I have a 15 month old EE hen who has come down with a mysterious illness. She is one of five hens but she is the only one exhibiting these behaviors. She is very weak and will flop over on her side when she tries to walk. Three days ago I went out to the run and found her lying on her side in the mud and to be honest, I thought she was dead at first. I picked her up put her in a small separate coop that has a enclosed pen underneath it so if she had anything contagious she wouldn't give it to the others. Also so she wouldn't get pecked at.
She feels feather-light but haven't been able to compare her to the others since none of my hens have ever been cuddle bugs. They will come right to my feet while feeding but they don't like to be picked up. Anyway, the ill hen doesn't even put up a normal fuss over being picked up past a half-hearted squawk once.
Her droppings all seem normal and I haven't felt an egg that may be stuck (she hasn't lain an egg since about November) so I'm not sure what may be wrong. I've had to make up a pallet with pine shavings in the small run since she is too weak to get up and down the ramp and I was afraid that she'd fall out of the top part of the coop in her condition.
Today, I was out feeding the hens some lettuce and since she was walking SLIGHTLY better, I let her out while I was there so she could be with her friends for just a little while but after about five minutes, maybe less, she wobbled back into her pen where her pallet is. She got wore out just that fast. She is eating well and will even eat out of my hand now.
Any idea what might be the problem? I hate that its happening, especially now since I've just completed a bigger run. The others are enjoying the 22' by 40' run after spending their entire lives in a small 15' diameter trampoline as their run. My Blizzard, though, is just too sick to join in.
She feels feather-light but haven't been able to compare her to the others since none of my hens have ever been cuddle bugs. They will come right to my feet while feeding but they don't like to be picked up. Anyway, the ill hen doesn't even put up a normal fuss over being picked up past a half-hearted squawk once.
Her droppings all seem normal and I haven't felt an egg that may be stuck (she hasn't lain an egg since about November) so I'm not sure what may be wrong. I've had to make up a pallet with pine shavings in the small run since she is too weak to get up and down the ramp and I was afraid that she'd fall out of the top part of the coop in her condition.
Today, I was out feeding the hens some lettuce and since she was walking SLIGHTLY better, I let her out while I was there so she could be with her friends for just a little while but after about five minutes, maybe less, she wobbled back into her pen where her pallet is. She got wore out just that fast. She is eating well and will even eat out of my hand now.
Any idea what might be the problem? I hate that its happening, especially now since I've just completed a bigger run. The others are enjoying the 22' by 40' run after spending their entire lives in a small 15' diameter trampoline as their run. My Blizzard, though, is just too sick to join in.
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