This is about my daughter's pet hen. She's an Ameraucana bantam, 7 years old. We have had friends looking after her and her buddy for a number of months. We picked her up on Monday afternoon (long drive - 16 hours in car). I didn't see her when she arrived here, as hubby arrived after midnight. When I checked on her in the morning she didn't look great, then discovered that she is incredibly thin. Unfortunately, my friend had started them on a pellet feed which Misty has never eaten, and I think she has been starving 
Her face is pale and thin, her keel is like a knife blade!! Her butt was absolutely coated with poop and she is very wobbly on her feet, seems to be splay legged and straining to possibly pass an egg. We bathed her in warm water with Epsom salts yesterday and cleaned off the mess. I made her some scrambled egg yesterday and have given her chicken probiotics and electrolytes. She is eating and drinking, but not much. She seems pretty weak and I don't know how much is stress related, how much is from starvation, and how much is the possible stuck egg. I really didn't think she would make it through the night. This morning I gave her more scrambled egg with calcium powder mixed in and she ate a little. I also put some calcium powder into a little kefir and she took all of that. She seems a touch stronger this morning. I am planning on doing another warm bath with Epsom salts this morning, she is still pooping and she is pretty messy again this morning. She stops and strains every now and again. She hasn't laid eggs for years - she never was a great layer, but her 10 year old buddy starting laying recently and that has me wondering if she has also started trying to lay. I would really appreciate feedback on this. I did notice that she seems to have a hard lump below her vent that I could imagine is an egg. Her buddy is also thin, but not as bad. Both of their beaks (and nails) are overgrown too which I know messes with their eating, but I don't want to stress her more than necessary right now - she is getting the food I offer her down so not going to worry about that right now.
Her face is pale and thin, her keel is like a knife blade!! Her butt was absolutely coated with poop and she is very wobbly on her feet, seems to be splay legged and straining to possibly pass an egg. We bathed her in warm water with Epsom salts yesterday and cleaned off the mess. I made her some scrambled egg yesterday and have given her chicken probiotics and electrolytes. She is eating and drinking, but not much. She seems pretty weak and I don't know how much is stress related, how much is from starvation, and how much is the possible stuck egg. I really didn't think she would make it through the night. This morning I gave her more scrambled egg with calcium powder mixed in and she ate a little. I also put some calcium powder into a little kefir and she took all of that. She seems a touch stronger this morning. I am planning on doing another warm bath with Epsom salts this morning, she is still pooping and she is pretty messy again this morning. She stops and strains every now and again. She hasn't laid eggs for years - she never was a great layer, but her 10 year old buddy starting laying recently and that has me wondering if she has also started trying to lay. I would really appreciate feedback on this. I did notice that she seems to have a hard lump below her vent that I could imagine is an egg. Her buddy is also thin, but not as bad. Both of their beaks (and nails) are overgrown too which I know messes with their eating, but I don't want to stress her more than necessary right now - she is getting the food I offer her down so not going to worry about that right now.
Very happy that your hen is doing so much better! Keep up the good work!
