Not eating or drinking problem

[BruceAZ]

One of my hens went broody for about 6-8+ weeks. I tried to put her outside of the nesting box 3-4x day during those weeks whenever i can. She will eat and drink a bit but will go back in again...

I don't know if this is something else but it looks like she is getting weaker. I tried to offer her food and water by hand but she is not eating/drinking at all

She will go crazy for blueberries back then but no success either...We lost one of hens (flock of 5) last year... :/

Do i have to feed her by syringe at this point ?

i have a picture and video of her. Any assistance is appreciated. Thank you

 

[Kiki]

Do you have electrolytes handy?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

You need to decide what you are going to do. Either give her eggs to hatch, chicks to adopt, or break her. She can very well stay broody until she dies.

 

[Kiki]

Her poor little legs look like they can barely hold her up.
I would make her drink and scramble up some eggs and sardines for her.
(Don't get upset with my next question...I am very curious)
Why did you wait this long to try to help her?

 

[BruceAZ]

Do you have electrolytes handy?

No. I do not. I'm new at this.

Her poor little legs look like they can barely hold her up.
I would make her drink and scramble up some eggs and sardines for her.
(Don't get upset with my next question...I am very curious)
Why did you wait this long to try to help her?

I'll put her outside whenever i can but she will go back in again.

I didn't see her like this until today.

You need to decide what you are going to do. Either give her eggs to hatch, chicks to adopt, or break her. She can very well stay broody until she dies.

how do i break her ?

but first i think i have to get her eating/drinking again..

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Use a wire dog crate and put it up on bricks or what have you so she will not have a solid bottom to settle down in to. It can take a few days. I have never done it myself as I just let them hatch a few chicks and then sell them. There are quite a few threads on other techniques such as cold water baths.

Usually when they are broody they come out once a day to eat, drink, poop, and dust bathe. You may just not be catching them when they do it. I have a pullet that has been broody about the same amount of time as yours. She hatched a few chicks a few weeks ago but would not accept them so she has one more chance with the guineas hatching this week and then I will have to resort to breaking her.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Be prepared with a plan, though, because even if you break her now she may go broody again in a few months so you need to be better about dealing with it earlier.

 

[BruceAZ]

Be prepared with a plan, though, because even if you break her now she may go broody again in a few months so you need to be better about dealing with it earlier.

My other hens didn't go broody at all over the past year or so. This hen will become broody 4-5x in 1 year.

It worked the other time when i keep putting her outside eventually she will join the flock again after 1-2 wk. This time it lasted a lot longer...

I feed her some water through a straw a moment ago. I noticed she will not go in the coop anymore

Where can i get or home made some electrolytes?

 

[MageofMist]

If your broody is a pecker, pecking you when you put your hand in the nestbox or under her, you can try getting food down her that way. My hen lunges to peck me and gets a beakfull of cheese, fruit, seeds or whatever I am eating at the time, once she even got a little bit of roast duck with orange sauce... She gobbled that faster than any of the other treats. Once she tastes it, she'll start happily nomming away at the treat on your hand.

Chickens are also attracted to movement, which I exploited with my hen. When she refused to drink, I filled a shallow bowl up with water and put some of her fave seeds and corn in from her scratch. Then I started wriggling it and she pecked at the seeds and also then started drinking the water after getting her beak wet.

[snip]

Edit: You can also buy, such as save-a-chick, or make an electrolyte solution.
2 c. Warm Water
2 tbsp. Brown Sugar, Honey or Molasses
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

This is for baby chickens and ducklings though, dunno the dosages for baby crows.

 

[BruceAZ]

This hen is pretty picky with her food. She's the smallest in the flock.

Well. she's doing better now after some straw-feeding of water. The tail feathers are standing back up again.

now only if she will eat her food and not go in the nesting box again. It's getting hot here in AZ-- 105-106+ in the next few days