Poorly Hen Please Help!!

[lacex]

Hi all,
I am fairly new to keeping hens and am in need of some expert advice please!
We recently rescued 10 ex battery hens and have all been doing great and are very good layers but for the last week or so one of our girls has been very poorly. She has been keeping to herself a lot and gradually become weaker, thinner and slower. Now she just sits about and pretty much falling over where she is so weak. I have been trying to feed her and give her water, she eats a bit of bread now and again but not much. Someone said that she is about 5/6 and old and just giving up but I would like your opinions please. She is not egg bound or swollen anywhere at all. She literally just sits and closes her eyes, its heartbreaking to see her so we have lots of cuddles. Is there anything else I can be doing?!
Thanks!!

 

[sourland]

Sorry for the circumstances. It sounds as if she has reached the end point of her life. Just make her comfortable as best you can. 5 or 6 years for ex battery hens is a good long life. You have done a good job with them.

 

[realsis]

she might have gotten something before you got her the life of a battery hen is not an easy one. is there ANY other symptoms that you can see? is she still laying? how is her poo? look listen to her breathing and feel for anything that might give you a clue as to what's going on. you say she's not egg bound so she's still laying? if not did you examine her vent? has she been wormed? is it possible she has worms? have you checked her for lice or mites? sometimes worms can really bring them down like that. is her breathing normal? any sound when she breathes? any other clues might help with a diagnosis .look her over really good and listen to her and post any more clues you can find. I'm wondering if they worm battery hens? maybe that's the issue?or sadly it could be she's just old and giving up. I'm so sorry to say. she's had a long life and was very lucky you found her.

 

[lacex]

Thank you for the replies, I wasn't sure how long ex battery hens actually lived for. She seems to be breathing ok and not in any discomfort. She isn't laying any more her vent and crop are both ok... We put a wormer in their water a few days ago and regularly treat them for mites. I guess it's just old age at least she got to spend her last days being free and loved! Thanks again x

 

[lacex]

Correction! She is laying, it's hard to tell with so many but she has 100% laid an egg this morning with brown small lumps on.. Any idea if this is a symptom of something? Thanks x