Not eating and is all bones.

[#lovemychickens]

I have a Rhode Island Red who is about 2 1/2 years old. She has been on layer feed and an occasional treat of scratch/ corn/ black oil sunflower seeds. About two weeks ago she started to be a little less active and about a week and a half ago she was just standing there not moving around much. Eventually she would just sit there and she would stay out in the run while the others went into the coop. We brought her in and checked to see if she was egg bound and there’s no egg. We’ve kept her inside where it’s warm and quiet. I don’t know when the last time she laid an egg was because we haven’t been getting many eggs due to the cold MN winter and less daylight and I don’t know who is laying an egg here and there. She is drinking some water when it’s out in front of her but isn’t eating. Her poop is dark green/ brown.. sometimes it almost looks black.. and has the consistency of tiny fish eggs/ large coffee grounds. I thought maybe worms so I wormed her and she is still lethargic acting. Her comb and wattles are a nice red color. No drainage from her nostrils or eyes. Every once in a while she pants/ breathes heavy. I checked for sour and impacted crop and that’s not it either. Any help would be appreciated. I don’t know what is causing this and I don’t want her to die.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. Some hens will prematurely suffer from reproductive disorders (internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis, salpingitis,) or may have ascites or water belly. As long as her crop is empty early in the morning, it sounds like her crop is working, but crop problems occur with repro disorders sometimes. Has she lost weight in her breast muscles and doe she feel light? Is there a fullness in her lower belly between the legs compared to other hens? I would bring her in to a crate and offer some wet chicken feed mixed with a small amount of plain greek yogurt. Scrambled egg is good too, and add some chick vitamins to her water for a few days. Poultry NutriDrench 2 ml daily would be a good substitute.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would put her back inside the coop with others. Be prepared to put her in a wire dog crate, since they may try to hurt her. That will also make it easier to feed her separately and know how much she is eating. Spend some time with them to watch what they do. It might even be better to spend several days bringing her out there, and supervising some free ranging time. I don’t know your location or how cold it is, but that may also affect how quickly she can go back. If she is not eating, or drinking, she may just need visits everyday, and kept inside with you. It isn’t possible to save a chicken with a bad problem, such as cancer or some virus that causes wasting away. You could try an antibiotic on her, but hard to know if that would help or not. You could learn to tube feed her 2-3 times a day to get some food into her. That might help.

 

[#lovemychickens]

I tried to tube feed her yesterday and for being sick she sure does still have some spunk in her. I didn’t get too far and will have to have my daughter help me when she gets home today. I like the idea of visits! It’s a bit cold here so I don’t think I can leave her out all day. Thank you everyone for your advice and help on this!

 

[#lovemychickens]

I know this may be wrong on so many levels.. but we didn’t have any tuna fish so I chopped up a little bit of rotisserie chicken breast that we had left over and she snarfed it down. She probably ate a good two tablespoons of it. Should I try to get her to eat some rocks/ grit to help her digest it?

 

[Eggcessive]

The chicken was fine, and I would make the grit available if she wants to take some. My chickens will clean up a turkey or chicken carcass in a minute, LOL. They love meat and salmon or tuna. Ivermectin has lost some effectiveness against worms in recent years. Valbazen 1/2 ml orally, and repeated in 10 days will treat most chicken worms. Or you can use Safeguard Liquid Goat Wormer 1/4 ml per pound and give it 5 consecutive days.

Her being pale could be that she is sick. Look her over for lice or mites under her bent and elswhere, just in case. Instead of using vegetable oil in the feed which can cause diarrhea, just use more water. Baby bird feed can be found at Walmart, especially KayTee brand.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

I received a video earlier in this thread and have watched it several times. I don’t have the parrot food so took her chicken feed soaked in water with a little vegetable oil and tried to get it to go through a small tube that we found at a hardware store. I’m so out of my element!

Actually...put the feed in the blender first and get it as fine as you can...at least..this is what I did for my duck, Little Lou, all of December...then once it’s ground you mix it...maybe that’s what you’re doing...keep stirring it. I went to my local vet and bought a tube straight from them...catheter Gaige 60 I believe...sooo much easier on the bird. No hard edges. I also gave him the vit B-Complex water. If you can’t get the vet to sell you a tube..aquarium tubing is the first tube I used...is yours that small?

 

[Eggcessive]

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. At least she passed on her own, and is not suffering. You gave her a lot of care and love. Please update your thread if you get a necropsy report. Her body needs to be kept cold, but not frozen and taken or sent by Tues, because of the holiday Monday.

 

[#lovemychickens]

She has no breast muscle left and I can feel her bones under her. She does have some fullness still in the far back of her. Crop is empty in the morning but honestly hasn’t had much in there except water since she isn’t eating. I’ve tried the yogurt which she ate at first and no longer eats. I’ve offered her eggs, soft bread, wet chicken feed, cottage cheese, berries, lettuce.. I think I’ve tried just about everything. I’ve also put ACV in her water. I’m at a loss. Is it better to just put her down?!? I don’t want to give up on her but don’t want her to suffer either. My heart is breaking!

 

[Eggcessive]

Chick vitamins would be good. Poultry NutriDrench 2 ml daily or SaveAChick for the water. Try to get her to eat some chick feed mixed with warm water, and a little cooked egg. Tuna or canned cat food are also some things they may take.