I have a much-loved hen who's a family pet who has been very sick for months. It all started in June when my EE got very ill suddenly. When I took her to the vet he euthanized her and told me she was very skinny so this "issue/illness" had been going on for awhile without me knowing. He told me to go home and check my 2 remaining hens to see if they were also skinny. (None of my 3 hens - all 3 years old had layed in about 4 months at the time - now we're up to 6 months). Yes - the other two were skinnier than they should be. The BR seems fine - she's plucky - fast - bright - healthy-looking, but doesn't lay at all anymore. The BO has been a mess. She has a poopy bum a lot - I know this is because she spends a lot of time laying down. She doesn't roost at night b/c she is very weak so she lays on the floor of the coop so she gets a poopy bum that way. I give her a lot of baths to clean her up. We treated them both with Corid just in case. Now I'm giving them both Baytril suspension 2x a day for 7 days (and if you've never medicated a chicken by squirting abx down her throat, you just haven't lived). Today is day 3 of the abx and the BR seems fine, although irritated with me from all the catching and medicating.
My little BO looks horrible
. Her comb has almost completely withered away. She weighs about 4 lbs and looks fluffy as all get out, but she feels like a bag of bones when I pick her up. Her fecal was tested for worms and was negative BTW. When I go out to give them treats (cottage cheese, yogurt, etc) my BO staggers over to the treat and dives in and barely gives my BR a chance to eat it. But when I see her laying there.... looking shriveled.... and just so weak, I feel like I should cull her (and BTW, "cull her" means get her euthanized at the vet in my book b/c I'm not a 'real chicken person' and can't kill my own pets, although I don't think there is anything wrong with doing it if you are a 'real chicken person'). I guess I cling to hope that she'll turn around because she is eating and drinking and she does stagger around the run and go inside when it rains and she puts herself to bed every night in the coop.
Am I clinging to false hope at this point? or is it worth hanging on and seeing if she turns around.
And clearly something is wrong with the BR if she's gone 6 months without laying at all, but she appears 100% otherwise.
I have three little chicks in the brooder and at some point they're going to have to be integrated into my 2-chicken flock, but I'm worried my other 2 have something the chicks could catch.... but maybe not. I'm so confused to be honest.
People who are "chicken people" tell me to cull my 2 hens and just start over with chicks. I know that's the smart thing to do, but they're pets, not yard birds and I can't imagine doing that.
Any advice would be much appreciated. (If you're interested in my BO, here's an old thread about her .
THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My little BO looks horrible
Am I clinging to false hope at this point? or is it worth hanging on and seeing if she turns around.
And clearly something is wrong with the BR if she's gone 6 months without laying at all, but she appears 100% otherwise.
I have three little chicks in the brooder and at some point they're going to have to be integrated into my 2-chicken flock, but I'm worried my other 2 have something the chicks could catch.... but maybe not. I'm so confused to be honest.
People who are "chicken people" tell me to cull my 2 hens and just start over with chicks. I know that's the smart thing to do, but they're pets, not yard birds and I can't imagine doing that.
Any advice would be much appreciated. (If you're interested in my BO, here's an old thread about her .
THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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You could also just use probiotics that are found in the vitamin section, crush them and sprinkle them in the mash or on some fruit. 
