My hen is not doing well. please help

[Dagwood1009]

I am very new chickens. I have 4 hens 1 I am told is about a year old and three little ones. They are about 3 to 4 months old. The little ones are fine but my big hen just fell over today. I check them every even and today. I let the old to roam to yard for the first time. As I was watching them. It started to storm so I want to put them back in their pen. The pin is 6x12 with a raised coop at one end. I place their food and water under the raised end to protect from the rain. After she fell over she would not get up. I picked her up and she felt really thin. No meat on her breast and very bony. She did not even struggle to be picked up. I watch them every evening so I have seen her eating. She looks good no missing feathers but her butt is really dirty. That is the only thing I visually see wrong. Any thoughts we be appreciated. I don't know what to try.

 

[realsis]

How long has it been since she's been wormed? That can be causing her to be thin and sickly if she has worms? Just a thought. Worms eat all the birds nutrition and could be causing her illness? That's one thing it could be. Perhaps some one else knows of another possibility? I wish you the best and hope she.gets well soon! Does she have any other symptoms? Is her breathing OK? Any mucus or coughing?

 

[Dagwood1009]

I have never wormed them. I just got them about a month ago. I have not seen any coughing or mucus. I will hit my local feed store for some worm medicine. Any suggestions on best worm medicine and I was also going to pick up some vitamins.

 

[realsis]

Vitamins will be great! Also a probotic might help. It introduces good bacteria into the gut and can actually help fight the bad bacteria. Probotics will balance her gut.its good for the whole flock too.it will clear up her butt to give the probotics. Keep a close eye on her and post any more symptoms she might have. Worming is a good start. Make sure she is eating and drinking and you might want to seperate her from the flock and bring her inside right now for constant care. Always be watching for other symptoms. Increase her protein while she's inside to try to build her strength back up. Scrambled eggs are a good thing to feed when they are not well. Make sure she gets plenty of food and water and you might consider adding a electrolyte to her water. This can also help her out. Work on building her strength back up before she rejoins the flock. If you notice any more symptoms at all please post. I really hope this helps and I wish you the best and pray she gets well! As for wormers there are so many to choose from! I use levamisole. Its a very good product in my opinion.it comes in a packet and is added to water. Dose instructions are written on the package. Good luck and God bless

 

[Dagwood1009]

Update - She is still holding her own. I picked up some wazine 17 deworming medicine today. That was all my local store had. I am heading to the tractor supply store tomorrow but it is an hour away. Hopefully they are open on the 4th. I have been giving her the medicated water with w dropper but cannot get her to eat. I am thinking of trying to mash up some feed in some yogurt to feed her. Read about it somewhere on this forum. If the tractor supply store is not open tomorrow can I use the electrolytes that they sell at Wal-Mart in bottles? Also for the probotic. Can I use the yogurts the have them in them? As for the eggs, I will try it as soon as possible. Thanks for the help and suggestions.

 

[Dagwood1009]

Also what is the best way to get her to eat? Should ì force feed her? If so, how do I open her beak?

 

[realsis]

Yes that will work in a pinch.I sure hope she gets well! Thinking of you! Sending good thoughts your way.

 

[Dagwood1009]

Okay. Got some good stuff from the store. Picked up some sav-a-chick probotic, electrolyte, some mill worms for protein, and some medicated chick starter feed. She is still not eating or drinking on her own so I have been giving her the stuff with a dropper. I did manage to get a few mill worms in her mouth and she eat them. I will continue to fedd and water her every couple hours. Anything else that anyone can think of let me know.

 

[Dagwood1009]

Unfortunately, Selena did not make it. After trying everything that I could think of we found her dead this morning. My son and I made her a small coffin and buried her behind the shed this morning. Thank you for your advice and assistance. I wished the outcome could have been different.