Poorly hen, need your help please

[yolka doodle]

Hi this is Bessie, I noticed today she is very lethargic and her face appears redder than normal. Her tail is slightly down and she just wants to be on her own. When I talk to her she shakes her head which she has never done before. I have put her in a dog cage with water and a few drops of apple cider vinegar and some scrambled egg. Any ideas as to what my be wrong please.



thank you

 

[SPARKLESILKIE]

Do you have roosters? Because if you do she might be being picked on. But my sister's rooster's face turns red after he's running around in the hot sun or when a bug flies by. But has she been laying eggs? If not, with the droopy tail she might be egg bound or if she is laying eggs with the wanting to be on her own she may just be broody. If she's broody then you should make her a nesting box. If you already have a nesting box then you should probably not pick her up as much. Also if you think she is egg bound then bring her to the vet immediately and have her checked. Her face being red could just be the other roosters or hot sun or a bug but it also goes with being egg bound or broody.

 

[azygous]

How old is she? How long has she been laying? These are crucial bits of information.

Does she have feather loss on her breast? Again, crucial information.

What kind of vocalizing is she doing? Is it a low, fast whooping, different from her usual cluck? When was the last time she laid?

We need to know more.

 

[yolka doodle]

How old is she? How long has she been laying? These are crucial bits of information.

Does she have feather loss on her breast? Again, crucial information.

What kind of vocalizing is she doing? Is it a low, fast whooping, different from her usual cluck? When was the last time she laid?

We need to know more.

Hi, she is 18 months old and has been laying since around 25 weeks old I think. I have noticed she has feather loss on her breast and is red. I have only got 4 eggs out of my 7 hens for the last 2 days so ill say she possible last laid 3 days ago when I got 7 eggs but I can not tell what eggs are hers. as for her clucks I have not heard her recently as they lay while I'm at work. I do use DE I sprinkle the perches, nest boxes and coop.

SPARKLESILKIE I do not have a rooster and she is top hen and it is so not like her to want to be alone. I did give them cooked marrow yesterday for the first time do you think she could be having an allergic reaction?

Thank you for your help

 

[yolka doodle]

I have just checked on her and she is breathing through her beak, open then close she has only just started doing this. Also her poop is just white, she is not opening her beak very far just slightly.
Thank you.

 

[azygous]

The open beak indicates she's upset. The naked breast could indicate she's going broody, but there would be a lot of other symptoms if that was the problem. She'd want to sit on the nest, and when you try to pick her up, she would screech and fluff up twice her size.

Her white runny poop might indicate she isn't eating much. If that's the case, it should have moss green in it, along with the white and clear stuff.

Wanting to be alone is another symptom of being broody. Is she a lot hotter than the other hens, especially on her breast? That's another symptom of broodiness.

 

[yolka doodle]

Hi, she does appear to be slightly hot. One of my other hens is constantly broody. She ha stopped breathing with beak open but has one of her wings slightly open as if she is hot. I have her indoors to keep an eye on her. She has had a problem before where the egg yolk and white came out first and then a sack followed but got stuck, I put olive oil around the vent and it slipped out. You have been extremely helpful, thank you. I will keep an eye on her and up date how she is. I bought her some yogurt but she has not touched it. Her poop is just white with the tiniest bit of poo.

THANK YOU

 

[azygous]

If she has a history of egg laying abnormalities, she could be egg-bound. You could give her a soak for around 20 minutes in warm water, immersed so her lower parts are covered. Then dry her off and leave her in a quiet place and wait and see what happens. Usually, a bound up egg will pass within and hour. If you get the egg contents emerging without the shell again, your girl could be in dire trouble.

 

[SPARKLESILKIE]

Yes she was definitely broody. Of course I am not 100% but 99.9% lol But I would not be worried about being egg bound again. My hen did the same thing when she laid her first egg. You said that Bessie has been laying for a while which is a good sign. And the naked breast is too. You said that her poo is watery. That's probably because she hasn't been eating alot, only drinking because of the heat. She probably feels that she doesn't need to eat because drinking is the important thing. Don't force her to eat because she might get stressed out and get egg bound again. I mean But if you have roosters make sure they don't pick on her because if she gets stressed she will be egg bound again. To be safe put hay in her nesting box so she doesn't have to pull her feathers out any more. But relax, just make sure the roos aren't going to pick on her. But other than that I'm sure she will be fine. I'm telling you this for the next time she gets broody..... You have done nothing wrong, you are the perfect chicken keeper with the proper care she will be fine good luck will all your chickens, Bessie will be in my prayers.

 

[SPARKLESILKIE]

If her egg comes out funny again call the vet immediately. But if she is calm for the next few days don't worry. If I were you, which you probably have, but if you didn't, take her inside of your house, put her in a quiet room with food, water, any toys she likes, you can put soft music on, I hear chickens like TV. (From experience) and let her rest. You can go in and talk to her if you'd like. But make sure she is relaxed and calm. If she is calm she will take her time to lay an egg. But with pressure she will be stressed and lay nothing but crumbles and yolk. Don't worry and definitely don't stress her. Besides those tips, you're free to do anything to appease her