poorly hen and an uneducated owner

[jen85swan]

Please help.I have 4 hens that hatched in late Feb. It's my first 're and last week 2 started laying. They were the two larger hens and everything seemed to be going ok. Today I have got back and one of the larger laying hensseems fatter or swollen all over and waddling very slowley with no energy. I shake the meal worms and all but her run over. She is cowering in corners and piping out completely clear gel like substance. Please help me, I don't know what to do....

 

[shay miller]

I would try giving her some grass and corn.

 

[Eggcessive]

She may have been egg bound and had an egg break inside. I would get a rubber glove and gently feel inside her vent 1-2 inches only, to remove any egg shell or membrane remaining (and check for an egg.) Are you supplementing with crushed oyster shell or feeding crushed egg shells back to give extra calcium? Are they on layer feed? Having eggs break inside can lead to internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis.

 

[jen85swan]

I'm so grateful for this message but scared to do anything to her. So at I have washed her vent with Epsom salts in water and I have applied Vaseline with a tiny amount of caneston foot treatment. She looks to be loosing feathers or they are just clumping. Yes they have mixed grain with oyster shell. I occassionally give meal worms and yoghurt and grapes.

 

[jen85swan]

P.s she layed a shell-less egg yesterday on the pebbles but still ill and keepss closing eeyes

 

[Momoney176]

have you checked her droppings for worms

 

[Eggcessive]

You may want to have her seen by a vet. She could have an infection inside her abdomen.