My favourite hen is fading away☹

[featherhead007]

Brooding really takes a toll on a hen. Yours has had barely a break from this arduous task, and I wonder if she hadn't fully recovered her health and vigor from the last time before she went broody again.

Part of being broody is loss of appetite, so she may be just worn down and needs building back up nutritionally. You have a decision to make. Do you wish for her to finish rearing these chicks or do you want her to focus on getting strong again?

Since she isn't going to want to eat as she should to regain strength as long as she has this job to do, you may want to take the chicks away and let the other hen take over or just brood them yourself.

Then she needs to have her hormones broken by a stint in a broody cage where you can begin feeding her special high protein food and Poultry Nutri-drench to build her up. She needs to be separated visually and audibly from the chicks or it can keep the hormones going having the chicks around during this breaking process. (a few days.)

It could be something much more serious such as a reproductive issue, but I'm going for the most likely cause given her history of being a serial broody.

Very good advice!

 

[micstrachan]

I agree brooding and raising chicks has taken its toll and she has not yet recovered from the first batch. I don’t mean to sound like an alarmist, but allowing her to raise a second batch so soon could be a death sentence. If you are willing and able to tube feed her, she might be able to raise the chicks. Of course, this might also stress her out. Tough decisions you have to make here.

 

[JacquiK56]

Dear all thanks so much for your advice. I had checked her for lice and mites could see none but will look again with someone to assist. I checked her crop this morning and it was empty. She happily ate some cheese while photographed her which I could then feel in her crop. I will treat her legs just in case of scale and see if I can isolate her however concerned 're not being able to do some of the social stuff she likes dust bathing and sleeping with the chicks. The other mother hen is doing most of the hard work. I have attached some more pics. I can feed her more frequently separately within the coop. She reminds me of an old lady with severe arthritis who has difficulty walking and hence sits a lot. Just interesting that when she sits now it is more on her side. Abdo is fine. Fab responses everyone thanks so much The last pic not very good sorry but after she had a little bit of mash to eat she dropped her tail and lay down on her side..previously it was more horizontal. She is crossed with a buff so hence the yellow feathers around her neck and face.

 

[micstrachan]

When did she start laying on her side like that? To me, this changes things and I wonder if broody stress could be bringing out Marek’s symptoms.

 

[JacquiK56]

I noticed about a week or two ago I guess. She had been staggering more as well. I will treat for possible scale and try and get her to eat more high calorie and protein food in isolation and let her out to sit with the chicks and dust bathe. She is still preening herself. She does eat but not a lot and she is drinking. She was vaccinated for Mareks as a chick as I got her from a show quality breeder.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Can you post pics of her poop please?

 

[JacquiK56]

Hi poop is normal just small volume

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hi poop is normal just small volume

Thanks

 

[micstrachan]

How is your girl?

 

[JacquiK56]

She is surprisingly bright but still limited in movement and, staggering. As a last ditch effort I saw in some old posts people had tried anti inflammatory meds including prednisolone. So first dose this morning with some high protein tid bits throughout thr day. She has a small appetite, so may consider tube feeding. Will oil her legs again tomorrow and consider tube feeding but really don't want to distress her. She is very thin and I suspect won't last long, but seems happy enough sitting in a dust bowl with chicks sitting on her. Like an old granny while the other hen does the work. She doesnt get distressed now when I seperate her so she can eats protein treats without competition. I hope she dies peacefully and I don't have to cull her which will have to be as I have to take my husband to the city for a cardiac angio and wouldn't like her without TLC while I am away for a few days. So in summary not looking promising.☹ Thanks all for your concern