My hen is dying

[BastyPutt]

How deep is the water for a good soaking ? I clean their feet and check for leg mites and bumble foot every few weeks. But never soaked beyond the feet

You basically just submerge them to the base of their neck - we use a 5 gallon bucket.

The Epsom baths are great, but in a case like this with a chicken that is probably really physically weak, it may not be the best idea. Especially if they have never had one. If you did do it, you'd want to use a hair dryer and make sure to dry them out so they don't exert too much energy or get chilled.

 

[lovemybuffy]

How deep is the water for a good soaking ? I clean their feet and check for leg mites and bumble foot every few weeks. But never soaked beyond the feet

You basically just submerge them to the base of their neck - we use a 5 gallon bucket.

The Epsom baths are great, but in a case like this with a chicken that is probably really physically weak, it may not be the best idea. Especially if they have never had one. If you did do it, you'd want to use a hair dryer and make sure to dry them out so they don't exert too much energy or get chilled.

Gotcha…. Thanks.

 

[gotta_start_somewhere]

Depends.
Giving the spa treatment of a soak can be helpful for certain things, but if a chicken is lethargic or stressed, then soaking could push them over the edge.

Good to know

 

[nuthatched]

Yes whole dried mixed in with cracked corn. They don’t eat a lot of it. I put one ice cream bucket in their feeder and it lasts 2-3 weeks. They mostly eat the mash. They get treats once a week and they free range from 2:00 to near sunset at about 8:00. This time of year it stays fairly light until 9:00. And I am outside with them for most of their free range time keeping an eye on them.

Nix the corn, but the other treats sound appropriate.

 

[BrownBetty]

Hi all. I have a 3 year old Welsummer hen who appears to be starving herself to death. Her crop is empty, she won’t eat, not even sunflower kernels which is her favorite snack. She won’t drink. She is weak and lethargic. She closes her eyes a lot, and her comb is bent over where it practically covers her left eye. I think she is starving herself to death. I can feel her breast bone, no thickness. And there is not much meat on her legs. Anyone have any idea why or what this is happening ??

Hello, fellow chicken friend. Did your sweet Welsummer improve? I have a hen who's acting the same way, and I'm wondering if this will be her last day.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello, fellow chicken friend. Did your sweet Welsummer improve? I have a hen who's acting the same way, and I'm wondering if this will be her last day.

Welcome To BYC @BrownBetty if you can start a thread of your own describing symptoms, age, feed and include photos, you will likely get more responses/suggestions.

 

[Galaxy_rules]

Hi all. I have a 3 year old Welsummer hen who appears to be starving herself to death. Her crop is empty, she won’t eat, not even sunflower kernels which is her favorite snack. She won’t drink. She is weak and lethargic. She closes her eyes a lot, and her comb is bent over where it practically covers her left eye. I think she is starving herself to death. I can feel her breast bone, no thickness. And there is not much meat on her legs. Anyone have any idea why or what this is happening ??

If you can afford it maybe take her to the vet?

 

[lovemybuffy]

Hi all. I have a 3 year old Welsummer hen who appears to be starving herself to death. Her crop is empty, she won’t eat, not even sunflower kernels which is her favorite snack. She won’t drink. She is weak and lethargic. She closes her eyes a lot, and her comb is bent over where it practically covers her left eye. I think she is starving herself to death. I can feel her breast bone, no thickness. And there is not much meat on her legs. Anyone have any idea why or what this is happening ??

Hello all! Thank you so much for the many pieces of advice ! My girl has recovered beautifully. I discovered she had water belly. I found a video on how to treat it, followed the instructions of the procedure to removing the fluid, and within a week she was back to normal. Since water belly can be, and usually is , a permanent condition, I check her every week by feel and so far she has not had an issue. The stress of the illness did cause her tail feathers to come out except for one. That is gone now too and she looks like a little Guinea Hen running around.

 

[LaFleche]

Thank you for updating us @lovemybuffy , I am glad your hen is much better now.