older hen behaving strangely

[Cecilia of Finland]

Hi
One of my "older" (2+ years, but Hy-line) hens is behaving strangely.

She avoids the other chickens in the flock and they started pecking on her. She hides but seems fine otherwise. This is new. She used to be a part of the flock even though she hasnt been laying eggs for several months. I separated her from the others, but she is quite energetic and i can not find what is wrong with her (except a poopy butt).

All of a sudden she loves to roost. She frequently jumps up on my arm and she is constantly clucking quietly. She eats and drinks well.

Do any of you know what could be bothering my old lady?

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

Hi, I also have a production chicken (either hy-line or ISA brown, she came from a shelter). The appetite and energetic attitude are all great signs! I might inspect her vent area more closely for maggots (gross, I know) and her feet for scaly mites. As she is beyond laying eggs on her own, I wouldn't pet her on her back if you feel that might induce egglaying that would unduly stress her system.

 

[112Days]

Sounds like regularly scheduled pecking order re-evaluation. Chickens establish their pecking order through their everyday actions, and it just sounds like her age has made her meeker towards the flock and more affectionate towards you! I wouldn't worry.

 

[peeper89]

Hi
One of my "older" (2+ years, but Hy-line) hens is behaving strangely.

She avoids the other chickens in the flock and they started pecking on her. She hides but seems fine otherwise. This is new. She used to be a part of the flock even though she hasnt been laying eggs for several months. I separated her from the others, but she is quite energetic and i can not find what is wrong with her (except a poopy butt).

All of a sudden she loves to roost. She frequently jumps up on my arm and she is constantly clucking quietly. She eats and drinks well.

Do any of you know what could be bothering my old lady?

take poopoo to vet see if she got worm
she not lay egg in long time she got problem https://poultrykeeper.com/reproductive-system-problems/

 

[Cecilia of Finland]

Thank you for the help!
It is great that the backyard chicken community is so active.

I will check for parasites. Her leggs are fine, so no mites there. Is it safe to de-worm here even if I can not see any worms?

She is not laying eggs because of her age. It should be perfectly normal. She is just enjoying her retirement days in my chicken coop.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

Hi Cecilia, I plan to feed my chickens pumpkins as they ripen as the seeds are said to be a natural dewormer, but if I saw actual worms in droppings, I would administer ivermectin. I'm conflicted as to whether to use ivermectin for routine pre-emptive de-worming as I have seen it cause GI effects in cats and dogs, and birds have a more frail system. I'd love anyone's feedback on routine deworming vs not with this medication.

 

[112Days]

Ivermectin is used as routine dewormer in horses and even though they can't absorb things as well as other animals, we still give them the day off from work since it makes them a little sick. Sometimes I give my girls a size-appropriate dose of ivermectin left over from after I deworm the horses, and they seem better for it. I can't tell the difference between the eggs of a dewormed hen and one that hasn't been dewormed, but you can do your own research and decide if you want to eat those eggs for those 1-3 weeks after dosing if you do decide to deworm.

 

[112Days]

Ivermectin is used as routine dewormer in horses and even though they can't absorb things as well as other animals, we still give them the day off from work since it makes them a little sick. Sometimes I give my girls a size-appropriate dose of ivermectin left over from after I deworm the horses, and they seem better for it. I can't tell the difference between the eggs of a dewormed hen and one that hasn't been dewormed, but you can do your own research and decide if you want to eat those eggs for those 1-3 weeks after dosing if you do decide to deworm.

Just clarifying that ivermectin deworms by passing through the GI tract. Horses can't absorb things quite as well as other animals, so the ivermectin passes through the gut a bit more readily. Dosed chickens will absorb more of the ivermectin, potentially making them a little bit sicker than a dosed horse.

 

[aart]

..... but if I saw actual worms in droppings, I would administer ivermectin. I'm conflicted as to whether to use ivermectin for routine pre-emptive de-worming as I have seen it cause GI effects in cats and dogs, and birds have a more frail system. I'd love anyone's feedback on routine deworming vs not with this medication.

You won't see most worms in droppings...you need to have a fecal float test done by a lab that will give a report stating the species and numbers of worms found....if any. Then you can choose a wormer that will address the specific parasite you are dealing with.

Preventative worming can cause resistance, so I would not recommend it, unless you have in a climate and have accurate local knowledge that it needs to be done and how and what to use to avoid resistance. Southern climates can make routine worming necessary but rotating chemical wormers is important.

Welcome to BYC!
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Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!

 

[Cecilia of Finland]

Hi
I am from the southerns parts of Finland. So usually not that warm, but we have experienced a very warm summer this year (25-30 degrees Celsius for the last months).

My chicken is doing better now. Thanks to the help on this forum I knew what to look for. She seems to have been dropped to the bottom of the pecking order. But now she is afraid of all of the other chickens as well as the rooster. She seems to be looking for shelter with me.

I washed her today and everything seems fine. I have another flock of chickens. Is there any use in trying to move her in to that flock? It consists of 5 young marans chickens (3 roosters and 2 hens) all of almost the same size as her, but only 10 weeks old. Or should I just build more hiding spots and make sure food and water is easy to get at multiple places in the chicken run of her old flock?