New Hampshire Red hen that is ill.

[2br1nr]

I have a 5 year old hen that appears to have diahrhea. She is walking very slowly and holds her tail feathers down. She is very thin, but is still eating and drinking and walks around with the other chickens and looks for bugs and such. This moring when I helped her off of the roost her tail and back felt damp. Can any one tell me what might be wrong with her and what I can do to help her. Her comb is bright red and I think she has been laying. She doesn't lay in the coop so I don't always know when she lays eggs. The poop is stuck to her feather also.

 

[Shadowhills Farm]

Get her separated from the rest and bring her inside.

She may need electrolytes...you can get some at a feed store really cheap.

Can you post a pic of her?

 

[fiberart57]

Have you checked her for being egg-bound? What about parasites? If she's got lots of poop on her feathers a warm soak and bath may be in order which would help her if she's egg bound as well. They love the blow dryer.

Lots of nutritional support; scrambled eggs, plain low fat or fat-free yoghurt, oatmeal, applesauce, . . .

Congratulations on your 'geriatric' hen and good luck with her. I have a NHR who's one of my favorites and I'm glad that it's possible that she'll be around for a long time.

Mary