Need a vet

[DebbieNyga]

I have a 2 year old hen, who I found sick on Sunday. I originally thought she was egg bound but after several days when she started to poop realized she was not. Yesterday she started clucking and feeling better she was eating and drinking. Today we put her back in with the other two hens however after several hours repeated the same symptoms. She is laying in the bottom of the coop and not doing well. We brought her back in again and repeating the same thing. I have no idea what is wrong with her, and my vet does not do it chickens. We live at South Mountain, does anyone know of a vet who can assist? Perhaps it is some type of virus associated with heat stroke?

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Chicken illnesses are difficult to diagnose without expensive Xrays or blood tests. I hope you can find a vet locally. In the meantime, make sure that she is drinking well and feed her some chopped egg or tuna, plus add some yogurt and water to her dry feed in a small bowl. Vitamins with electrolytes would be good to add to her water, or you can give her 2 ml Poultry Nutri-drench daily by mouth. At her age, internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis, ascites (fluid in the lower belly,) and cancer of the oviduct are all common in older hens. Feel of her crop to make sure it is emptying overnight, feel of her keel or breast area for weight loss, for swelling in her belly, and look her over for lice or mites. Worms can also be a problem. Valbazen or SafeGuard are very good wormers for chickens.