, she drooled. I isolated her for one night, and she perked up. I put her back in the coop, and she's hiding again. Could the rooster be picking on her and stressing her?

TwoCrows · Sep 4, 2014

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Sorry about your hen. She sounds like she is sick and any bird will intimidate a sick hen, roosters included. If she is drooling she either has a crop issue like slow or sour crop, an impaction somewhere down lower in the gizzard or intestines, or she has some other medical condition causing her to stop moving the GI tract.

Do you know if she is pooping? What color is her comb? Could she be egg bound? You need to give this bird an over all exam from beak to vent. Look for mites or other bugs on the skin, look for any respiratory ailments like runny nose, raspy breathing, water eyes or puffy face. Check the crop. (on the right side of the birds breast) Is it soft an squishy, (and this is best checked first thing in the morning when they should be empty) or is it rock hard and full. Check her abdomen by feeling on the outside between her legs and up to her vent...is it like a water balloon or firm? Put on a latex glove and a bit of vaseline or ky-jelly on the index finger and gently insert your finger into her vent to check for a stuck egg. If there is a stuck egg, you will feel it right there within fingers length.

See if you can figure out what might be wrong with her and you can post this in our emergency section for more help...https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures

I hope you can heal up your hen soon.

Mountain Peeps · Sep 4, 2014

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Two Crows has given you excellent advice. So sorry about your bird!

You definatly need to check her all over. Her crop should be squishy or hard in the evening and empty in the morning. Her comb and wattles should be bright, red and glossy. Her vent should be clean and moist. Her feathers glossy and preened. Her eyes clean, bright and alert. Nostrils should also be clean. Her toes should be clean and not have any worn or swollen areas.

If she is lethargic, puffed up and not laying or eating she may be egg bound. You'll need to give her a bath and massage her behind. Then apply some coconut oil or other ointment.

You need to get her to drink no matter what she has. If she has a crop problem then she shouldn't eat for at least a day.

Hope you can heal her! Good luck!

sourland · Sep 4, 2014

Welcome to BYC - in addition to the other suggestions, you might want to check her sides just anterior to her thighs to make sure that she has not suffered 'rooster damage' from mating.

BantamLover21 · Sep 4, 2014

Glad you joined us!

Kelsie2290 · Sep 4, 2014

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Hope your hen is OK.

drumstick diva · Sep 5, 2014

Is she one of the rooster's favorites ? He may have caused damage or worn her out by over use.

Wyandottes7 · Sep 5, 2014

Welcome to BYC! We're glad to have you.

X3 on TwoCrow's advice.

LIChickens · Sep 6, 2014

Welcome to BYC!

You will find a lot of good information. Ask a question and you will get many good answers.

Read the FAQ below.

gander007 · Sep 6, 2014

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